Songs that use Line Cliché chord progressions

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A Line Cliché is a type of chord progression where we have a chord where either the highest or lowest voice is climbing or descending by semitones whilst the rest of the chord is static. It is a very common technique in jazz music but has also been used extensively in pop and rock music too.
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0:00 What is a Line Cliché?
1:09 Examples
4:42 Minor Major 7th chord
6:17 When did it become a "cliché"?
7:48 Ascending line clichés
8:48 James Bond
9:35 Hey Bulldog
10:14 Augmented climb
10:37 How do we label the chords?
12:28 Phil Buckle
13:14 the longest line cliché ever!

[@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.

[@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.

[@user-ve2im3vf5v]

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

[@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 😊

[@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...

[@kaptnkirk2740]

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

[@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

[@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

[@niilo8079]

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

[@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"

[@robertmariano]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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! :)

[@jackfoy7082]

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

[@Mr.Waffle.]

You have single-handedly taught me so much music theory. Thank you so much for making entertaining, educational videos.

[@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!

[@user-xd1ku4pf5f]

Yes. I also wanted to write about it

[@nicholasrella6904]

Excellent tune. Excellent band. Excellent example.

[@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 :)

[@drakeburnett7254]

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

[@kentinspacetime5378]

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

[@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.

[@user-xf3mt3vt6m]

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...!

[@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!

[@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.

[@jeffreyslotnikoff4003]

A descending "line cliche" starting from b minor can be heard in Dylan's "Ballad of a Thin Man". An ascending "line cliche", this time beginning with a G major chord, can be enjoyed listening to The Dave Clark Five's "Because".

[@youcancallmeZimmy]

I picked up on Dylan's Thin Man progression too

[@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!

[@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

[@MAKILIPURDI]

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

[@novaxeguitar4366]

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

[@Lancefer66]

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

[@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?

[@oneirdaathnaram1376]

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

[@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.

[@RickB500]

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

[@frankzelazko]

Thank you for yet another fantastic music lesson

[@MrMont-ue8kh]

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

[@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.

[@alejandrocorreafigueroa2677]

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

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thank you 😊

[@StephenMarkTurner]

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

[@kma_stardust]

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

[@tiagomteles1]

This was a truly wonderful episode

[@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 🔥🔥🔥

[@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.

[@bevo65]

Downright inspiring. Thank you.

[@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

[@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.

[@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 :)

[@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.

[@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! 👐🏻

[@ikaragicheva]

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

[@Saturnuria]

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

[@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!

[@sunbro9133]

This is fantastic stuff. Really well laid out.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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

[@dlouisb]

so helpful for songwriting thank you David

[@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.

[@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".

[@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.

[@brianwdowling]

Well done as always. Thank you.

[@neurokodama]

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

[@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

[@dragasan]

That was a wonderful video. Thank you so much!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@DylanMatthewTurner]

One of my favorite chord progressions

[@kudancer]

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

[@robertabitbol6454]

Amazing analysis! WOW! Loved it. You're a PRO!

[@robertabitbol6454]

Apparently, the Summertime chords have ''inspired'' hundreds of songs. Can you check it out?

[@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.

[@keithlutman5611]

Excellent tutorial. Many thanks .

[@annikinstarkiller600]

The bass descent in Try Some Buy Some is so great

[@OklahomaDsDad]

excellent lesson

[@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.

[@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

[@Songwriter376]

Absolutely love the ending...the perpetual moving line cliche. ❤

[@finalfantasy12ejogosdocruzeiro]

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

[@Bronco541]

Demo song was brilliant as usual!!

[@paulkyle]

piece at the end was magnificent

[@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

[@MozartJunior22]

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

[@photogartho]

very cool. Thanks!

[@megaohmaudio5963]

Great ending jam!

[@sg75]

Great song at the end. I like the dissonances a lot!

[@brusselssprouts560]

Quality as always!

[@DavidBennettPiano]

Thanks 😊

[@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

[@SeemsLow]

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

[@eduardotrillo3519]

thanks David!

[@voliteon]

Wow. This is amazing. Thank you! :)

[@Frohzentine]

That long line cliche at the end was awesome

[@lucipherius_sven]

I really liked the term you used to describe those sequences: satisfying! That they are, indeed! I recall learning my very first one, from Michelle, featured in this video. Great job, anyways!

[@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!

[@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.

[@NomeDeArte]

Great video!

[@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

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

The end piece you played/composed was really nice.

[@lawrencetaylor4101]

Brilliant.

[@romansingleton8831]

great video, well explained

[@axlhyvonen461]

A great and very interesting episode again, and as for that first example song, I really Michelle by The Beatles❤😊

[@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