History Main / PachelbelsCanonProgression

See also FallingBass, an alternate base melody which nevertheless meshes well with the chords of the Pachelbel's Canon Progression, and may also have been its origins.

The progression is usually in a major key, and usually runs as follows: I V vi iii IV I IV V (repeat). If in a minor key, it is usually: i v VI III iv i iv V (repeat). Occasionally, II or ii or ii° may be substituted for the last IV/iv, and I or I6 (or i or i6) may be substituted for the iii or III. An example can be heard [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Canon_and_Gigue_in_D.ogg here]].

** Toward the end of Pachelbel's original work, the iii harmony on the F# is replaced by a first-inversion V7 of IV (momentarily touching on G major) for a different harmonic color.

** Vitamin C - "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDM3eYp4KQ Graduation Song (Friends Forever)]]". Uses III instead of iii in the progression.

* Parts of the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHKoov7XjRk ending music]] from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2''

* Music/GreenDay - "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUTGr5t3MoY Basket Case]]", just missing that last IV chord (goes directly from I to V)

* COOL&CREATE - "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAgkmnqz2nE Help Me, Erin!]]", a super happy fun dance/techno remix of a rock remix (of the same name) of a VideoGame/{{Touhou}} track. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAgkmnqz2nE#t=1m16s This link]] starts at where that high melody comes in, which is where we get the progression, with a ii substituting for the last IV.
* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXoaJlSloro The track "Lemming 1"]] from ''VideoGame/{{Lemmings}}''. The last four chords are slightly different, being IV V I V.

* The bassline to the first half of the Eight Melodies theme from ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER|1}}'' uses a slight variation: I-IV-vi-iii-IV-I-IV-V.

* The verses of "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QthA3l3IhM Mirai Start]]", the Japanese theme song of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic''.

* The chorus of "The Way" by Fastball is a variant: I-V-vi-[=III7=]-IV-I-V.

* A much looser example in the main progression of Music/BillyJoel's "Piano Man": I-V-IV-I-IV-I-[=II7=]-V. However, the Canon's bass line can still overlap with it by raising the second-to-last note a half-step.
* Franchise/{{Kirby}}:
** "Gourmet Race" song uses a variant in its final section: I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-iv7-V.

* Music/PuffTheMagicDragon by Peter, Paul, and Mary follows a similar chord progression: I-iii-IV-I-IV-I-vi-V7/V-V.
* A section of the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ruqn1Lnexs&t=1m12s closing credits]] for ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' follows a similar chord progression: I-V-vi-I-IV-I-ii-V.

* The bassline to the Eight Melodies theme from ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER|1}}'' uses a slight variation: I-IV-vi-iii-IV-I-IV-V.

* In Music/BluesTraveler's "Hook" from their album ''Four,'' Canon in D ''is'' [[SelfDemonstratingSong the hook.]]

** Most of the intro song from ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'' as well.

* The [[YouMeanXMas Decemberween]] version of the intro theme music from ''WebAnimation/HomestarRunner'' apparantly sounds like this.
* The bassline to the Eight Melodies theme from ''VideoGame/{{MOTHER|1}}'' uses a slight variation: I IV vi iii IV I IV V.

* "I Can Be Your Friend" from the ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales'' video ''Are You My Neighbor?''

* A much looser example in the main progression of Music/BillyJoel's "Piano Man": I-V-IV-I-IV-I-[=II7=]-V. However, the Canon's bass line can still overlap with it by simply raising the second-to-last note a half-step.

* Music/PuffTheMagicDragon by Peter, Paul, and Mary follows a similar chord progression: I-iii-'''IV-I'''-IV-I-vi-V7/V-V.

* The song "I Can Be Your Friend" from ''WesternAnimation/VeggieTales''.

* A variation appears in [[https://youtu.be/8JU0C_l4aac?t=158 the ending theme]] of ''VideoGame/ALinkToThePast''.

* "[[http://www.billandted.org/sounds/musical/08anthem2.mp3 Anthem]]" from ''[[BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure Bill and Ted's Excellent Musical]]''.

* Franchise/{{Kirby}}'s [[MemeticMutation memetically remixed]] "Gourmet Race" song uses a variant in its final section: I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-iv7-V.
* Also from ''Kirby'' is "Kirby Rocket's Big Blastoff" from ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheRainbowCurse''.

* PetShopBoys - "[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SezoGW_z9w0 Go West]]" (originally by the Village People, but the progression was purposely played up in the cover)

* Belle and Sebastian - "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS_DcqPkEYM Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying]]", which transposes the Canon progression to Db Major, just a half-tone down from D but very difficult to play!

* ScatmanJohn's "ScatMan's World" uses the chord progression.

[[caption-width-right:350:Eight notes. 27 repetitions. And that's just the [[Music/PachelbelsCanon canon]].]]

* Parts of the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op8lib6t6FY ending music]] from ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2''

->''Pachelbel's following me. It sounds paranoid but he's following you too, you hear him every day.''
-->--'''Rob Paravonian'''

* The main progression of Music/BillyJoel's "Piano Man" is I-V-IV-I-IV-I-[=II7=]-V, but the Canon's bass line can still overlap with it by simply raising the second-to-last note a half-step.

* A section of the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ruqn1Lnexs&t=1m12s closing credits]] for ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'' follows a similar chord progression: I-V-vi-'''I'''-IV-I-ii-V.

Pachelbel is following me!\\

* GreenDay - "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUTGr5t3MoY Basket Case]]", just missing that last IV chord (goes directly from I to V)

* [[ZigzaggingTrope Zigzagged]] with the main melody of "Mushrise Park" from ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam''. The progression used often deviates from this progression in its later half, but there is one section where it's a perfect match.

** Music/TransSiberianOrchestra - "Christmas Canon Rock"

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjBqO503wm4 "My House"]] from ''[[Theatre/{{Matilda}} Matilda: The Musical]] has this in the latter half of the verse section.

Comedian Rob Paravonian famously [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdxkVQy7QLM ranted]] about the ubiquity of this progression, although most of his medley would be better placed in TheFourChordsOfPop. He has a point, though... (Interestingly, substituting I6 for iii as stated above allows the two progressions to overlap.)

** Toward the end of Pachelbel's original work, the iii harmony on the F# is replaced by a first-inversion V7 of IV (momentarily touching on G major) for a different harmonic color.
* Vitamin C - "[[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDM3eYp4KQ Graduation Song (Friends Forever)]]". Uses III instead of iii in the progression.

* In Music/BluesTraveler's "Hook" from their album ''Four,'' Canon in D ''is'' [[SelfDemonstratingSong the hook.]]

* Franchise/{{Kirby}}'s "Gourmet Race" song uses a variant in its final section: I-V-vi-iii-IV-I-iv7-V