Songs that use Line Cliché chord progressions

[@charliejoseph6465]

Could you do a video about trends in song structure. It seems The Beatles would mostly write songs in AABA but that quickly went out of fashion to an ABABCB and hasn't changed. When did that happen and why?

[@althealligator1467]

That's actually a really interesting video topic, I'd like to see that

[@HelloCruelWorldItsMe]

Yup!

[@hunter00143]

Seconding this video idea

[@unacuentadeyoutube13]

Very good idea!

[@tonycowin]

Just doesn't cover prog rock songs as the video will be 36 hours long.

[@smoorej]

You’ve done it again. You’ve taken a music topic and explained it so well that I feel like I’ve known it all along. Your teaching style, the structure of your videos, the examples you use, all come together to completely transfer knowledge to your audience. It’s quite uncanny how well this works. Keep up the great work!

[@David-iv6je]

Guitar players do this all the time. I just learned them as "walkups" or "Walkdowns."

[@corentinsoulier5607]

It's explained well because it's an incredibly easy topic...

[@mtchllBarrett]

I can't listen to the first three chords of the descending line cliche without hearing Pink Floyd's "Nobody Home" in my head being played over top of it

[@nicholasrella6904]

I was thinking the exact same thing

[@WibblyWobblyBob]

This and Stairway to Heaven!

[@c0nga]

it's been driving me crazy

[@grantelliott370]

Agreed

[@Mourour]

I think that'll be in a lot of people's heads... Exact same progression and key 😊

[@jaihayes9647]

The end song with the perpetual falling line cliche was haunting honestly. Plus the way you went straight into it from your description was beautifully executed

[@kaptnkirk2740]

for the line-cliché in James-Bond movies, we have in germany the expression "Wanderquinte", which means: "walking fifth".

[@Datamining101]

I really enjoy this motion. The perpetual descending cliche at the end is one of my favorites that you've done.

[@harimathur2191]

Einaudi does that. Ud like his stuff if u like libe clichés. The last part kinda reminds me of the end theme tune of the series" incredible hulk"

[@Foodgeek]

For some reason, I gravitate towards songs with line clichés and anything that goes from major to the relative minor. It's just so incredibly satisfying :D

[@roshanrai5717]

Same here man, when even covering songs I tend to turn major chords to minor at the last verses. It just gives that edgy sound, I love major to minor chords...

[@jimmuir3060]

It wasn't until I understood a little bit of theory that the reason I loved so many songs was either because of line cliche, or just going major to the minor

[@sp00ky_guy]

Welcome back George Harrison

[@SeanLamb-I-Am]

That first Am progression is giving me so much Stairway to Heaven vibes.

[@cryptooooooooo]

stairway to heaven is indeed that same line cliche in A minor

[@elissaaleph]

In stairway, the line ascends 3 times.

[@David-iv6je]

Guitar players do this all the time. I just learned them as "walkups" or "Walkdowns." They are all over the place. "Dear Prudence" has one as well.

[@LarsRogowski]

The first time he played it I immediatly went „there‘s a lady who‘s sure…“ 😂

[@fantmes]

It reminded me of The Masterplan by Oasis

[@niilo8079]

the line cliche is so beautiful that it transcends genres. you can truly find it everywhere. 😀

[@thechosenbob1210]

Oasis' "The Masterplan" uses a Line Cliché progression as its intro, the same a minor progression as the start of this video! It also uses a descending stepwise progression in its chorus as he pointed out in his video on that topic, lots of downwards motion in this song!

[@MattCaseyFun]

Was thinking the same. Hangar 18 steps up from the 5th

[@TheAlexCruz]

Now THAT was a line cliche!! Loved the ending as well as the entire video, David....plus I learned what that descending sound is referred to in music so thanks for that, too!

[@shankhamullick_4321]

The best thing about David is he explains complex concepts in a very simplistic manner. Thanks man

[@mikedonoghues4018]

“Ladies of the Road” by King Crimson has a great line cliche in the bridge section. It’s an obvious Beatles homage. I didn’t know there was a name for this sequence. Thanks for the vid., David.

