Simple songs that you like anyway

[WordMan]

@Troy_McClure

“What I Like About You”, by the Romantics
https://youtu.be/Rqnw5IfbZOU

Only the best song ever I can’t think of a band I didn’t play it in. My go to song for when I find myself in front of a band, cold.

[Lucas_Jackson]

@EinsteinsHund

Great example.

Seconded! Great one.

[Qadgop_the_Mercotan]

Jimmy loves Mary-Anne, by Looking Glass. I consider it simple because I can remember the words AND the tune, often at the same time.

[pulykamell]

Canonball by the Breeders perhaps? Two chords for the bulk of the song, with a third chord appearing in the chorus. Limited melodic range. But great layering of simple riffs and rhythmic motifs to create a rockin final product. (And a solid drum track that really ties it all together.)

Roadrunner by the Modern Lovers is another one that drones on two chords for the vast majority of the song.

[pulykamell]

@Don_Draper

“My Sharona” by the Knack is so simple that it barely qualifies as a song – it’s more like an easy guitar lick/hook repeated ad nauseum for three minutes with some random doggerel words tossed in to approximate something like lyrics. Yet despite, or maybe because of, its moronic simplicity, I never turn it off when it pops up on random play.

Yeah, “My Sharona” is hooky as all shit and has that wonderful guitar break in the middle there. I think it’s a great song. I wouldn’t quite call the lyrics “random doggerel words,” though. It’s not gonna win any writing awards, but it’s a love/lust song about Doug Fieger’s young crush (“I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind”), Sharona Alperin (who appeared on the cover of the single.) Lyrically, it’s fairly coherent for a rock song.

[Lucas_Jackson]

@pulykamell

Canonball by the Breeders perhaps? Two chords for the bulk of the song, with a third chord appearing in the chorus. Limited melodic range. But great layering of simple riffs and rhythmic motifs to create a rockin final product. (And a solid drum track that really ties it all together.)

Roadrunner by the Modern Lovers is another one that drones on two chords for the vast majority of the song.

I always liked Elvis’ Such A Night, another two chord song. First recorded by the Drifters I believe: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aRmugflikCw

[Superdude]

@EinsteinsHund

The complete works of AC/DC, the Ramones and Motörhead. These three bands are my personal “great primitives”, and they made simplicity into an art form (noise, sound, attitude and production were crucial in all three cases).

You could even name whole genres: almost all of punk rock and almost all of blues: incidentally, I’m just reading Keith Richards’ “Life”, and he mentions how Jimmy Reed basically always played the same simple song, but had, how much, 20 hits with it.

I wanted to throw “Lump” by the Presidents of the United States of America in this category. But the instrumentation may disqualify it. According to the wiki on the band:

[Lead singer Chris]Ballew and Dederer/McKeag play a basitar and guitbass, which are regular, six-string guitars with special modifications: Ballew’s instrument has two bass strings (with which he plays bass parts), and Dederer/McKeag’s instrument has three guitar strings (used to play guitar parts).

[Labdad]

‘Nobody But Me’ by the Human Beinz.
Maybe 50 "no’s’ and 30 “nobody’s” and a few other words.

And, of course, the immortal “Surfin’ Bird” by the Trashmen.

Love 'em both!

[JKellyMap]

@salinqmind

‘For Your Love’ by the Yardbirds. I’ve loved it since the first time I heard it in high school. I think it’s pretty simple, the lyrics anyway. I love the … minor key?

Yeah, there’s a pretty high number of chords in there. First chord of the verse is a minor, second is a major, third is a minor of that major (a rather unusual and poignant trick – the Beatles do this in “I’ll Be Back,” and Jethro Tull does it in “Aqualung”).

The chorus is just the standard Spanish-guitar chord sequence (see, e.g., Led Zeppelin’s version of “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”), which starts on a minor. The verse is just as slight modification of this, which is why you hear the song as “simple” (repetitive).

The bridge is refreshingly major-key, but ends a measure “early”…on that first minor chord.

[Mean_Mr.Mustard]

@JKellyMap

Yeah, there’s a pretty high number of chords in there. First chord of the verse is a minor, second is a major, third is a minor of that major (a rather unusual and poignant trick – the Beatles do this in “I’ll Be Back,” and Jethro Tull does it in “Aqualung”).

