Rotated Doo-Wop Progression (IV V I vi)
The Rotated doo-wop is the chord progression IV-V-I-vi. In the key of C major it is F G C Am, and in the Nashville Number System it is written 4 5 1 6m.
It is also known as IV-V-I-vi progression.
Jump to the chords and audio in C, G, D, A and E
Why it works
The 50s progression started on IV, so the phrase climbs through IV and V, lands on I, then drops to vi and sets up the next round. Starting on the pre-dominant gives it more forward push than the I-first version. It is fully diatonic to 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viva la Vida | Coldplay | verse and chorus | Db Eb Ab Fm | Ab major |
| I Want to Hold Your Hand | The Beatles | chorus | C D G Em | G major |
| Walking in Memphis | Marc Cohn | intro and verse | F G C Am | C major |
| Boom Clap | Charli XCX | verse and chorus | A B E C#m | E major |
| Brown Eyed Girl | Van Morrison | pre-chorus | C D G Em | G major |
Rotated Doo-Wop 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.
Same loop, different starting chord
- 50s progression: C Am F G
- Komuro progression: Am F G C
More progressions like this one
- I-V-ii: C G Dm
- Wild Thing loop: C F G F
- Louie Louie progression: C F Gm F
- I-V-IV-V: C G F G
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 Rotated doo-wop in each key?
In C major: F G C Am. In G major: C D G Em. In D major: G A D Bm. In A major: D E A F#m. In E major: A B E C#m.
Which songs use the Rotated doo-wop?
Songs that use it include Viva la Vida by Coldplay, I Want to Hold Your Hand by The Beatles, Walking in Memphis by Marc Cohn.