[@ninobatistamusic]

Good call!

[@АпПпр-ь5м]

Yes. I also wanted to write about it

[@nicholasrella6904]

Excellent tune. Excellent band. Excellent example.

[@ikansimon]

By the time I hear the first note in the A minor going one note lower and lower, I know I heard Pink Floyd - Nobody Home in it :)

[@victorhugotoledocofre1366]

Beat me to it!! 😊

[@inrainbows1829]

Yes indeed Very surprised David didn't use that example A few line clichés in the Floyd catalog

[@iankaoel]

Me too!!

[@danpreston564]

Came here to add this.

[@laurenzpelster2499]

The opening to that song (or the song in general) is my favourite thing to play on piano.

[@robertmariano]

Sometimes while I'm asleep, I hear your voice and it says to me, "Line Cliché". I do appreciate your videos

[@hammerhei7646]

Just for that opening chord progression some other songs that use it are KANA - BOON - Silhouette and starmaker (both at 0 : 45) Miki Matsubara - Stay with me (1 : 12) Carter Burwell - Puppet love (From being john malkovich) Nightmare - Alumina (The death note outro theme) Fiona Apple - Limp (1 : 00) and Fast as you can (0 : 31) My chemical romance - Cancer (2 : 02) The Beatles - And your bird can sing (0 : 36) and Cry Baby Cry (0 : 11) David Bowie - Life on Mars (1 : 30) Weezer - (Girl we got a) good thing (1 : 53) Charlie Day - How did they know (from It's always sunny in Philadelphia) Elliott smith - Son of Sam (Right at the beginning although it's a little different) Eminem - Drug ballad (chorus) There's still hundreds more for that progession alone that I can't think of right now but other people are pointing out in the comments. Just thought I'd pitch in since I tried doing a compilation of these songs a while ago and it failed lol. Anyways great video as usual David

[@Violn95]

One that comes to mind is the opening of Nobody Home by Pink Floyd

[@hajoreuter6759]

Elton John - Sorry seems to be the hardest word

[@katut3388]

sweet adeline by elliott smith aswell i think

[@allenpaley]

I have to say... These chord progression analysis videos were a little too deep for me to understand a few weeks ago, but now that I've felt my way through the white keys' major scales (and I still have many many more to learn yet), I'm finding them understandable and applicable. This stuff is GREAT! :)

[@SilverTheFlame]

Your videos are so great. They really balance the theory with practicality and I appreciate that. No fluff, plenty of examples, and useful information :)

[@RickB500]

Bowie - Live on Mars, BAP - Jraaduss, Pink Floyd Nobodys home, Kevin Ayers - Lady Rachel (up and down), Summertime works perfect with a LCCP

[@kentinspacetime5378]

Okay! So that is the best music lesson I’ve ever had. Ever! Dozens and dozens of songs I know suddenly make sense.

[@rosscorpez]

It's just now I learned the name of this device/technique/progression, the Line Cliché. I've always thought of it as the contrary to a pedal point, where the harmony changes but the bass. Thank you and I learned something!

[@chrisofnottingham]

I really like line clichés! I like the way the line is very simple kind of melody but at the same time it alters the character of the background chord.

[@danielrossetto8094]

Your videos are the most valuable music analysis and educational resource available. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us all.

[@robo3007]

"Man of War" by Radiohead is one of my favourite examples of a line cliché. It perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being stuck inside a chord progression.

[@ydva1317]

A good example of a long line cliche that works really well is the song that Charlie sings at the very end of his "Dayman" play in Always Sunny "I was that baby boy that little baby boy was me!" It's in C major and you can get away with decending from C to E below by halfsteps C, C/B, C/Bb, F/A, Fm/Ab, C/G, D7/F#, G7/F, C/E

[@ydva1317]

I think it actually just decends by half steps until the G7, where that is in root position in the real song

[@WilliamRichardson-kv3zv]

While a more obscure example, “March of the Black Queen” by Queen also uses a line cliche as one of its central themes, specifically in A minor with the root note descending like the example you opened the video with.

