'50s progression

{ \relative c' { \clef treble \time 4/4 \key c \major <c e g>1_\markup { \concat { \translate #'(-3.5 . 0) { "C: I" \hspace #7 "vi" \hspace #6 "IV" \hspace #6 "V" \hspace #7 "I" } } } <a c e a> <f c' f a> <g b d g> <c e g> \bar "||" } }
A '50s progression in C

The '50s progression (also known as the "Heart and Soul" chords, the "Stand by Me" changes,[1][2] the doo-wop progression[3]: 204  and the "ice cream changes"[4]) is a chord progression and turnaround used in Western popular music. The progression, represented in Roman numeral analysis, is I–vi–IV–V. For example, in C major: C–Am–F–G. As the name implies, it was common in the 1950s and early 1960s and is particularly associated with doo-wop. The first popular song to use the progression was "Blue Moon", written in 1934. This inspired "Heart and Soul" in 1938.

  1. ^ Moore, Allan (May 1995). "The So-Called 'Flattened Seventh' in Rock". Popular Music. 14 (2). Cambridge University Press: 185–201. doi:10.1017/s0261143000007431. ISSN 0261-1430. S2CID 162661553.
  2. ^ Cole, Clay (2009). Sh-Boom!: The Explosion of Rock 'n' Roll (1953–1968). Garden City, New York: Morgan James. p. 56. ISBN 978-1-60037-638-2.
  3. ^ Scott, Richard (2003). Chord Progressions for Songwriters. New York: Writers Club Press. ISBN 0-595-26384-4.
  4. ^ Austin, D.; Peterik, J.; Lynn, C. (2010). Songwriting For Dummies. Wiley. p. 189. ISBN 978-0-470-89041-7. Retrieved March 2, 2015.