The chorus is just the standard Spanish-guitar chord sequence (see, e.g., Led Zeppelin’s version of “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You”), which starts on a minor. The verse is just as slight modification of this, which is why you hear the song as “simple” (repetitive).

The bridge is refreshingly major-key, but ends a measure “early”…on that first minor chord.

I just listened to the entire song (For Your Love) in my head, wouldn’t call it simple at all. In addition to JKelly’s analysis above, there are also changes in tempo that feel perfect.
mmm

[WordMan]

@Mean_Mr.Mustard

I just listened to the entire song (For Your Love) in my head, wouldn’t call it simple at all. In addition to JKelly’s analysis above, there are also changes in tempo that feel perfect.
mmm

The song, no. The chord riff has a simple coolness that made it a must-learn if you started playing in the 70’s like I did.

[Covfefe]

“Baby Götterdämmerung” by Monster Magnet. It’s hard to imagine a more minimalist 3 min. arrangement leaving me with chills by the end.

[Quimby]

Hasn’t anybody heard…heard about the bird?

[Randolph]

@Troy_McClure

“What I Like About You”, by the Romantics
https://youtu.be/Rqnw5IfbZOU

“Talking in Your Sleep” by The Romantics. Simple, straightforward, should feel by-the-numbers because it is, but it’s awesome.

[TreacherousCretin]

@Quimby

Hasn’t anybody heard…heard about the bird?

Post #28. And I would’ve posted it he he hadn’t already.

[Novelty_Bobble]

One repeating simple piano part, a little bit of synth, a low-key vocal.

“By This River” Brian Eno

[Gatopescado]

Most of Best Coast’s songs are pretty damn simple. Catchy, though.

Best Coast - When I'm With You [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

[P-man]

How about “Hound Dog”? Not many words, simple chord progression.

[TreacherousCretin]

“Passing By” Brian Wilson

Wordless vocal melody over simple skating-rink organ music, over and over…
and it gives me chills.

[FoieGrasIsEvil]

@zimaane

Most of the work of Hank Williams fits the OP. One guy singing and accompanied by a barebones, almost minimalist acoustic guitar and fiddle

But what a pleasure to listen to!

I think “Lonesome Highway” is a better expression of his talents, and also his dark, alcoholic side. Steel guitar sounds deceptively easy…it’s not.

@WordMan

To me, simple means simple in structure and kinda child-like sing-song-iness. A sine like Mickey by Toni Basil.

The Jack is a simple midtempo blues structure, but the lyrics are silly, fun double entendres that Bon Scott excelled at better than most. I mean, the lyric occupies a space similar to Warrant’s Cherry Pie, and yet are so much more well crafted and wry.

Seven Nation Army stands out as amazing - I didn’t know riffs could still be structured that sound like they are eternal and have always been there. He wrote a song that is chanted by whole stadiums on a daily basis.

“Seven Nation Army” is pretty amazing. Jack White is also a great drummer.

@Common_Tater

Pop music is usually pretty spare to begin with. During the “Grunge” period when everything on the radio (remember that?) was Alice in ChainGarden Pilots, a one hit wonder came out called “We’ll Make Great Pets” by somebody or other. Great hook and solo.

Calling Porno For Pyros a one hit wonder isn’t fair. They only put out two albums, but the first has some GREAT songs on it…like “Cursed Female”:

Or “Sadness”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCnxE0V2ZoQ

Or “Packing .25”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob613PxXnxQ

Or “Blood Rag”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axmv4naOrcU

If you in any way like Jane’s Addiction, you will immediately recognize and like these songs.

@yezlles

“Baby Götterdämmerung” by Monster Magnet. It’s hard to imagine a more minimalist 3 min. arrangement leaving me with chills by the end.

“Space Lord”? Love the black Tans Am and the band members fkashing the devil’s horns in jest.

For my selection, I'm going with Foo Fighter's "One Of These Days", a great rock tune that is essentially a three chord song like so many rock songs. The difference is in the way it's sold. Dave Grohl is so fucking energetic, fan-oriented and happy that this video makes me smile every single time I watch it. Also, an amazing light show.

Foo Fighters - These Days (Official Music Video)