[@gigiovanna]

yessss

[@kma_stardust]

Yes, it is the chord progression that I waited for so long :) Glad I finally see it

[@collisw8302]

I recently learned Something and took to Reddit to ask about this progression and if it had a name, got a few answers that weren't too easy to follow (very new to music theory). So this video is great and has been super helpful! Thanks :)

[@alejandrocorreafigueroa2677]

The content of this channel is great, I've learned a lot with this chord progression videos

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you 😊

[@malmsteen1973]

I think there are more examples of this: While my guitar gently weeps (Beatles) and Sorry seems to be the hardest word (Elton John), to name just a few! Very interesting video, David!

[@CitrusFinn]

I literally can't get enough of your videos, I love music theory so much. I was wondering, could you do a video on modulating key vs. changing key? And/or go over examples of songs that do one or the other?

[@StephenMarkTurner]

George also used it in "I Me Mine". Joe Cocker's version of "The Letter" used it (perhaps a maj instead of maj7).

[@jackfoy7082]

just here to mention Ron Carter tuning his bass at 7:08 without missing a beat. what a Lord.

[@StephenMarkTurner]

Probably my favourite use of min (maj7) that is not in this same line would be the 3rd chord of "Us And them" by Pink Floyd.

[@drakeburnett7254]

“Don’t Rain on My Parade” from Funny Girl has both an ascending and descending line cliche on the 5th of the chord

[@johnanderson7076]

I was always impressed by the way "Something In the Way She Moves" starts in variations of A. Now I know why.

[@TheMister123]

No mention of "Stairway"? An odd omission. Also an example of (perhaps unintentional) ironic prosody, in which the song is about a stairway "to Heaven", but the line cliché descends in the opposite direction that one might expect.

[@rufus4452]

Stairway is a double line clichè i guess, descends and ascends(at least for the first 3 chords) at the same time.

[@cryptooooooooo]

he plays the A minor line cliche a la stairway at the start

[@Ghost_BC]

I also didn't understand why he didn't quote "Stairway To Heaven".

[@JR-xp1yr]

The thing I like about the Stevie Wonder example is that it can be a sort of funk-ish thing. Funk sometimes vamps on one chord, or sometimes two chords, for a long time while they jam out. Doing a small line down then back up, back and forth, is a way to make a tiny amount of movement but stay relatively the same place, and repeat that. Good for jamming but not being too stale (wouldn't have to be funk, just common in funk). Like a Taste of Honey/Boogie Oogie Oogie type of thing

[@morganahoff2242]

I always really like it when you play a bit at the end of your videos. You're a really enjoyable musician to listen to. Keep that format!

[@MAKILIPURDI]

I think that the intro of "Nobody Home" by Pink Floyd uses this trick, doesn't?

[@lucyj8204]

Great video timing for me as I'm trying to learn "Time in a Bottle" (Jim Croce). Thanks for the explanation and examples, as always.

[@Pmf95k]

Some video game music examples: 1. Palace - Legend of Zelda II (minor ascending) 2. Birabuto Kingdom - Super Mario Land (major ascending) 3. Mipha’s Theme - BotW (minor descending) 4. Overworld - SMB2 (major descending) Also Mice on Venus, Bye Bye There!, and Casinopolis.

[@rogue_114]

exactly, i was hoping i wasn’t the only one who thought of mice on venus with this progression

[@TotalMonsense]

The Line Cliché you had performed made me think of an assassin posing as a doctor who delivered a poison to a bedridden patient through an IV. He then observed with detached interest as his victim struggles for his life. The killer's face stayed motionless as the EEG beeps started to sound more and more frantic. It was only when the beeping steadied when the assassin turned towards his soundless exit.

[@ГлебСтрельченко-у6л]

Bro wrote a goddamn story over a silly chord progression. Pretty cool!

[@ramonacosta2647]

That's the darkest comment ever in a music theory video.

[@sabershenanigans]

Honestly that sounds so much like a standard Hitman game playthrough...!

