Songs with I and IV chords only?

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: PHJim
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 01:44 PM

Thanks for that Eve. My friend Al and I tried playing that at a house concert in response to a request and it seems that he learned it from the Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash version and I learned it from the Freewheeling version. It was a train wreck for the first verse, then I just followed him.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 30 Apr 09 - 01:02 AM

Well, I got curious, so I looked into it a little bit more, and it appears that Dylan has recorded Girl From the North Country with a few different chord variations.

This page here gives a pretty comprehensive rundown of the different recordings and the chords used. Looks like sometimes he uses the V-I ending and sometimes he doesn't. So I guess it's what you're used to hearing!

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 06:40 PM

I hear Girl from the North Country as being:

G - Bm - Am7 - G
G - Bm - Am7 - G
G - G - C - G
G - Bm - Am7 - G

But maybe I've slightly changed the melody to suit what I play?

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 06:33 PM

Hi Glenn,

I was thinking the same thing about the V-->I endings. There are lots of songs that MOSTLY have I and IV chords, but usually at the end there is a V in there somewhere. That's how I hear "I'm Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table" and "This Little Light of Mine," even "Girl From the North Country"-- I don't feel like they really work without the V-I ending.

Having said that, there are obviously some songs that really, truly ARE songs with just the I and IV chords -- not many, but they are out there, and I like having a little list in my back pocket.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: GUEST,highlandman at work
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 05:29 PM

In most Western music and all its derivatives there is a very strong tendency for progressions to work toward an ultimate V -> I cadence.
From mulling over the examples given, I think that for a song to work with only I and IV there has to be some kind of a "groove" or repeating symmetrical pattern so it doesn't sound subconsciously like a mistake.
Interesting, though, "What's the Buzz" from JCS (actually I7/IV7) alternates two different grooves with the same two chords: the chorus which is basically one chord change per measure and the verse which is one chord change per two measures. That, and the de-emphasizing of the 7ths in the verses, gives a distinct contrast between chorus and verse, further highlighted by the "why should you want to know" break.
Hard to accomplish contrast when using only two chords!
-Glenn

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Stringsinger
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 11:46 AM

Many songs can be played with just these two chords.

The chain gang chant "Long John" for example.
Also, you could just use these two chords on "This Little Light Of Mine".
"I'm Gonna' Sit at the Welcome Table". Other spirituals come to mind.

I minor to IV major (highlighting a "Dorian" mode) can be used on "Follow the Drinking
Gourd"....you could ignore the V minor or bVII chord here.

There are many songs that could just use these two chords by-passing the V chord.

Not sure how interesting they would be harmonically, though.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Musket
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 09:45 AM

Most songs can be I and IV if you pull it off with your voice, (which I can't sadly.)

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 07:49 AM

Dylan's Girl from the North Country is another one where the dominant can be ignored, but is heavily dependant on a minor chord. (Bm if playing it in G)

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: mkebenn
Date: 29 Apr 09 - 07:39 AM

Prob'ly the most commercially succesfull one, the Trio's "Tom Dooly", oh crap, that's I/V also, I'll leave now. Mike

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 10:20 PM

This song was discussed in a thread quite awhile ago: Twilight is Stealing / Falling. In fact, I use it to teach beginner bass, doing it in the key of A, because it only has.....

Woops! Just noticed that it is I/V rather than I/IV. Sorry about that.

How about "Little Black Train" (Rev J.M. Gates, 1926).

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 10:11 PM

Hi Eve,

interesting how the I-IV thing is much more prevalent in reggae than North American country or blues music.

Also interesting, it was only a big thing during those few years of the late 60s, mainly. My suspicion is that this vamp was a fad originally borrowed from some U.S. soul records, although exactly which ones were the influence I cannot say. Though it would be too tough to prove, I also suspect that the 'Amen' sounds of church hymns had some bearing on this preference.

Often it boils down to just one or two musicians who had an experience or inclination, and it can't be generalized to say "Jamaican music" or "Jamaican musicians" did such-n-such. I am fascinated by the idea of what individuals may have contributed to ~folk~ music and what we often presume to be the product of a community.

Gibb

P.S. Irrelevant, but...in the couple years preceding that era in Jamaican music, recording musicians were obsessed with alternating between I and ii chords.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 09:49 PM

Barbara,

Can you give more info on "Twilight is Stealing?" I found a few different possibilities, but none of them seemed like I-IV songs.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Barbara Shaw
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 09:32 PM

Twilight is Stealing

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 09:05 PM

Gibb,

Thanks for that extensive list. Now that I've listened to a few of the songs I know I've heard tons of songs with similar grooves -- interesting how the I-IV thing is much more prevalent in reggae than North American country or blues music.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 08:57 PM

On the Duhk's album "Your Daughters and Your Sons," the song is spelled "Annabel."

They actually have it featured on the music page of their website here.

