What do Beethoven, David Bowie, Green Day, Mozart, *NSYNC, Pete Seeger, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Duke Ellington, The Supremes, Rihanna, and many others all have in common? The Andalusian Cadence! Also known as the Diatonic Phrygian Tetrachord—sometimes written as i-bVII-bVI-V (or, in the key of A, the descending sequence A, G, F, E)—this sequence of four notes, this musical pattern, chord progression, or bass line shows up throughout the ages in all styles and genres, underlying music that ranges from sad to joyful, delicate to badass.
David Garland has assembled more than 50 recordings of music from over five centuries to vividly make the case that this four-note progression, the Andalusian Cadence, is the world's most-used musical sequence.
PLAYLIST ——Set 1 Heinrich Ignatz Frans von Biber - Passagalia For Solo Violin - Andrew Manze, violin Louis Armstrong - It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) (composed by Duke Ellington) - The Great Summit: The Master Takes Manitas de Plata - Mi Sentimiento The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations Del Shannon - Runaway Benny Goodman - Topsy - The Great Benny Goodman, Vol. 2 Tennessee Ernie Ford - Sixteen Tons - Vintage Collections King Crimson - Epitaph - In the Court of the Crimson King Paul Simon - Anji (composed by Davy Graham) - Simon & Garfunkle Live from New York City, 1967 Simon & Garfunkel - A Hazy Shade Of Winter Moondog - Stamping Ground - Moondog Richard Hell & The Voidoids - Blank Generation Nina Simone - Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood Meredith Monk - Greensleeves U2 - Twilight - Boy The Four Tops - Bernadette Rihanna - The Hotness Zager and Evans - In the Year 2525 (Exordium & Terminus) Ray Charles - Hit the Road Jack - Anthology ——Set 2 The Ventures - Walk Don't Run - Walk Don't Run Lallo Gori - Seq. 3 - Operazione Luna Herman Stein - Stranger - The Intruder Hans Reichel - Bubu And His Friend - Yuxos Matti Bye - The Girl In the Tree - Faro Carl Orff - Ruhiger Tanz - Orff-Schulwerk Volume One/Musica Poetica Mozart - String Quartet #15 In D Minor, K 421: 1. Allegro Moderato (performed by the Cleveland Quartet Chuck Willis - Night of Misery - A Tribute to Chuck Willis Green Day - Hitchin' a Ride - Nimrod Hall & Oates - Maneater - The Essential Daryl Hall & John Oates The Grass Roots - I'd Wait a Million Years - The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Grass Roots Shakira - Objection (Tango) - Laundry Service Jerry Jeff Walker - The Ballad of the Hulk - Mr. Bojangles Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2, "Moonlight": I. Adagio Sostenuto (performed by Alfred Brendel) Pete Seeger - Waist Deep In The Big Muddy - The Essential Pete Seeger Henry Mancini - Top Shelf - Bachelor In Paradise The Lovin' Spoonful - Summer In the City - Platinum & Gold Collection: The Lovin' Spoonful Jeff Gibbs - Fahrenheit 9/11 trk 4 - Fahrenheit 9/11 ——Set 3 101 Strings Orchestra - Carol of the Bells (Shchedryk) - Home for the Holidays The Turtles - Happy Together - Happy Together Ennio Morricone - L'ultima Volta - I Malamondo David Bowie - China Girl - Let's Dance Ennio Morricone - Two Nice Tramps - Occhio Alla Penna (aka Buddy Goes West) Ennio Morricone - At The Tailor - Occhio Alla Penna (aka Buddy Goes West) Quilapayun - ¡El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido! - The People United Will Never Be Defeated! Johnny Dankworth & Cleo Lane - Let's Slip Away - 'Saturday Night and Sunday Morning' *NSYNC - Bye Bye Bye - No Strings Attached Dave Van Ronk - One Meatball - Van Ronk Paco de Lucía - Punta Umbria - Antología, Vol. 1 ——Set 4 Bob Dylan - One More Cup of Coffee - Desire Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal - Bad Maury Laws - The Baron - Mad Monster Party Mötley Crüe - God Bless the Children of the Beast - Shout At the Devil Diana Ross & The Supremes - Love Child - Number 1's: Diana Ross & The Supremes Joe Meek & the Blue Men - Orbit Around The Moon - I Hear a New World Dick Dale - Miserlou - Guitar Legend: The Very Best of Dick Dale The Beatles - I'll Be Back - A Hard Day's Night Claudio Monteverdi - Lamento della ninfa: "Amor dov’è la fe" (performed by Montserrat Figueras & Hespèrion XXI Disney Chorus - Pink Elephants On Parade - Dumbo