[@leolightfellow]

I was right. I immediately thought of the James Bond theme. Glad to see I actually knew something already lol. Still, I want to try the descending line cliche. Thank you for this video. It's very informative.

[@rome8180]

Is there a term for when the whole chord is changing but there's a descending or ascending chromatic line inside of the changes? For example, take the "Eight Days a Week" chord progression you did a video about. Inside that progression you've got a series of descending half steps. Let's say the song is in G major. The chords would be G-A-C-G. The descending half steps inside those chords are D-C#-C-B. That's part of what makes the progression so effective. Just wondering if there is a term for this. Because according to how you've defined a line cliche, it's not a line cliche unless all the notes in the chord stay the same but the top or bottom note. I've always used the term more loosely to indicate any chromatic movement inside chords, but I guess that's not correct.

[@lynnturman8157]

yeah, that's a whole different can of worms when they create a chromatic descending or ascending line using a handful of DIFFERENT chords. Some of the best to do it are Elton John, Billy Joel, and Elliott Smith.

[@beneathpavement1]

I do this a lot. I thought it was an example of voice leading, but I am only just learning the theory at the age of 53 after writing songs since I was 15...

[@stickittotheman3296]

Thanks so much for making this video! It seems like all my favorite songs have descending line cliches, and it's such a satisfying progression to listen to that I feel like I've been trying to find what it is for ages!

[@smergthedargon8974]

It's only 3 notes instead of four (and not a perfect strict one), but if you want to introduce any zoomer to line clichés, you only need to play them 4 notes for them to recognize a song with one - D, D, D an octave up, and then the A below that. The root notes of that song's chord progression are [D | C | B | Bb, C] repeat - and that C B Bb is a line cliché! And yes, it's Megalovania.

[@chrisflinders9528]

String of Pearls, made famous by Glenn Miller and his Orchestra, has a really interesting one. They also notate it a little different usually. C-CM7-C7-C6-C+-C, then back up, then back down.

[@pst_uk]

That descending A min cliche played on the piano sounded so familiar - then I remembered - Tangerine Dream , Thru Metamorphic Rocks from the Force Majeure album. Probably used in many others but that really stood out for me.

[@isaacthomas6544]

I had to chuckle during this video because I LOVE line cliches (although I didn't realize they were called that until this video). When you were explaining why Minor-Major 7 chords are rare all I could think was yeah, because everyone is a coward and won't use the fun chords! I have very strong feelings about "weird" chords like that (and I'm always very pro-those chords) so I really like this video, haha. Edit: Oh my god, I just got to the ascending part -- Hey Bulldog has ALWAYS been my favorite Beatles song. I remain entirely predictable

[@danielroberts395]

Awesome video as always. Would be great to have a video or series of videos on melodic compositional devices such as motif, sequence, fragmentation, inversion, etc

[@jwelsje]

In the bridge of Oye Como Va from Santana they use this technique, but it's common in salsa to use it as a tumbao, some sort of rytmic "decent". For example Am, but as a, then c and e at the same time, then you do the same with g#, g, F# and you climd up again.

[@SameAsAnyOtherStranger]

First off, let me be clear- Mr. Bennett's content is very valuable for anyone who wants to learn music theory. That said, I feel duped by the thumbnail thinking the image on the left was Elvis Costello, who I can't recall Mr. Bennett referring to in any of his previous videos. Not that my recall of musicians featured in his examples of songs using some particular paradigm is all that great.

[@alexgrunde6682]

Dave Brubeck’s “Blue Rondo A La Turk” does this in the main section but alternates between descending and ascending, so the bassline goes E Eb D Db on the first pass over the F riff, and then C Db D Eb on the second pass. It then repeats up a major third when the song pivots to the A riff.

[@musicappreciate]

Elton John‘s “sorry seems to be the hardest Word“ also has this progression. To a masterful sad effect

[@derekroberts6654]

..and “We All Fall In Love Sometimes” has it too, VERY prominent on that song.

[@MrMont-ue8kh]

This was really informative. I had been wondering what a line cliche was. Much appreciated, David!

