best one chord song?

Surely it's a two-chorder: over the "It is not dying" lines the chord descends a tone, although the bass remains the same playing a pedal note.

The only one-chord song I can recall is I'm Gonna Move Right In by the Velvet Underground (on Another View).

One note in the bass. The bass plays C all the time. However, the electronic noises on top play several B major chords, turning it into a two-chord song.

Wrong.

Pulp's "Common People" works out in a way, but would have been better with more chords than just I - IV - V.

D major all the way.

since hit songs are gonna be more and more made to become ringtones...

you're a freekin' smackhead man... that's one of the best.

The version on the record has at least three chords (F, C, Em), but I once saw Stipe do it solo, live, while playing an acoustic guitar. Up until that point I had no idea he played any instrument whatsoever.

Anyway, it sure looked to me like he was just strumming a G chord the whole way through. I could be wrong. But that's the only thing I can think of.

First, if I bang away on a C chord on a piano with my left hand, and sing some crap along at the same time, I am playing a one-chord song, yes?

Second, if I start banging with my right hand, starting on C also, but sometimes switching to A minor, that would probably become a two chord song, yes? What is the other chord apart from C, is it Am or C6?

Is it still a two-chord song if I start banging really loudly with my left hand, and very very quietly with my right?

Okay, last one: if I stop banging with my right hand, just keep up hitting a C with my left hand, and use my right hand to pick up a piccolo which I start tooting away on, just blowing on the note of A from time to time, is that a one- or two-chord song?

That is the last question for now.

True enough that the verse stays on is B7 and the chorus E7.

But the main riff goes B B B B Bb A, B B B B Bb A. Even if you don't count the Bb (just hit in passing), the A is pretty necessary and makes three.

Lately in concert he does some Bo Diddley-ish stuff with the verse that should technically count as additional chords.

First of all, my answer would be that you cannot really play two "chords" at the same time on the same piano -- the notes of both chords would form one chord, as a chord is just a group of notes played at the same time. So in your example you'd basically be playing a C6.

Part two of your question is harder for me to answer -- I think it would depend on just how you were playing the A on the piccolo -- whether you were playing it in tandem with the piano chord or just erratically.

Neu! and Faust win this one, I think.

"O.D. Catastrophe" is my favourite S3 one-chord song.

In Stereolab's "Superelectric", the guitar plays only one chord throughout, but the organ changes chords a couple of times. I'm not sure if this counts.

"I do dream you" is mostly one chord (G# i think)..but theres some passing chords thrown into the bridgy, prechorus/postchorus bits.

Yeah, I was thinking that on some of the turnarounds they seem to allude to some other chords, but mostly it's that one glorious chord.

Is 'one note samba' actually one chord? I can tell it revolves for the most time in the key of Bb major but I can hear B and Db on the bridge.

what do you think? bossanova is really tricky in that regard but i'd say there are several chord changes all over the tune.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMQNMRJn-Eo

joao gilberto's undiu is technically a one chord song, tho there are several transitional chords in there.

pink - get the party started

Fleetwood Mac - World Turning

@ cock chirea, I heard four chords in the first four seconds

I'd say the Adverts' "One Chord Wonders," but it probably has more than one.

yeah, it has loads...

I think it's a reference to the "F" chord shape, slide up and down the neck of the guitar to perform all the major chords ...

Not a one chord song as such (therefore, by rights, I should be berating myself as vehemently as I was berating others upthread) but "Me About You" by the Turtles has straight-down-the-middle-100%-no-messin' one note bassline, which is admirable to me as it's not some arty wankfest but a pop song

OK, how about "I'm Chief Kamanawanamaka (We're the Royal Macadamia nuts)" by the same group?

I'm ashamed to admit I don't have that album!

It's difficult to get on CD

Unless you get a really good clean original and write it to CD

and make a nice label and envelope printed with the photo you took of it, and so on.

I have it right here..

"heart and soul" by joy division could be a perfect one chord song just excluding those 'fake' chords from barney that add some color post verses (there are no key changes anyway so there you have it)

"Born in the USA" comes close...

Saw a few suggestions of "Exodus" by Bob Marley, "Run Through the Jungle" by CCR, "No Diggity," "Forever In My Life" by Prince ...

Keith Urban has a song called "One Chord Song." What is "Showbiz Kids" by Steely Dan? I guess a lot of these songs can be played with one chord on guitar, though the recordings may not necessarily stick there.

love thy will be done IS NOT a one chord song, try humming the vocal melody and you will realise there are at least 2 or 3 chord changes during the verses

raga bihag. padma talwalkar & buddies do a good version.

I'd just like to say that it's _my favourite thing ever_ when there is a triad or an open 5th that drones on for the song's entirety... chord changes, bass movement may happen, but that chord stays on, regardless. "2nd Thought" and "Of all the things we've made" by OMD are key examples

Yeah, 'Of All The Things We've Made' is great. Love the way the bassline moves around while the guitars stay on the one chord throughout.

drunks with guns - hell house, iirc?

love thy will be done IS NOT a one chord song, try humming the vocal melody and you will realise there are at least 2 or 3 chord changes during the verses

yeah, that's what I always thought but listening to it recently, I realized the bass stays on the one note the whole time. of course there are some other notes played by the synth and I agree that it feels like there are more chords though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVoMrAtrj00

Bo Diddley wrote sarky songs to Chubby Checker? Oh hang on...

eheh, listening to "Love Thy Will Be Done" on the Prince Originals comp made me think of this thread... only to find out I had already written the EXACT same thing I was planning to post !
Ageing memory...
Regarding "Tomorrow Never Knows" I think I remember McCartney actually saying in the Anthology or something that Lennon was just strumming the C chord throughout the song and how unusual and new it was for them.

Sheets of Easter, of course