best one chord song?

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(XPOST HURTING!!)

I just want to point out that "One Note Samba" has quite a few chords! The only thing that's "one note" about it is the melody of the verse -- and not even the whole verse! "This is just a little samba, built upon a single note, other notes are bound to follow, but the root is just this note" -- all that's one note, but then the next line is a fifth up, so there's a total of two notes in the verse.

The chords, on the other hand, are always moving, on like every other beat: "this is JUST(Dm7) a little SAM(C#7)-ba, built u-PON(Cmin7) a single NOTE(B7b5)."

And then the chorus, of course, is all about the contrast with the verse, running up and down scales, more or less.

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

The Adverts - One Chord Wonders

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 16:17 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah, I know about the one note samba.

― lexurian (lexurian), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 16:27 (twenty-one years ago)

It's an interesting case, tho, isn't it?

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 16:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Cornershop's "Jullander Shere" (yes, both of them) is a one-chorder I believe.

Jesus and Mary Chain must have done some one-chorders?

Nope - they were a whole lot more melodic than people remember. Even their cover of Can's "Mushroom" has at least a couple.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 16:36 (twenty-one years ago)

"Jullandar Shere" uses a second chord during the chorus, but 95% of the song (both versions) do in fact use only one chord.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 16:39 (twenty-one years ago)

dammit you're right - and an obvious one too.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 16:41 (twenty-one years ago)

There's several songs that feel like one-chord drones, but the chord changes in the last two counts of an eight-count. Lots of Stereolab songs, also "Roadrunner."

― jaymc (jaymc), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Eddie Grant's "Electric Avenue" is just A the whole way through, isn't it?
-- Lagartija Curt1sss (curtis.stephen...), June 14th, 2005 8:16 AM. (Curtis Stephens)

C#maj and yes it is only one chord the whole song. Good thing we're not talking about dub music.

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 16:50 (twenty-one years ago)

GODZ PWN: "PERMANENT GREEN LIGHT," "RADAR EYES," "SOON THE MOON"

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

never heard the j richman verion, but again, G500's Dont let your youth go to waste is two chords, and mostly just 1.

― AaronK (AaronK), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

so what's THE BEST?????

― lexurian (lexurian), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I told you at the top of the thread, "Fur Immer" by Neu!

― Bifidus Digestivum (Dada), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 17:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Swans - Celebrity Lifestyle is pretty much all G5. and a strong candidate for the top spot.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 17:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper, "The Story Of One Chord"

― pdf (Phil Freeman), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 17:55 (twenty-one years ago)

names are escaping me, but Liquid Liquid has some one-chord (or no-chord) tunes that are great. Konono No.1, too.

The key is to get rid of that whole "melody" thing and focus on rhythm instead. Granted, this statement is coming from a drummer, but surely that doesn't COMPLETELY discredit me.

― matlewis, Tuesday, 14 June 2005 17:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I nominate Funkadelic's "Loose Booty"

The Godz could barely manage HALF a chord!

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 18:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Elvis Costello: Big Boys

― Ryan Pitchfork, Tuesday, 14 June 2005 18:17 (twenty-one years ago)

you guys are fucking lame-o's
it's obviously "theoretical girls" by theoretical girls
i prefer the live version

― Fetchboy (Felcher), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

The key is to get rid of that whole "melody" thing and focus on rhythm instead.

Geir, are you when we need you most?!

― PappaWheelie (PappaWheelie), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

BTW, "One Note Samba" is not one chord, nor is it even one note.

-- Hurting (Hurtingchie...), June 14th, 2005.

And, for that matter, "I'm in the Mood for a Melody" has almost no melody at all.

― Hurting (Hurting), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 19:20 (twenty-one years ago)

The Godz could barely manage HALF a chord!

-- Myonga Von Bontee (scottyfield...), June 14th, 2005.

E minor, baby.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 19:21 (twenty-one years ago)

"Plastic Dreams" - Jaydee

LOCK THREAD

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 19:29 (twenty-one years ago)

The key is to get rid of that whole "melody" thing and focus on rhythm instead.

Then, there isn't a song anymore.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 19:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Geir, don't you ever tire of being wrong? I mean, on a basic, fundamental, dictionary-definition level, YOU ARE WRONG. Give up already, it's okay to say that there are ways of writing songs that you dislike, you don't have to exclude them from being music altogether.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 19:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Lucinda Williams "Joy" I think

― dan. (dan.), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 19:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Crap, you're right about "Run run run".
Just.

