The ragtime progressionFahey, John (1970). Charley Patton, p.45. London: Studio Vista. Cited in van der Merwe (1989). is a chord progression characterized by a chain of secondary dominants following the circle of fifths, named for its popularity in the ragtime genre, despite being much older.van der Merwe, Peter (2005). Roots of the Classical, p.496. . Also typical of parlour music, its use originated in classical music and later spread to American folk music.van der Merwe, Peter (1989). Origins of the Popular Style: The Antecedents of Twentieth-Century Popular Music, p.321. Oxford: Clarendon Press. . Growing, "by a process of gradual accretion. First the dominant chord acquired its own dominant...This then acquired its dominant, which in turn acquired yet another dominant, giving":Van der Merwe (2005), p.299.
It can be represented in Roman numeral analysis as {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:350px;" |width=20%| (V7/V/V/V) |width=20%| V7/V/V |width=20%| V7/V |width=20%| V7 |width=20%| I |} orAverill, Gage (2003). Four Parts, No Waiting, p.162. .Weissman, Dick (2005). Blues: The Basics, p.50. . {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:350px;" |width=20%| (III7) |width=20%| VI7 |width=20%| II7 |width=20%| V7 |width=20%| I
In C major this is
{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:350px;" |width=20%| (E7) |width=20%| A7 |width=20%| D7 |width=20%| G7 |width=20%| C
Most commonly found in its four-chord version (excluding the chord in parentheses). This may be perceived as a, "harder, bouncier sounding progression," than the diatonic vi–ii–V7–I (in C: Am–Dm–G7–C).Scott, Richard J. (2003). Chord Progressions for Songwriters, p.428. .Davis, Kenneth (2006). The Piano Professor Easy Piano Study, p.105. . Same quote but gives the progression in E instead of C. The three-chord version (II–V–I) is "related to the cadential progression IV–V–I...in which the V is tonicized and stabilized by means of II with a raised third."
The progression is an example of centripetal harmony, harmony which leads to the tonic and an example of the circle progression, a progression along the circle of fourths. Though creating or featuring chromaticism, the bass (if the roots of the chords), and often the melody, are pentatonic. (major pentatonic on C: ) Contrastingly, Averill argues that the progression was used because of the potential it offered for chromatic pitch areas.Averill, Gage (2003). Four Parts, No Waiting: A Social History of American Barbershop Harmony, p.162. .
Variations include the addition of minor seventh chords before the dominant seventh chords, creating overlapping temporary ii–V–I relationshipsBoyd (1997), p.60. through ii–V–I substitution: {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:400px;" |width=20%| Bm7E7 |width=20%| Em7A7 |width=20%| Am7D7 |width=20%| Dm7G7 |width=20%| C
since Bm7–E7–A is a ii–V–I progression, as is Em7–A7–D and so on.
Examples of the use of the ragtime progression include the chorus of Howard & Emerson's "Hello! Ma Baby" (1899), the traditional "Keep On Truckin' Mama," Robert Johnson's "They're Red Hot" (1936), Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" (1967),Scott (2003), p.429 Bruce Channel's "Hey! Baby" (1962), Gus Cannon' "Walk Right In" (1929), James P. Johnson's "Charleston" (1923), Ray Henderson's "Five Foot Two, Eyes of Blue" (1925), Rev. Gary Davis's "Salty Dog,"Grossman, Stefan (1998). Rev. Gary Davis/Blues Guitar, p.71. . Bernie and Pinkard's "Sweet Georgia Brown" (1925), the "Cujus animam" (mm.9-18) in Rossini's Stabat Mater, the beginning of Liszt's Liebesträume (1850), Bob Carleton's "Ja-Da" (1918),Weissman, Dick (2001). Songwriting: The Words, the Music and the Money, p.59. . and Weissman, Dick (1085). Basic Chord Progressions: Handy Guide, p.28. . and Sonny Rollins's "Doxy" (1954).
See also Diatonic function Extended dominant Rhythm changes
Sources
Further reading Averill, Gage (2003). Four Parts, No Waiting, p. 32. .