Embedded Files
Puff Progression (I - iii - IV)
Puff Progression (I - iii - IV)
Standard Puff Progression: I – iii – IV
Standard Puff Progression: I – iii – IV
2) Marvin Gaye, “Let's Get It On,” verse
From Let's Get it On (1973), written by Ed Townsend & Marvin Gaye
Audio: Youtube (0:00–0:23)
E♭ Gm7 A♭ B♭7
I've been really tryin', baby;
E♭ Gm7 A♭ B♭7
Tryin to hold back these feelings, for so long.
E♭ Gm7 A♭ B♭7
And if you feel, like I feel, baby;
E♭ Gm7 A♭ B♭7
Come on, oh, come on; woo!
3) All-4-One, “I Can Love You Like That,” verse
From And the Music Speaks (1995), written by Maribeth Derry, Steve Diamond, and Jennifer Kimball
Audio: Youtube (0:23–0:45)
A
They read you Cinderella,
C#m
You hoped it would come true,
D
That one day your prince charming,
E
would come, rescue you.
A
You like romantic movies,
C#m
You never could forget,
D
The way you felt when romeo kissed
E
Juliet
5) David Lee Garza y Los Musicales, “Me Vuelvo A Enamorar,” verse 1
From Nadie como yo (2009), written by George Soto.
Audio: Youtube (0:20–0:42)
Instructor Note:
| I iii | IV V7 | (x2)
G Bm C D7
A medias de la noche me desperté
G Bm C D7
por la ansiedad de verte me desvelé
G Bm C D7
como puede uno lograr
G Dm C D7
tanto amor de esa calidad
6) David Bowie, “Changes,” verse
From Hunky Dory (1971), written by David Bowie
Audio: Youtube (0:20–0:38)
C Em7
Still don't know what I was waiting for
F G F
And my time was running wild
F
A million dead-end streets and
C Em7
Every time I thought I'd got it made
F G
It seemed the taste was not so sweet
8) Cher, “Believe,” verse
From Believe (1998), written by Brian Higgins, Stuart McLennen, Paul Barry, Steven Torch, Matthew Gray, Timothy Powell, and Cher
Audio: YouTube (0:29–0:58)
Note: See the second phrase
F
No matter how hard I try,
you keep pushing me aside
B♭
and I can't break through,
C
there's no talking to you.
F
It's so sad that you're leavin',
Am
it takes time to believe it.
B♭ C
But after all is said and done,
you're gonna be the lonely one, oh...
9) Lana Del Rey, “Radio,” verse
From Born to Die (2012), written by Lana Del Rey & Justin Parker
Audio: YouTube (0:07–0:32)
Harmonic Rhythm: | D | D | F#m/A | G | (x2)
D F#m/A
Not even they can stop me now
G D
Boy, I'll be flying overhead
F#m/A
Their heavy words can't bring me down
G
Boy I've been raised from the dead
Puff Progressions in Minor
Puff Progressions in Minor
2) AI Generated: Adele & Miley Cyrus, “No Good Woman,” verse
(2025). AI YouTube Channel, Romantic Lounge.
Audio: YouTube (0:40–1:18)
Harmonic Rhythm:
| Em | G | Am | B | (x2)Read more about how AI was used to create this song on the YouTube page here.
Em
They call me reckless, call me wrong,
G
Just cause I don't beg to belong
Am
I speak too loud, I drink too late
B
I don't smile pretty just to play it safe
Em
I've been the villain in their tales
G
The girl who laughs when the silence fails
Am
They pray I'll break, that I'll regret
B
But I ain't shed that skin just yet
i
They call me reckless, call me wrong,
♭III
Just cause I don't beg to belong
iv
I speak too loud, I drink too late
V
I don't smile pretty just to play it safe
i
I've been the villain in their tales
♭III
The girl who laughs when the silence fails
iv
They pray I'll break, that I'll regret
V
But I ain't shed that skin just yet
Puff Progressions with Chromatic Mediants
Puff Progressions with Chromatic Mediants
2) Lana Del Rey, “Get Free,” verse
From Lust for Life (2017), written by Kieron Menzies, Rick Nowels & Lana Del Rey
Audio: Youtube (0:02–0:46)
B♭ D
Finally, I'm crossing the threshold
E♭ E♭m
From the ordinary world, to the reveal of my heart
B♭ D
Undoubtedly, that will for certain
E♭ E♭m
Take the dead out of the sea, and the darkness from the arts
4) The Jayhawks, “Blue,” chorus
From Tomorrow the Green Grass (1995), written by Mark Olson & Gary Louris
Audio: Youtube (0:47–1:07)
E G#
So Blue
A B
Why don't you stay behind
E G#
So Blue
A F# F#m
Why don't you stop and look at what's going down
5) Janelle Monaé, “Crazy Classic Life,” chorus
From Dirty Computer (2018), written by Chuck Lightning, Nate “Rocket” Wonder, Janelle Monáe
Audio: Youtube (1:16–1:36)
G A E
I want a crazy, classic, life
G A E
I want a crazy, classic, life
G A C#m
So if the world should end tonight
G A E
I want a crazy, classic, life
7) Brandi Carlile, “The Joke,” chorus, phrase 2
From By the Way, I Forgive You (2018), written by Tim Hanseroth, Phil Hanseroth, Dave Cobb & Brandi Carlile
Audio: Youtube (1:38–1:54)
Harmonic Rhythm: | D | F# | G | Gm | D |
D F# G
I have been to the movies, I've seen how it ends
Gm D
And the joke's on them
Doo Wop Variation: I - vi - ii - V
Doo Wop Variation: I - vi - ii - V
1) Green Day, “Give Me Novacaine,” verse
From American Idiot (2004), written by Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt & Tré Cool
Audio: Youtube (0:17–0:43)
A F#m
Take away the sensation inside
Bm E
Bittersweet migraine in my head
A F#m
It's like a throbbing toothache of the mind
Bm E
I can't take this feeling anymore
2) Real McCoy, “Another Night,” chorus
From Another Night (Remixes) - EP (1993), written by Frank “Quickmix” Hassas, Olaf “O-Jay” Jeglitza & Jürgen Wind
Audio: Youtube (0:21–0:37)
Am Dm G C
Another night, another dream, but always you,
Am Dm G C
Its like a vision of love that seems to be true,
Am Dm G C
Another night another dream, but always you,
Am Dm G C
In the night I dream of love so true.
Pink Pony (I - ii - vi - IV )
Pink Pony (I - ii - vi - IV )
Lydian Cadence (II - IV - I)
Lydian Cadence (II - IV - I)
See the section “Modal Loops."
More Examples
More Examples
Rosenberg, From Rock Music to Theory Pedagogy, Appendix C (includes a list of popular music using I-V-vi-IV and vi-IV-I-V)
Yale Musical Examples Database: See the "Harmonic Progressions" tab at the bottom.
Scott Lipscomb, "12 -Bar Blues Songs," History and Styles of Rock
Scott Lipscomb, Songs with the "I-vi-IV-V Progression," History and Styles of Rock
See the list of examples of the Doo-Wop Progression on Wikipedia here.
Page updated
Report abuse