I bVII IV Chord Progression
In the key of C major the I-bVII-IV progression is C Bb F. In the Nashville Number System it is written 1 b7 4.
It is also known as Double plagal, Double plagal cadence, Hey Jude coda.
The same loop is also written bVII-IV-I.
Chords from outside the key of C major: Bb.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
The Mixolydian rock loop. bVII comes from the Mixolydian mode, or is borrowed from the parallel minor, and replaces V, so there is no leading tone. bVII to IV to I is a chain of plagal motions, which is why it sounds open and anthemic rather than classical.
The same loop as Double plagal (bVII-IV-I)
Each chord is the IV of the next: bVII is the IV of IV, and IV is the IV of I, so the roots fall in fourths and reach home through two plagal steps in a row. The bVII comes from the Mixolydian mode, which gives a loose rock swagger in place of the tight pull of a V chord. The term comes from the musicologist Walter Everett.
How to use it
This progression is known for its large amount of classic rock tunes. A flat seventh is a huge part of the blues and early rock is heavily influenced by it. It is essentially the I-IV progression with a bVII added in.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Werewolves of London | Warren Zevon | verse and chorus | D C G | D Mixolydian |
| Born This Way | Lady Gaga | verse and chorus | E D A (shapes) | F# Mixolydian |
| Whip It | Devo | verse | E7sus D A | E Mixolydian |
| Good Times Bad Times | Led Zeppelin | verse | E D A | E Mixolydian |
| Don't Stop | Fleetwood Mac | verse and chorus | E D A | E major |
| Hey Jude | The Beatles | coda (na na na) | F Eb Bb F | F major |
| With a Little Help from My Friends | The Beatles | chorus | D A E | E major |
| Won't Get Fooled Again | The Who | intro and outro | G D A | A major |
| Can't You See | The Marshall Tucker Band | intro and verse | C G D | D major |
I bVII IV Chord Progression: Chords and Audio in C, G, D, A and E
Press play to hear each key. The diagrams show the shapes used in the audio, and every chord links to its full page.
More progressions like this one
- I-II-IV-I: C D F C
- I-V-bVII-IV: C G Bb F
- I-bIII-bVII-IV: C Eb Bb F
- I-i: C Cm
All guitar chord progressions →
Created by
Giancarlo is a musician (teaching guitar since 2000), software engineer, AI consultant and published researcher
FAQ
What are the chords of the I-bVII-IV progression in each key?
In C major: C Bb F. In G major: G F C. In D major: D C G. In A major: A G D. In E major: E D A.
Which songs use the I-bVII-IV progression?
Songs that use it include Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon, Born This Way by Lady Gaga, Whip It by Devo.