[@andrewwebb3431]

Line cliches always make me think of the intro to Bye Bye Baby by the Bay City Rollers. That and the intro of Masterplan by Oasis.

[@rickfreeth6496]

The Aminor descending line cliche is the progression in Johnny Rivers Summer Rain😊

[@Lancefer66]

It amazes me how many references you used were used in Pink Floyd The Wall, "Nobody Home"

[@dragasan]

That was a wonderful video. Thank you so much!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@novaxeguitar4366]

These thumbnails are absolutely perfect. Love your work, thank you

[@alessandrosummer]

I used a line cliché in one of my songs: Fm - E7(#5) (#9) - Ab6/Eb - Dm7(b5) - Dbmaj7 - C7 to cadence back to Fm. And I do so basically arpeggiating the chords with the right hand at the piano (turned into a harpsichord) while the left hand just plays the roots, similar to the George Harrison example

[@keithmarshall7715]

What's the song. Do you have a link?

[@alessandrosummer]

@@keithmarshall7715 I still haven't released it. It will take some other time

[@OurgasmComrade]

A neat thing about this is that minor chords with a maj7th are the same as inverted augmented chords! In the songs Blue Skies and Nature Boy, you'll find them notated as either min-maj7 or an augmented chord in the line cliche

[@neurokodama]

This is the first time I don't skip the ad part. You should look for musicians as sponsors more often!

[@soykage3757]

„The Perfect Pair“ by Beabadobee also is an extremely beautiful song that uses the line cliché very good ❤

[@guitaristssuck8979]

I don't think he's in the mood for romantic songs

[@sieteocho]

@@guitaristssuck8979 That's why he didn't mention "Blue Skies" by Ella Fitzgerald

[@finalfantasy12ejogosdocruzeiro]

13:16 DUDE YOU'RE AN ABSOLUTE LEGEND! BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS FOR A WHILE NOW

[@billwyman9780]

Paul McCartney's My Love during the....."and my love does it good"...the chords go from Em - Fmaj7 - Am/F# - C/G

[@joelcaron8291]

So many thanx for these awesome moments at the end, when you play some piano for us. These parts, I do really enjoy and I very look for it each time.

[@tommyhaynes9157]

The James Bond theme and Johnny River's Secret Agent Man have a minor ascending line cliche starting on the fifth. I guess that sound lends itself to clandestine activities

[@elfboi523]

I have used this before, but I didn't know what it was called. I got the idea from Bela Lugosi's Dead by Bauhaus where the bass guitar is mostly moving downwards in semitones while the chords played by the guitar on top of it doesn't change very much at all.

[@frankzelazko]

Thank you for yet another fantastic music lesson

[@axelfernando4079]

Wow, it's an awesome resource! In the end, when David plays the piano using line cliche, I was blown away by how he handles the melodies. With one chord, he adds a melodic line that blends perfectly, and then sets up the melody for the next chord, giving it a meaning that helps connect those chords or structures. It's all about tension and resolution stuff? It would be cool to delve into that melodic topic! 👐🏻

[@ShiningHourPop]

“Been In Love Before” by The Shining Hour contains that descending chord from Aminor. 😊

[@oneirdaathnaram1376]

Neat and concise as always! 😍 And again I have learnt another one of those tricks of the art effortlessly.

[@scottbrockman5883]

Towards the beginning of the song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from the Beatles, Am Am/G D/F# and F major.

[@noscrubbubblez6515]

Just at 6:00 I hear "Summer Rain' by Johnny Rivers. It had the lyrics, 'All summer long we spent dancing in the sand... Everybody kept on playing Sgt.Peppers Lonely Hearts Club band'. I can't describe the vast effect of that album. As an 11 year old boy, the 11 year old girl from next door had me on my feet dancing with her to it (and not all the tracks are danceable). It's hard to explain that summer- I planned to run away with her to San Francisco.. Ever heard of Sgt Pepper?

[@svenjansen2134]

Sgt Pepper was recorded on four tracks that still blows my mind.

