best one chord song?

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

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

Elvis Costello: Big Boys

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

"Plastic Dreams" - Jaydee

LOCK THREAD

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

Lucinda Williams "Joy" I think

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

lcd soundsytem, "losing my edge"

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

blue jay way is not a one chord song !

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

attaque surprise by Vive La Fete!!!

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

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

but surely this definition isn't still relevant. what with avant garde, noise, various types of non-Western music...

― matlewis, Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:44 (twenty years ago)

I generally shy away from using "song" to describe instrumental music.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 19:47 (twenty years ago)

"Pulse" by the Furs

At least I think it is. I think Tim Butler said it was one chord.

― Aja (aja), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:04 (twenty years ago)

Unrest, various versions of "Hydro"

― Zack Richardson (teenagequiet), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:14 (twenty years ago)

jaymc OTM. Song =/= Music

― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

jaymc OTM. Song =/= any piece of music

― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:42 (twenty years ago)

Unrest, various versions of "Hydro"

does that one win for longest song without a chord change?

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 20:45 (twenty years ago)

Breath deeper.

Daydreamer.

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 21:18 (twenty years ago)

Tenacious D - One Note Song

― pinder (pinder), Wednesday, 15 June 2005 21:41 (twenty years ago)

Well ok, let's assume that in order to have a song you need a melody. Still, the melody can be so minimalistic or uninteresting as to be at best a secondary element of the song. Take Can's "Vitamin C." Melody takes a back seat to harmony and, most of all, to rhythm. More than one chord there, though.

― These Robust Cookies (Robust Cookies), Thursday, 16 June 2005 04:20 (twenty years ago)

The Doors -- "L.A. Woman"

― Flaneur, Thursday, 16 June 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

A song is "A brief composition written or adapted for singing." Whatever is sung is the primary melody.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Thursday, 16 June 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

The Doors -- "L.A. Woman"

One chord? Are you deaf?

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 16 June 2005 14:26 (twenty years ago)

Did somebody already mention "Coconut" by Harry Nilsson? That's indisputably one chord and it's indisputably a proper song - and a damn fine one too!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 16 June 2005 14:31 (twenty years ago)

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