Examples
Well-known examples include the Penguins' "Earth Angel" (1954) and Gene Chandler's "Duke of Earl" (1962). Other examples include Sam Cooke's "Lovable" and other doo-wop material of the era. A modern example can be found in Green Day's "Jesus of Suburbia". Many more recent examples exist, such as Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane over the Sea". . The progression is also the basis for the verses of The Bangles' 1989 hit "Eternal Flame" as well as Radiohead's "No Surprises". Madonna's 1986 single "True Blue" is written in the 50s progression. More notable recent examples are Daughtry's "What About Now", Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls", Justin Bieber's "Baby", and Rebecca Black's Friday.
Walter Everett argues that, "despite the unusual surface harmonic progressions," in The Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever" (1967), "the structural basis of the song is I-VI-IV-V-I ." The chorus of The Beatles' "Happiness Is a Warm Gun" is an example of the fifties progression.
In the musical Grease, the progression is invoked for the purpose of self-parody in the song "Those Magic Changes." The chorus includes a backup vocal line with lyrics "C-C-C-C-C-C / A-A-A-A-minor / F-F-F-F-F-F / G-G-G-G-seven" (repeat).
Recently Hank Green (of the Vlogbrothers) created a song showing the number of songs featuring the progression (including some of his own). It was featured in one of his videos and was also performed at the Evening of Awesome.
Read more about this topic: 50s Progression
Famous quotes containing the word examples:
“No rules exist, and examples are simply life-savers answering the appeals of rules making vain attempts to exist.”
—André Breton (1896–1966)
“Histories are more full of examples of the fidelity of dogs than of friends.”
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744)
“There are many examples of women that have excelled in learning, and even in war, but this is no reason we should bring ‘em all up to Latin and Greek or else military discipline, instead of needle-work and housewifry.”
—Bernard Mandeville (1670–1733)