|
13 May 98 - 10:32 AM (#28158) Subject: Two chord songs needed From: Jon W. My wife volunteers an hour a week to teach music in our grade school. She wants to have the children do a simple jug band next week, and wants to teach them a common folk song with two chord accompaniment on the jugs, in oom-pah-pah style. Can anyone suggest a very well-known folk song with just two chords? |
|
13 May 98 - 10:44 AM (#28162) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Bill in Alabama My Darling Clementine, for one. |
|
13 May 98 - 11:02 AM (#28166) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Alice From "American Folk Songs For Children" by Ruth Crawford Seeger,
Pick a Bale of Cotton
John Henry
Skip to My Lou
Pawpaw Patch
Frog Went a-Courtin'
My Horses Ain't Hungry
There are many more in her book, but most of them are not 'very well known'. alice |
|
13 May 98 - 11:04 AM (#28167) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Frank Phillips What about "Go Tell Aunt Rhody" or "Down in the Valley" or "Billy Boy" or "Hush Little Baby" or "He's got the Whole World" Frank Phillips |
|
13 May 98 - 12:34 PM (#28179) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: steve t From Rise Up Singing
Away With Rum |
|
13 May 98 - 10:36 PM (#28232) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: John in Brisbane Top of the head - Jambalaya is only two chords - I think. Regards John |
|
13 May 98 - 11:23 PM (#28237) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: wolfz CHECK OUT OLDER COUNTRY SONGS,IE: HANK WILLIAMS, SR, AND BOXCAR WILLIE |
|
14 May 98 - 12:39 AM (#28243) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Art Thieme Woody used to do "Buffalo Skinners" with one chord. |
|
14 May 98 - 01:05 AM (#28248) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: steve t How I longed to learn the tune to Buffalo Skinners when I was first learning the guitar. It was LONG after I could switch easily between chords that I finally heard the melody to the only song in the Folksinger's Wordbook that uses only one chord. Sigh. |
|
14 May 98 - 01:17 AM (#28249) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: steve t I've just noticed a link to the scout's song book. You might find some useful stuff there. http://www.emf.net/~troop24/scouting/songbook.html |
|
14 May 98 - 02:55 AM (#28259) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Ted There are many rock songs with two chords-- Iko,Iko (a song kids love!) Dream Baby (which many kids know from a recent tv commercial) Rockin' Pnuemonia (and the boogie woogie flu) Bo Diddley (which just a funny version of Mockingbird) Lots of songs that don't sound simple have only two chords as well, such as "Just my Imagination" Many rap tunes can be played with a single chord accompaniment--or may even with just a clapped rhythm--you say you don't know any rap ? The kids do--and they'd love to teach you(make sure the lyrics are safe first though)-- If you find songs that are interesting and fun, the kids can really open up, andyou will really have a great time-- |
|
14 May 98 - 03:56 AM (#28263) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: murray@mpce.mq.edu.au I have one of those '60s "guitar books for idiots". There are two simple songs that I think will do. The first is "Blow the Man Down" In the key of A major using A and E7. There is one bar calling for a D, but that one can be replaced by a jug "woof" or just silence. Here it is. The chords are in square brackets before the phrases to which they pertain. The starting note is E I'll [A] sing you a song a good song of the sea The other one is Railroad Bill. The key is D the starting note is F: [D] Railroad Bill Railroad Bill I played around with both and they sound fine without the extra chord. Railroad bill actually sounds OK if you use a D chord throughout the final "ride old Railroad Bill" but sing "Railroad" at the same pitch as "ride old". Let me know if you need more detail about the melodies. I can probably make abc files for them. Murray |
|
14 May 98 - 04:08 AM (#28264) Subject: Lyr Add: RAILROAD BILL^^^ From: murray@mpce.mq.edu.au Oops! I forgot the extra verses for Railroad Bill Railroad Bill he was a mighty mean man, Railroad Bill took my wife Going up on a mountain, going out West, Buy me a pistol just as long as my arm I've got a "thirty-eight special" on a "forty-five frame," Repeat first verse Great stuff for kids, Hm? But I think even if you only use two or three verses it makes a good song. Murray |