(Look under the album "Your Daughters and Your Sons" on the right side of the page for "Annabel" and click on the "play" button underneath)

Listening back again, I can hear they play it with some suspended/minor chords. But you can play it with just the I and IV chords.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: TI
Date: 28 Apr 09 - 03:58 PM

Off topic to be sure, but is the name of the song mentioned above Annabel or Annabelle. Google returns more than one song by that name. Thanks.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: John P
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 11:45 AM

"Spooky"
The that goes "in the cool of the evening, when everything is getting kind of spooky"

"What's the Buzz" from Jesus Christ Superstar.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 10:54 AM

Hi Eve, some specific songs are:

"Train to Skaville" - The Ethiopians (1967)
"Feel Like Jumping" - Marcia Griffiths (1968)
"54-46 That's my Number" - The Maytals (1968)
"Long Shot" - The Pioneers (1968) & "Long Shot Kick de Bucket" (1969)
"Do the Reggay" - The Maytals (*first song to use the word "reggay" (reggae) in the lyrics, 1968)
"Wet Dream" - Max Romeo (1969)
"Liquidator" - Harry J Allstars (1969) ... and its variation, eg. "What Am I to Do" by Tony Scott
"Everything Crash" - The Ethiopians (1968) / "Bigger Boss" - Ansel Collins
"Pharoah House Crash" - Prince Buster
"Fire Corner" / "Shoo Be Doo" - Clancy Eccles/King Stitt (1969)
"Skinhead Moonstop" - Symarip
"Dark End of the Street" (cover of Percy Sledge) / "How Long" - Pat Kelly

In minor:
"Java" - Augustus Pablo (1972)
? "Skylarking" - Horace Andy
? "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" - Black Uhuru (1981)

These are all from Jamaica.

Gibb

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: breezy
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 09:58 AM

Hey Eve

make it even simpler

Play the root note only

Then you could play 3 bottom notes of the I IV and V chords

Start with the 5th String A = I

4th string D = IV

6th String   E   = V


use a capo to go up to the 4th fret to find your singing range, pitch , key

Then Go open again [sans capo]
         
4th String = I
         
         3rd   = IV

         5th   = V


then capo again up to 5th

all the best




Tuesday 12th May Cellarfolk
[for catters near the south coast]

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 09:35 AM

Thanks for all the ideas, keep 'em coming!

I'd be curious about those soul and r & b songs, Gibb Sahib.

folktheatre, doesn't "Amen" have a V chord at the end?

I'll have to look up some of the other songs...

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Bob the Postman
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 07:52 AM

"Billy Taylor", also with a little optional help from the relative minor.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: G-Force
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 07:37 AM

'Like a Possum' by Lou Reed manages to spin those 2 chords out for about 18 minutes.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: folktheatre
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 05:31 AM

You could just sing "Amen"!

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Joybell
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 04:35 AM

"Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree"
Sometimes called just "Kookaburra".
Cheers, Joy

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Terry McDonald
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 03:57 AM

Martin Simpson's version of the Cruel Brother although it does have a relative minor (no pun intended).

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Bugsy
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 01:53 AM

"Turquoise" & "To sing for you" both by Donovan.

Cheers

Bugsy

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 01:30 AM

I know many songs with only those chords :) -- the disclaimer is that I don't know how, if at all, you'd like to limit it by genre! In any case, I am thinking of soul and r 'n' b songs. In particular, in the years around 1968-1971, in the Jamaican music industry, there were tons of 'em.

One example you might know is the reggae song "Liquidator," which was lifted by the soul group the Staple Singers for their hit "I'll Take You There."
Incidentally, this is the typical progression for songs in the so-called "skinhead" sub-genre of reggae music.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 12:54 AM

Hey Phil,

"Annabelle" is a beautiful song -- great suggestion.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Uncle Phil
Date: 27 Apr 09 - 12:34 AM

It's interesting that it's so hard to think of I-IV songs. The only one that I play with just I-IV is Annabel, written by Toronto's Kat Goldman. It's on her The Great Disappearing Act CD and is covered on the Duhks' CD Your Daughters and Your Sons. No traditional songs spring to mind.
- Phil

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 26 Apr 09 - 02:25 PM

Agreed. The glorious Tolpuddle Man can be done with E and B only, although in fact I use Eperfect and B9.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 26 Apr 09 - 01:12 PM

Yeah, me too! That's why I asked the question.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: The Sandman
Date: 26 Apr 09 - 01:11 PM

I can think of more songs with chords 1 and 5 only.

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 26 Apr 09 - 01:01 PM

Well, yes, there are a few good reasons, breezy.

1) There is beauty in simplicity
2) I'm curious
3) Is there any reason why a song with more chords is superior?
4) It can be a good teaching tool for someone who is just learning

Subject: RE: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: breezy
Date: 26 Apr 09 - 12:38 PM

is there a reason , if not get on and learn the v one

Subject: Songs with I and IV chords only?
From: Eve Goldberg
Date: 26 Apr 09 - 12:35 PM

Hi all,

Today I started wondering how many songs I know that ONLY use the I and IV chords (eg, a song in the key of C that only uses C and F or a song in the key of G that only uses G and C)

The only one I could think of was "Things in Life" by Don Stover.

Can anyone think of others?