Music · Harmony

50s variant

The doo-wop progression (I-vi-IV-V) and its '50s variants, the chord loop behind countless 1950s ballads.

songs

It turns up on 24 recordings, for nearly the whole run, 1963 to 1970. 'Please Please Me' opens the run and 'The Long and Winding Road' closes it, with the A Hard Day's Night album leaning on it hardest, six of its thirteen tracks. More of them come from 1965 or earlier than from 1967 on, fifteen against seven. John sings lead on nine of them, Paul on four, Ringo on three and George on one.

#	Title	Year	Album	Lead Vocal(s)	Notes
1	Please Please Me	1963	Please Please Me	John, Paul	-
2	She Loves You	1963	Past Masters	Paul, John	-
3	I'll Get You	1963	Past Masters	John, Paul	-
4	It Won't Be Long	1963	With The Beatles	John	-
5	I Want to Hold Your Hand	1963	Past Masters	John, Paul	as Em → C → D → G
6	Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand	1964	Past Masters	John, Paul	-
7	I Should Have Known Better	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	-

8	I'm Happy Just to Dance with You	1964	A Hard Day's Night	George	-
9	When I Get Home	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	-
10	A Hard Day's Night	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John, Paul	as G → Em → C → D7
11	Any Time at All	1964	A Hard Day's Night	John	-
12	And I Love Her	1964	A Hard Day's Night	Paul	as C♯m → A → B7 → E6
13	I've Just Seen a Face	1965	Help!	Paul	-
14	Yesterday	1965	Help!	Paul	as Dm → B♭ → C7 → Fsus4
15	Yellow Submarine	1966	Revolver	Ringo	-
16	Strawberry Fields Forever	1967	Magical Mystery Tour	John	as Gm → E♭/B♭ → F7 → B♭
17	Happiness Is a Warm Gun	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	as Am → F → G → C
18	Good Night	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	Ringo	-
19	The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	-
20	I'm So Tired	1968	The Beatles (The White Album)	John	-
21	Octopus's Garden	1969	Abbey Road	Ringo	-
22	The Long and Winding Road	1970	Let It Be	Paul	-
23	Real Love	1996	Reunion singles	John	-

Analysis