|
14 May 98 - 10:28 AM (#28289) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Jon W. Thanks everyone. I'll pass the info on to my wife and she can choose the song to use. Jon W. |
|
14 May 98 - 01:13 PM (#28319) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Max Song to Woody by Dylan G and C |
|
15 May 98 - 07:41 AM (#28398) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: alison Hi, What shall we do with the drunken sailor. (Em D) Slainte Alison |
|
15 May 98 - 10:19 AM (#28410) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Whippoorwill There was a scout camp parody we used to do that requires only one chord: Dirty Lil, Dirty Lil, Melody is - in the key of C: |
|
15 May 98 - 03:45 PM (#28438) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Darin McGrew "Hey, Lollee!" is another two-chord song. Last year, the kids (3rd-6th grade) hated it, but this year they like it. And more than half of them are the same kids. Maybe it's the faster tempo this year, or maybe it's that I'm playing it in C (C & G7) instead of in D (D & A7). |
|
15 May 98 - 08:46 PM (#28462) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: murray@mpce.mq.edu.au I have been comuning with my newly acquired Anthology of American Folk Music. I have noticed two ONE chord songs. "When that great ship went Down" and, if you leave out the guitar break, "Kassie Jones". Kassie Jones just uses the tonic for the words and the guitar break is in the subdominant. In addition, Several of the Carter Family songs in it are two-chorded. "John Hardy Was a Desperate Little Man" uses tonic and subdominant--Of course the words for John Henry can replace its lyrics. "Single Girl, Married Girl" uses tonic and dominant-7. "Little Moses" uses tonic and dominant-7. The Anthology version of John Henry itself uses two chords--tonic and subdominant. Murray |
|
15 May 98 - 11:15 PM (#28481) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: KickyC I am teaching some high school kids to play some folk instruments and we have done "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" and then have half the group do "Rock-a-My-Soul" while the first group continues. You can do it also with "Swing Low Sweet Chariot". The kids are from Mexico so we are also doing "La Cucaracha". They were excited to be able to do something so quickly. Kicky |
|
16 Feb 02 - 04:26 AM (#651394) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Genie Actually, many songs posted above as "two chord songs" sound much better, I believe, with at least three. But I totally agree that "Drunken Sailor" and "Hey Li-lee, Li-lee" really do not need more than two! My idea of a true "two-chord" song is one where adding any others would make the sonng sound WORSE, or, at least, not make it sound any BETTER> One other true "two chord" song is "Sinner Man." [Thinking without my guitar here, it seems the two chords are Em and D.] Genie |
|
09 Jun 08 - 08:13 AM (#2361309) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST Shoo-Fly, Down at the Station, Skip to My Lou, |
|
09 Jun 08 - 09:42 AM (#2361365) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Piers Plowman I was going to say "La Paloma", but the melody and rhythm are a bit tricky. Not really a jug band-style tune, though. I bet they'd like it, though. Why not 3 chord songs? There is a huge number of them, and, in fact, it's possible to play many more by replacing (for the key of C) Dm with F, Em with G, etc. I play "Cielito Lindo" with 3 (or more) chords, but I think you could just get away with I and V. Alas, children today probably have never seen the immortal Frito Bandito. |
|
09 Jun 08 - 11:23 AM (#2361458) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST,Volgadon Anything by Christy Moore.... =))) Ok, I lie, he sometimes uses three... |
|
09 Jun 08 - 07:12 PM (#2361893) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: The Fooles Troupe "Why not 3 chord songs?" Because there are other threads for that... |
|
10 Jun 08 - 02:30 AM (#2362062) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Piers Plowman "Pretty Polly" can be played with a single chord, but I'm not sure that murder ballads are suitable for pre-schoolers. "John Henry" can be played on a single chord, but I usually use three. I actually use 4 chords for "Cielito Lindo", counting I and I7 as two different chords (which, of course, they are). The verse uses two chords (as I play it), tonic and dominant. For the beginning of the chorus, I was playing A7 D7 G7 C, but I think C7 F G7 C is better most of the time, with the sequence starting on A7 for occasional variety. I tried it with two chords (C and G7) and it sounded all right. |
