One chord wonders

[Sam Inglis]

In order to undermine the muso nature of this forum, I thought I would use it to further my search for great songs that have only one chord in them. To my mind, it's bloody difficult to write a good song without a chord change in it, and I think it should be encouraged.

Off the top of my head, the only song I can think of that really does use only one chord is Jonathan Richman's 'Pablo Picasso'. Donovan's 'There Is A Mountain' almost qualifies, but he sneaks a second chord in for one bar.

Can anyone come up with some other examples?

[David Etheridge]

Hi Sam,
yes, you've definitely undermined the muso nature by mentioning ANYTHING by Jonathan Richman: what a bozo!


Some blues numbers are all on one chord; the only one that spring's to mind is Willie Dixon's 'Spoonful' (made more famous by Cream, natch), 'Who do you love', by the Misunderstood, and probably a few more that I can't currently remember.
Also, the whole principle of grooving on one chord is well documented in funk (most notably from Fred Wesley), so I would guess that somewhere in James Brown's catalogue there's an example.

Best wishes,
Dave.

[forumuser729356]

I was scratching my head trying to think of one
The only thing I can think off (and I haven't checked) is Eno's Music for Airports - got to be one chord (it struggles to get more than three or four notes...)

[Quaver]

I know I'm probably gonna get booed off on this one,seeing as many see this artist as blase...

French synthesist Jean -Michel Jarre has written a couple of tracks that only use 1 chord,most notibly Oxygene parts 5(the arpeggios sequence pattern not the start of the track)and also Oxygene 11(Cm)it deals more with arpeggios and mixing sequences within each other,this track also gives you the feeling of driving with traffic passing by(listen to the way he uses the strings pitched bended to give a sense of movement
whilst his music may not be the sort of genre you guys are talking about,it shows the complexity of music,in a simple form,these tracks deal more with Soundscapes and noises than actual melodic content,but they still manage to sound melodic,and still one of his greatest compositions Oxygene part 2 only uses 2 chords Gm and Dm,this type of music describes to you how,music isnt all about Melody and harmony but also sound,it has taught me alot that the sound content and choice is just as importantif not more so than melodic intention,another example of little chord types is Waiting for cousteau,a 45 min journey of dripping noises against a wash of pads and pianos with a random melody,very ambient,too say the least and also very complex when you listen to it
just my 2 cents

[f3user]

Ballad of Hollis Brown by Bob Dylan

Lots of blues and folk songs have only one chord.

[phantomfield]

f3user I was going to suggest the very same track !

Along with perhaps and I'm not sure of this one but "Boots of Spanish Leather" from the same great album.

And the Corries (Scots band) version* of "Sally Free and Easy". Best wishes.

*may well have written it.

[DavidW]

I have an opinion of J.M.Jarre, which is articulated by Bill Bailey's rip-off of Oxygene! I used to really like him, however I think its more about spectacle than musical structure... The music is quite nice, but after a while its a bit repetitive and simple... also what have camels and torchlight processions got to do with synthesisers??

Sorry, vent over.

[Wurlitzer]

Aretha etc: "Chain of Fools"

George Clinton: "Atomic Dog"

I'm also sure there must be something by JB, but I can't think of anything. A lot of them stay on one chord for a long time, but then change at the bridge or whatever. (After all, it would be pretty disappointing if, after shouting "Take it to the bridge!" umpteen times, the bridge came down and it was still the same chord, wouldn't it? )

The main genre that occurs to me is African music. "Amampondo" by Miriam Makeba springs to mind. I'm sure there must be things in the Fela Kuti / Afrobeat line as well, though the only tracks I can think of offhand are the more radical and adventurous ones - with TWO chords!

[Sam Inglis]

Jonathan Richman is, as I suspect you well know, a genius who is above any form of criticism from mortals such as us.

I think I might have remembered another. It's a while since I've heard it, but doesn't Edwyn Collins's 'Never Met A Girl Like You Before' just have one chord in it?

[EmGee]

I believe 'Born in the USA' by Brucey Springsteen is just the one chord. Do I win a prize for the most commercially successful song with only the one chord?!

EmGee

[Carlospresents...]

Jonathan Richman is, as I suspect you well know, a genius who is above any form of criticism from mortals such as us.

I think I might have remembered another. It's a while since I've heard it, but doesn't Edwyn Collins's 'Never Met A Girl Like You Before' just have one chord in it?

No. It uses Cm, Fm and Gm.

[Sam Inglis]

Cah. That's practically prog rock.

[David Etheridge]

Jonathan Richman is, as I suspect you well know, a genius who is above any form of criticism from mortals such as us.

No, he's a musical cretin IMHO.
Dave.

[David Etheridge]

A misunderstood one, but stil a.....

[Sam Inglis]

There is clearly no point in attempting rational debate with someone who refuses to acknowledge the divinity of Jojo...

[Skyline]

I doff my cap to 'Just Want To Dance The Night Away' by The Mavericks which alternates between the same two chords all the way through for all sections - verse, bridge, chorus. When I write a song I just find it impossible NOT to change chords going into the chorus, etc. Very clever.

[DAN]

Howsabout 'Six Underground' by the Sneaker Pimps. I think its a one chord jobby.

[Mr DiBergi]

Lots of crap music being mentioned Sam, did you have a hypothesis or were you just curious?

[Beethoven]

Hi Sam,
yes, you've definitely undermined the muso nature by mentioning ANYTHING by Jonathan Richman: what a bozo!

Well, we may not see eye to eye on Schumann's 'Rhenish' but I think we've found a something to agree on here.

[SunShineState]

I think the great Led Zep's Whole Lotta Love is pretty much one chord (E) may be a couple of others in the solo bit somewhere but the verses choruses and great riff are all over one chord - do I win a banana?

[Guest]

I can't believe no-one's mentioned The Beatles' Tomorrow Never Knows.

Oh there, I just did...

... and what about some of George Harrisons's Indian inspired stuff - Blue Jay Way? The Inner Light?

erm...

The Overload by Talking Heads

... something by Loop or Spacemen 3

[Sam Inglis]

I'm not sure whether modal tunes or riff-based tracks should be counted as one-chord wonders, exactly. Quite often they don't really contain any chords as such (although they can imply them).

What do you mean, crap music? I'm no Springsteen fan, but apart from that...

[Guest]

I'm not sure whether modal tunes or riff-based tracks should be counted as one-chord wonders, exactly. Quite often they don't really contain any chords as such (although they can imply them).

I don't understand the distinction between "this song uses one chord" and "this song's riff implies one chord"

[Mike Senior]

Dylan's Masters Of War could almost scrape in, and I agree that Tomorrow Never Knows is a good example, although I think the seagulls do change chord at one point.