The Fifties Progression – Stand by Me Changes

In the 1950s, rock and roll replaced swing as the dominant force in popular commercial American music. Jazz had taken the more eclectic path of beebop leaving the main stage open for a simpler dance music and different groove.

The Fifties (50s) Progression is a progression of four chords, sometimes known as “Heart and Soul Chords”, “Stand by Me Changes”, and by jazz musicians as “one-six-two-five”, or the very similar “one-six-four-five”referring to the chord numbers. Although this simple progression has long existed in classical music, it’s use in popular music can be dated back to “Blue Moon” by Rogers and Hart in 1933/4.

Although who contributed what to the Ben E. King classic “Stand by Me” is a matter of contention, there is no argument that it follows the same chord progression. This song is so famous that sometimes the pattern is called “Stand By Me” chords.

Stand by Me

Examples from the fifties would include  “Earth Angel”, and many others.

Blue Moon – 1961 Doo-Wop cover of the 1934 classic

The early Beatles? How about “That Boy”

And this 1938 classic, Heart and Soul

And “Let’s Twist Again”

Speedy Gonzales

And last, but not least, Sam Cooke’s What a Wonderful World This would be