One-Chord Songs

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 11:33 AM

One that works with a single minor chord all the way through is a version of High Germany.

Or with a single diad,leaving out the third which would determine whether it's major or minor - so with D, you'd just have D notes and A notes.

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: Alaska Mike
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 11:10 AM

"Lime in the Coconut" is one chord. I use C7. I finished singing it one time and a friend told me to keep playing the same chord with the same beat. She then started singing "Chain, Chain, Chain" and it fit perfectly with that one miserable c7 chord. Go figure.

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 11:03 AM

I do The Farmer's Curst Wife in G7 with a simple, rolling pattern... the 7th note keeps it interesting. I also do John Henry with just a C chord in an arrangement (if you can have a one-chord arrangement) recorded by Mainer's Mountaineers) that made a done-to-boredom song fun to sing. It also has some memoralbe lines... "When they people out West heard of John Henry's death, they couldn't hardly stay in bed." Ever hear news that was so disturbing you coulodn't hardly stay in bed? I have... that line pretty much says a whole song full, to me.

Jerry

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: Leo Condie
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 09:51 AM

a lot of the album Remain In Light by Talking Heads is one (very funky) chord.

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 09:48 AM

John Lee Hooker used chord changes sparingly. "Tupelo," about the Tupelo, Mississippi flood, is one chord, if memory serves.

Taj Mahal does some one chord stuff too, but no particular songs spring to mind. He says it's all about the 'groove' anyway, so it doesn't matter what you're playing, as long as it's groovin'. There's a good interview with Taj and examples of his style in the October issue of Guitar Player magazine.

Creedence's version of Susie Q is not one chord. On the third line of the verse the progression goes like this: IV-bVI-V-I. In other words, John Fogerty grinds on E (with that little 'hook' phrase) for the first two lines of the verse, then on the third line he switches to A (for 4 beats), then to C (for 2 beats), down to B (for 2 beats), and back to E.

Gene Vincent's version of Susie Q is simpler, and it may be one chord.

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 06:23 AM

Thanks, McGrath! I'm teaching the uke to my classes and the younger kids aren't going to be ready for 2 chords for another week or so. "Froggy" will be perfect- I teach it anyway later in the year, so I'll just do it now!

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 06:04 AM

And it's George Harrison isn't it?

You can do "Froggie went a-courting" on one chord. Good first song for a child learning guitar.

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: GUEST
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 05:59 AM

I thought you meant Within you, without you. I'd have said that Tomorrow never knows would need two chords but that's only if I was playing it. Chords are only an approximation anyway and there are a lot of possibilities. When you are dealing with songs in some modes thinking in chord terms isn't particularly helpful I find.

To further the list how about Suzie Q as played by Creedence Clearwater Revival and Soul cake (trad)

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: GUEST,Les in Chorlton, Manchester
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 04:46 AM

Tommorrow Never Knows it is! And I guess you are correct about Revolver.

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: GUEST,Ed
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 04:36 AM

You'll mean 'Tomorrow Never Knows' off Revolver, Les.

Subject: RE: One-Chord Songs
From: GUEST,Les in Chorlton, Manchester
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 04:32 AM

That John Lennon song on Sargeant Pepper, sod I can't remember what its called. Sounds a bit Indian and I think it just uses C, very effective I think.

Subject: One-Chord Songs
From: Margret RoadKnight
Date: 30 Aug 03 - 02:40 AM

Any candidates?
Can only think of one off the top of my head - "Did You Hear About Jerry"/ "Timber" - which sounds fine with an Am chord.