Mario Cadence (bVI bVII I)
The Mario cadence is the chord progression bVI-bVII-I. In the key of C major it is Ab Bb C, and in the Nashville Number System it is written b6 b7 1.
It is also known as Aeolian cadence (major ending), bVI-bVII-I cadence, Mario cadence.
Chords from outside the key of C major: Ab, Bb.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
Two major chords from the parallel minor climb by step to the tonic. Open Music Theory treats it as a goal directed cadence, not a loop, usually with a major final chord like a Picardy third, and links it to success and heroism. The nickname comes from the Super Mario Bros. level end fanfare.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lady Madonna | The Beatles | end of the main riff | F G A | A major |
| Kiss from a Rose | Seal | verse and interlude | Eb F G | G major |
| Crazy Little Thing Called Love | Queen | verse ending | Bb C D | D major |
| P.S. I Love You | The Beatles | refrain | D Bb C D (plays I-bVI-bVII-I) | D major |
Mario Cadence: 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
- bVII-V7 cadence: Bb G7
- I-v-bVII-IV: C Gm Bb F
- Lydian shuttle: C D
- Puff schema with major III: C E7 F
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 Mario cadence in each key?
In C major: Ab Bb C. In G major: Eb F G. In D major: Bb C D. In A major: F G A. In E major: C D E.
Which songs use the Mario cadence?
Songs that use it include Lady Madonna by The Beatles, Kiss from a Rose by Seal, Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen.
