Quadruple Plagal Chord Progression (bVI bIII bVII IV I)
The Quadruple plagal is the chord progression bVI-bIII-bVII-IV-I. In the key of C major it is Ab Eb Bb F C, and in the Nashville Number System it is written b6 b3 b7 4 1.
It is also known as Hey Joe progression, Extended plagal.
Chords from outside the key of C major: Ab, Eb, Bb.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
Four falling fourths in a row, the longest plagal chain in common use. It is a circle of fifths played backwards, moving toward the sharp side until it lands on a major tonic, and the borrowed bVI and bIII make each step feel like a door opening. Open Music Theory calls it extended plagal, and Ethan Hein uses the name quadruple plagal.
Songs that use it
These are the chords as played in each song, in the song's own key.
| Song | Artist | Section | Chords | Key |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hey Joe | Jimi Hendrix | verse | C G D A E | E major |
| A Day in the Life | The Beatles | interlude (the ahh vocal section) | C G D A E | E major |
| Take Me to the River | Al Green | pre-chorus into chorus | C G D A E7 | E major |
| The Time Warp (The Rocky Horror Show) | Richard O'Brien | chorus (Let's do the time warp again) | F C G D A | A major |
| Hush | Deep Purple | na na na hook | F C G D A | A major |
Quadruple Plagal 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-IV-bVII-IV: C F Bb F
- Mario cadence: Ab Bb C
- bVII-V7 cadence: Bb G7
- I-v-bVII-IV: C Gm Bb 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 Quadruple plagal in each key?
In C major: Ab Eb Bb F C. In G major: Eb Bb F C G. In D major: Bb F C G D. In A major: F C G D A. In E major: C G D A E.
Which songs use the Quadruple plagal?
Songs that use it include Hey Joe by Jimi Hendrix, A Day in the Life by The Beatles, Take Me to the River by Al Green.
