It's a twofer, folks -- two questions for one. Me first:
I'd say that most good Prog songs are characterized by several disparate parts. Each part seems almost capable of standing alone, all by itself, as a pretty solid song. But then when they glue several seemingly disparate parts together, that mosaic somehow results in a mashup that is utterly charming.
Precursors of Prog songs:
Strawberry Fields Forever has to be the first such song on record. Followed by A Day in the Life and I am the Walrus. Then come Happiness is a Warm Gun, Revolution 9, Abbey Road medley. We can therefore mostly blame Lennon for Prog.
But wait! What about Tomorrow Never Knows? What? Prog song with only one chord? Madness!
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