DougF
Tele-Meister
I was messin' around with Run through the Jungle by CCR noticed the whole song never leaves the "D" chord. Some pretty tasty fill work by John Fogerty though. Anybody else no any songs that have only one chord?
Songs with no chord changes
- Thread starter DougF
- Start date
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maggieo
Tele-Afflicted
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2004
- Posts
- 1,075
"Season Of The Witch"
Hmm, I always used three chords for SOTW. One chord songs aren't terribly rare in the blues. My current band does "Wang Dang Doodle", and I used to play "Boogie Thing". I believe the term used to describe them is "modal".
Telarkaster
Friend of Leo's
Smokestack Lightning, and Wish You Would by the Yardbirds.
Here's a couple more.
Talking Heads - "Girlfriend is better"
The Talking Heads were the kings of creating songs in one chord, songs like "Slippery people" and "Once in a lifetime" for example but I think "Girlfriend" is their magnum opus.
Morphine - "Early to bed"
Song in one chord? Beh! How about a song in one NOTE!
Talking Heads - "Girlfriend is better"
The Talking Heads were the kings of creating songs in one chord, songs like "Slippery people" and "Once in a lifetime" for example but I think "Girlfriend" is their magnum opus.
Morphine - "Early to bed"
Song in one chord? Beh! How about a song in one NOTE!
drb1346
Tele-Afflicted
"It's Bad, You Know" by R.L. Bursides. Haunting song . . .
Unseen
Former Member
I believe you'll find that James Brown did quite a few one-chord songs. And one of my own favorites is named (link removed). Go ahead, click on the link and give it time to download. It's a 4Mb .wma file. I think you'll enjoy it.
(BTW, prepare to enjoy one of the greatest bass lines ever.)
(BTW, prepare to enjoy one of the greatest bass lines ever.)
Unseen
Former Member
Also...do you mean absolutely one chord?, or do you mean absent the normal blues and rock chord progressions, because there are songs that may quickly alternate between two chords as well. A chord-riff if you will.
First one that came to my mind.
Also, not entirely sure about this one, but "Bad to the Bone" I believe has only one chord.
kp8
Friend of Leo's
lots of Fred McDowell stuff that is mostly on one chord or one riff.
Heads also have that 2 note song. The 2 note swivel. Talking Heads were cool. Those middle 3 rekkids (fear o' music, remain in boogers, speaking in tongues) all hold up shockingly well for me.
Heads also have that 2 note song. The 2 note swivel. Talking Heads were cool. Those middle 3 rekkids (fear o' music, remain in boogers, speaking in tongues) all hold up shockingly well for me.
Lerb21
Friend of Leo's
One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer, never leaves an E chord until the last 2 minutes.
ralphie
Tele-Holic
Lucinda Williams: Joy
One chord is all Mr. Doug Pettibone needs.
One chord is all Mr. Doug Pettibone needs.
Unseen
Former Member
It just occurred to me that almost every ambient tune is a drone based on one chord.
Robbie W
Tele-Holic
Whole Lotta Love by Led Zepplin
Sea Level
Tele-Meister
"Put The Lime In The Coconut" What a fun song. "Now let me get this straight".
Del Pickup
Poster Extraordinaire
'Joy' by Lucinda Williams is one of my favourites songs by her. It has such a funky, dirty feel to it. I think that's true of many of these one chord songs cos they get into such a strong groove which carries the song along and replaces chord changes as the way to maintain interest.
Helen Wheels by Paul McCartney & Wings
