Just the Two of Us Chord Progression
The Just the Two of Us progression is the chord progression IVmaj7-III7-vi7-v7-I7. In the key of C major it is Fmaj7 E7 Am7 Gm7 C7, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 4(maj7) 3(7) 6m(7) 5m(7) 1(7).
It is also known as Marunouchi Sadistic progression, Marusa, Maru-sa shinko.
Chords from outside the key of C major: E7, Gm7, C7.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
III7 is the secondary dominant of vi, and its raised note gives the sequence a sad, urban twist. Then v7 and I7 form a ii-V aimed at IV, which restarts the loop. The tonic is really vi, so it sits in natural minor with a harmonic minor dominant.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just the Two of Us | Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers | intro and verse | Dbmaj7 C7 Fm7 Ebm7 Ab7 | F minor |
| Marunouchi Sadistic | Sheena Ringo | verse | Fmaj7 E7 Am7 C7 | C major |
Just the Two of Us 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
- 7-3-6 progression: Bm7b5 E7 Am
- I-iii-IV walk-up: C Em F
- I-I7-IV-iv minor plagal: C C7 F Fm
- I7-IV7 vamp: C7 F7
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 Just the Two of Us progression in each key?
In C major: Fmaj7 E7 Am7 Gm7 C7. In G major: Cmaj7 B7 Em7 Dm7 G7. In D major: Gmaj7 F#7 Bm7 Am7 D7. In A major: Dmaj7 C#7 F#m7 Em7 A7. In E major: Amaj7 G#7 C#m7 Bm7 E7.
Which songs use the Just the Two of Us progression?
Songs that use it include Just the Two of Us by Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers, Marunouchi Sadistic by Sheena Ringo.
