Louie Louie Chord Progression (I IV v IV)
The Louie Louie progression is the chord progression I-IV-v-IV. In the key of C major it is C F Gm F, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 1 4 5m 4.
Chords from outside the key of C major: Gm.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
Like the Wild Thing loop, but with a minor v. The minor v has a flat seventh instead of the leading tone, so there is no pull back to I and the riff just circles. The flat seventh places it in the Mixolydian mode rather than the major scale.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louie Louie | The Kingsmen | verse and chorus | A D Em D | A Mixolydian |
| Futurama Theme | Christopher Tyng | chorus | E A Bm A | E Mixolydian |
Louie Louie 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-V-IV-V: C G F G
- V-IV-I turnaround: G F C
- vi-IV-I: Am F C
- IV-V-vi: F G Am
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 Louie Louie progression in each key?
In C major: C F Gm F. In G major: G C Dm C. In D major: D G Am G. In A major: A D Em D. In E major: E A Bm A.
Which songs use the Louie Louie progression?
Songs that use it include Louie Louie by The Kingsmen, Futurama Theme by Christopher Tyng.