― Koens (Koens), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 19:38 (twenty-one years ago)

"Duane Eddy" by the Great Unwashed (ie the Clean pretty much).

― Venga (Venga), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 19:39 (twenty-one years ago)

"Coconut" by Harry Nilsson (C7, I think)

― electric derby, Tuesday, 14 June 2005 19:47 (twenty-one years ago)

matlewis - I'm just impressed that a drummer has learnt to use the internet.

― lexurian (lexurian), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 20:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Costello's Big Boys is comprised of E, A, B, G, Em, C, & D. It does however stay on E at the beginning for quite some time.

xxxxxxpost

― darin (darin), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 20:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Run Run Run by VU briefly switches chords (in the chorus)...

― Joe (Joe), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

"Silverfuck" by the Smashing Pumpkins is technically only one chord, right? At least the main riff is...

― The Brainwasher (Twilight), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Years and years ago the Mission, the band who British Sea Power most resemble, did a version of 'Tomorrow Never Knows' and proudly told the Melody Maker that they'd put an F in there as the original was boring.

― snotty moore, Tuesday, 14 June 2005 22:07 (twenty-one years ago)

it *is* boring, regardless of how many chords it has.

― AaronK (AaronK), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

Dylan's "Drifter's Escape" is A and D/a as recorded on John Wesley Harding. In its current live incarnation, it's just one chord with a lead part, though.

His "TV Talkin' Song" is only one chord, but it's not a very good song.

How about "Papa Was A Rolling Stone"? The bass moves, but the song's actual tonality never changes.

― Douglas (Douglas), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 22:51 (twenty-one years ago)

bo diddley - bo diddley

Not as Bo performed it, since whenever he went into a break, he dropped from I to VII. (But it is the best song mentioned so far on this thread.)

― Frank Kogan (Frank Kogan), Tuesday, 14 June 2005 23:11 (twenty-one years ago)

guided by voices, "postal blowfish"

(not the best, i'm sure of that. but it's one chord and it's good, which should count for something.)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 00:54 (twenty-one years ago)

"Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)" - Sly Stone (the winner)
"Shake Your Hips" - Rolling Stones
"Fun House" - Stooges
"Ballad of Hollis Brown" - Bob Dylan
"Frankie Teardrop" - Suicide
"Yeah" - LCD Soundsystem
"Whitey on the Moon" - Gil Scott Heron

There's tons of them, especially r&b/funk tunes (James Brown, Parliament, etc) that are just build on a riff or bass line.

― Keith C (kcraw916), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 01:10 (twenty-one years ago)

lcd soundsytem, "losing my edge"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

bo diddley, "who do you love" (i think; haven't heard it in a while)

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 01:11 (twenty-one years ago)

The key is to get rid of that whole "melody" thing and focus on rhythm instead.

Then, there isn't a song anymore.

-- Geir Hongro (geirhon...), June 14th, 2005.

-- The Ghost of Dan Perry (djperr...), June 14th, 2005.

It's not "wrong" to say that a "song" has to have a "melody". By dictionary definition, it does have to have a melody.

― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 01:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Now it’s past my bed I know
And I’d really like to go
Soon will be the break of day
Sitting here in blue jay way

I'm so happy that I get to be the first to mention this song.

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 04:04 (twenty-one years ago)

"Blue Jay Way" good call. In fact, most of George Harrisons' Indian influenced songs have only one chord. The musical sophistication in Indian ragas lies in the melody, not in the harmonies.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 08:35 (twenty-one years ago)

blue jay way is not a one chord song !

― AleXTC (AleXTC), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 09:00 (twenty-one years ago)

attaque surprise by Vive La Fete!!!

― breezy, Wednesday, 15 June 2005 13:14 (twenty-one years ago)

blue jay way is not a one chord song !

I'm afraid it is.

explain how it isn't please.

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 17:06 (twenty-one years ago)

C#maj and yes it is only one chord the whole song. Good thing we're not talking about dub music.

It is SO not C#.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 15 June 2005 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

It's an A that's slightly sharp of concert pitch, I do believe.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 15 June 2005 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

"Silverfuck" by the Smashing Pumpkins is technically only one chord, right? At least the main riff is...

The main riff is, but other chords be droppin' later.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Wednesday, 15 June 2005 18:24 (twenty-one years ago)

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