|
10 Jun 08 - 02:58 AM (#2362069) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Piers Plowman Keeping the constraint that the song has to have at most two chords, I think one shouldn't necessarily reject a tune just because it has more. Theoretically, any diatonic melody, i.e., one that stays within a single scale or mode, can be harmonized with a single chord. The ultimate test is one's ears: if it sounds okay, then it is okay. In nearly every case (in Western music), the two chords in a two-chord song will be the tonic and the dominant, e.g., C (tonic) and G7 (dominant). If it's the tonic and the subdominant, e.g., C and F, I would suspect that it might actually be the other way around with F as the tonic and C (or alternatively C7) as the dominant. One can always add the dom. 7th to the dominant, or leave it off. Again, for both points, one's ears are the ultimate test. One might have something like Am G7, which would be the relative minor of C and the dominant of C. More common would be Am and E7 (i and V7 of A minor). In short, one should feel free to experiment. You can't break anything and the worst that can happen is that it will sound awful. |
|
16 Jun 10 - 04:41 PM (#2929351) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST,Dave Clou IMHO The two best two chord songs: Bill Withers: Use Me Dave Mason: Feeling Alright (made famous by Joe Cocker) |
|
16 Jun 10 - 05:28 PM (#2929381) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: mousethief "Coconut" by Harry Nilsson uses only one chord. (C7). |
|
16 Jun 10 - 08:30 PM (#2929483) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST,Corona Smith 'nonesuch'. There are some lovely words to it from the 60's too. Each line is a season of the year. And she shall bring the birds in spring And dance among the flowers. In summer's heat her kisses sweet They fall from leafy bowers. She cuts the grain and harvests corn. The gifts of autumn round her. The days grow old and winter's cold. She draws her cloak around her. KEY Dm verse: Dm chorus: C Dm Corona. |
|
17 Jun 10 - 06:59 AM (#2929729) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: alex s Ballad of Hollis Brown (Dylan) |
|
17 Jun 10 - 08:03 AM (#2929763) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST,leeneia There's a beautiful Welsh song, Lisa Lan (Fair Lisa) which uses only D and C. It may be on Comtemplator's site. |
|
17 Jun 10 - 08:17 AM (#2929773) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: kendall The Convict and the Rose |
|
17 Jun 10 - 08:27 AM (#2929782) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST Chords are NOT the tune. ANY tune can be accompanied by ANY chords. (Many might sound rubbish, mind!) Leeneia suggests that 'Lisa Lan' only needs D and C. It sounds quite nice if you stick with D all the way through as a drone. It can also work well with more complicated arrangements. There is no one answer. |
|
17 Jun 10 - 07:27 PM (#2930168) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Stringsinger Go Tell Aunt Nancy (Rhody) B.I.N.G.O. (though the IV chord is often used) Some songs you can cheat with, (by not using the IV chord) The E-ri-e Canal (The Er-i-E was a-risin') Old Dan Tucker Drill Ye Tarriers Drill Oh Sinner Man Poor Liza Jane Buffalo Boy (Are You Goin' To the Wednin?) Quaker's Wooing Billy Boy Love Somebody, Yes I Do Every Little Soul's Gonna' Shine (Mister Rabbit) You Better Stop Kickin' My Dog Around |
|
17 Jun 10 - 07:32 PM (#2930173) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: BobKnight Okie From Muskogee - Merle Haggard Stranger Things - George Straight And that one the Mavericks had a big hit with a few years back. |
|
17 Jun 10 - 07:34 PM (#2930176) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Stringsinger I'll Tell Me Ma When I Come Home (You can cheat on this one too) Green Corn (Come Along Charley) Goin' Down to Cairo Sourwood Mountain Cripple Creek Old Joe Clark Coffee Grows on White Oak Trees Fare Ye Well My Blue Eyed Girl Most of these songs you can cheat and just use I and V7. |
|
