Chiff and Fipple Forums

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I was a kid in the 60s and you could still heard a ton of 50s song on the "oldies" station. Virtually ever Do-Wop song every written had the I vi IV V progression. Some are mentioned above, there are a gazallion others. One of the most clicheest ever "Remember Then."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgyxhFVz6Uc

Those songs that weren't the do-wop progression were 12-bar blues I I I I IV IV I I V IV I V (The last bar normally being a turnaround more so than a chord). Two progressions and you could play 98% of the 50s pop tunes.

Further treatment and a long list -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%2750s_progression

There are so many--The Jazz canon is full of them. "La Mer" (Beyond the sea) is a I VI IV V that modulates a couple times. Lots of tunes have 1645 section and move in and out of it like "I could write a book." Tuxedo Junction.

Then there are the tritone subs, and the Tadd Dameron variations. As a bass player I loved the 1 6 4 5, it was easy and familiar and you could mess with it

If these aren't already mentioned:

Happiness is a warm gun. The second part of the song. (I see this is listed on the linked page)

Ashes to ashes. The first part of the verse. Plus the chorus has a variation: 4 5 1 6.

I can't explain. The chorus, only for 4 bars I think. The verses have a very simple structure too.

The ending of Hey Jude is a well used sequence too, isn't it?