[@QuabmasM]

Ive been waiting to hear someone explain this type melody often used in music(especially j-pop). Didnt know how to explain it but I knew it had to have an official term as often as its used in music.

[@ZacLJones]

I love line clichés, I’ve probably put them into too many of my songs. Some of my favorites (that weren’t mentioned) are: John Lennon’s “How?” “I’m Losing You” and “Watching the Wheels” and Father John Misty’s “Ballad of the Dying Man” and “The Palace”

[@musicappreciate]

The Boston song “Foreplay” starts out with a line cliché made by the left hand which returns to the bass tonic. All while the riff is circling.

[@ajames283]

Line Cliché: Stairway to Heaven Madonna & Babyface: Take a Bow Madonna: Secret Madonna: Deeper and Deeper (bridge section) Babyface: Tender Lover Ace of Base: Ravine (descending 5th 8:18 yes you can lol)

[@panosmosproductions3230]

The Bowser Castle theme from Mario Kart 64 has a line cliche. So for reference, this theme is in the key of G flat minor. It starts on Gbmin, then goes to Gbmin(maj7), Gbmim7, Gbmin6. The line cliche then ends there because after the Gbmin6, the Db then goes down to C creating a Gbdim7 chord. All the while there is a minor 3rd pedal during this part, inverting all of the chords, which makes it end up going Gbmin/A, F-aug/A [or A-aug], A, A(b5), A-dim.

[@Erlewyn]

I think it's Signals Music Studio who used to describe the CmM7 chords as "film noir - PI office" chord.

[@SeemsLow]

Cool shirt! The opening Am reminded me of While My Guitar Gently Weeps

[@tonycowin]

Shipbuilding by Robert Wyatt and Elvis Costello does this but adds a spicy diminished chord if I remember correctly.

[@zen._000]

Love ur video about chord progressions bro. when I was watching all the videos in the "chord progressions" playlist and finally I was at the last video, suddenly a new video (actually this video) appeared. I really like that, about how you really explain about chord progressions. Keep it up bro 🔥🔥🔥

[@danielbrasilm]

You should check "O Que Será" by Chico Buarque. The harmony is based on various line clichès in sequence.

[@mafebarrillari]

And also "Um girassol da cor do seu cabelo", by Lô Borges.

[@woutercarree7224]

9:42 right there my friend you fooled me into the great gig in the sky

[@Saturnuria]

Drinking game. Take a drink every time David mentions the Beatles, Radiohead or any of their members! Keep up the good work. :)

[@kudancer]

Instant Phil Buckle fan ! Wow ! Great introduction to him 😮

[@ikaragicheva]

Great work, David! I recommend your channel to my students

[@MozartJunior22]

This is my favorite chord progression, I was so dissapointed to find out it is called a cliché😂

[@bevo65]

Downright inspiring. Thank you.

[@novosc]

I've been watching the latest season of Only Murders in the Building, and I believe this is used in the beginning of "Look for the Light" in S3E3 (co-written by Sara Bareilles)!

[@hyperchik1289]

I had this exact thought about halfway through the video. I was like “where did I just hear the most beautiful lullaby/ballad version of this”

[@stephenbarber6533]

Wow Ive always wondered what these were called. Seems like it was one of the first chops I learned on the piano. thanks for enlightening me!

[@arklowrockz]

Eels "If You See Natalie" has a lovely line cliche progression.

[@charliezard64]

This progression reminds me of Mice on Venus! Also Lena Raine’s Rubedo

[@Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaapj]

This chore progression is also in the perfect pair, mice one venus and stairway to heaven (sort of)

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

The end piece you played/composed was really nice.

[@zbigniewg339]

I can hear a lot of line clichés appearing in songs inspired by chansons and French jazz ballads from the early 20th century, Michelle, A Taste Of Honey by Paul Desmond and Jim Hall

[@pianoman173]

No joke this is creepy. About 15min ago I just looked up the chords for “For once in my life” by Stevie wonder and basically the whole song is made of line cliches and I had no idea that was a thing until you posted this about 10min later….how does this kind of stuff happen??