17 Jun 10 - 08:13 PM (#2930202) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Bobert Google up R.L. Burnsides "Miss Maybelle"... It can be done with one chord but two is okay, too... It's a real cute song that has lots of animals in it... (But, Boberdz... It's a dirty song...) Well, okay, if ya gotta a dirty mind it is but kids love this song... "let me be your hoppin' frog" (how dirty is that???) B~ |
|
17 Jun 10 - 08:15 PM (#2930204) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: beeliner Kids love "Molasses, Molasses (It's Icky Sticky Goo)". and you can make up verses for each kid's name! I sing it with three chords, F, to C, then dropping in a C7 just before returning to the F. But two suffice. |
|
03 Nov 10 - 10:22 PM (#3023098) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Crowhugger I'm always amazed when old threads are reborn, especially when it's not by another asker but by those with more answers. 900 miles Streets of Laredo can be done with 2 though I use more. |
|
04 Nov 10 - 03:16 AM (#3023150) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: BrooklynJay Coincidentally, at a folksinging get-together in Brooklyn last night I did a couple of songs that had only two chords: Old Paint (I Ride an Old Paint) Puttin' On the Style I did them with only a D and A7 and they worked out quite well, I'm relieved to say. |
|
04 Nov 10 - 08:39 AM (#3023299) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST,Desi C Irish songs, Black Velvet Band and Galway Bay can both be played with two chords. Jumbalaya as someone else mention and quite a few of Hank Williams, and other early country songs, good luck, great to get kids involved early |
|
04 Nov 10 - 09:31 AM (#3023337) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST,Steamin' Willie I would argue just about every song if you pull it off with a strong melody in your singing, (which I can't so compensate with a million ruddy chords to disguise my less than perfect voice.) Start by strumming a pedal chord (I) and see how far you get. The further you get, the more you realise what a good voice you have! |
|
04 Nov 10 - 02:14 PM (#3023549) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: The Sandman murshem durkin,black velvet band,biddy mulligan, cockles and mussels, cripple creek, |
|
05 Nov 10 - 10:33 AM (#3024278) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Trapper The first two-chord song I learned was Tom Dooley. - Al |
|
06 Nov 10 - 09:30 AM (#3025043) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: The Sandman matty groves. |
|
06 Nov 10 - 09:57 AM (#3025057) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: buzzer64 Tom Paxton's Ramblin' Boy G D. |
|
06 Nov 10 - 06:18 PM (#3025478) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Janie "Little Sally Walker" is more like a 1 1/2 chord song. In D usually. Jim and Marilym Kweskin do a version that they call "Ain't Never Been Satisfied." Amazon has a sample here. |
|
06 Nov 10 - 08:07 PM (#3025586) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Steve Shaw Woody sang Pastures Of Plenty with just one chord. Woody once famously said that anyone who used three chords in a song was just showin' off. :-) |
|
03 Jul 11 - 06:29 PM (#3180915) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST,george allen hicks horse with no name |
|
03 Jul 11 - 08:06 PM (#3180970) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Charley Noble I would second Trapper's suggestion: "Tom Dulla" I remember well the agony and stress of changing from one chord to another! Charley Noble |
|
03 Jul 11 - 08:06 PM (#3180972) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST,gabe Angeline Baker, D and G |
|
04 Jul 11 - 07:24 AM (#3181145) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: The Sandman peggy and the soldier, little birdie |
|
09 Nov 11 - 08:22 AM (#3253456) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST,jfharms One Time (Justin Beiber) Some kids will love you forever. Others will think it's dorky, but usual get into it (and know all the words in spite of themselves.) |
|
21 Sep 12 - 11:36 PM (#3408545) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Genie Pastures Of Plenty doesn't need more than 2 chords, anyway (though embellishing with short melodic snippets, hammering, etc., can make the background more interesting than just strumming on one chord). |
|
22 Sep 12 - 04:03 AM (#3408573) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: Northerner Thank you for bringing this thread back again. |
|
22 Sep 12 - 04:56 AM (#3408583) Subject: RE: Two chord songs needed From: GUEST,DTM "Pay Me My Money Down" "Jambalaya" |