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6.13.2 “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’”: How the Chord Progression Works
The Chord Map below (Figure 105) reveals that this song starts with a series of strong second progressions.
Then Gershwin uses the B7 (III7) chord as a pivot chord (because it's common to the keys of G major and E major) to pivot out of the key of G major and into the key of E major.
Then, to get back to the key of G major, he employs a transitory progression, from the variant chord C♯ major, the VI chord (in place of the default chord, C♯ minor, the VIm chord), in the key of E major to the chord D major, whch is the dominant chord of the key of G.
FIGURE 105: Chord Map of “I Got Plenty O’ Nuttin’” (Words by Du Bose Heyward and Ira Gershwin, Music by George Gershwin, 1934)
The E – A – C♯ – D – G progression sounds perfectly palatable to the ear because Gershwin uses chords of the same type—all major triads.