# The World's simplest rock songs. . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 14, 2006, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693 "2006-06-14T15:48:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/41 "2006-06-16T03:23:34Z")
**I Want To Be Your Dog.** And pretty much anything else by the Stooges. And while I’m at it pretty much anything by the Ramones…two of the best bands that ever existed…Let’s face it, stoopid is part of the beauty of rock and roll. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/42 "2006-06-16T03:31:27Z")
“Postal Blowfish” by Guided by Voices has only one chord. Pretty catchy song, especially if you can find that live version of it. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/43 "2006-06-16T03:38:08Z")
[QUOTE=K364] Well the tab guys make up a lot of things, but… I have the music published by MPL and it has an A chord for the entire song, except where the lyric goes “(and they) never gonna take her away” - here it says “No chord” but the bass line switches to an E. No way a B7. This tab has an E chord there: [link](http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/p/paul_mccartney/helen_wheels_crd.htm) [/QUOTE] I concur. There ain’t no F#m or B7 in “Helen Wheels.” It’s all A, with the one break. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/44 "2006-06-16T04:11:46Z")
[QUOTE=Small Clanger] **Roadrunner** – Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers, two chords all the way through with a third thrown in for the final cadence. [/QUOTE] Heh, I mentioned the thread title to a co-worker and before I even got to your nominee, he said “ **New England** by Jonathan Richman.” Although he now says your choice is better. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/45 "2006-06-16T05:10:28Z")
[QUOTE=dwc1970] “Electric Avenue” by Eddy Grant never departs from the key of A for the entire duration of the song. [/QUOTE] I would wager most songs–not just rock songs–don’t employ key changes. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/46 "2006-06-16T05:22:01Z")
Oh, and for my choice. Geez, there’s so many. Pick almost any Stereolab song, and you’re likely to have a song (a kick ass tune, at that) built around two chords and Marxist lyrics half sung in French. “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” is pretty much just I & IV through the whole song, with the occasional V thrown in. “Tomorrow Never Knows” by Neil Young is predominantly one chord throughout the whole song. “Moanin’ at Midnight” by Howlin’ Wolf and any number of one-chord blues tunes would qualify (except that you asked for rock). ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/47 "2006-06-16T05:28:29Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] “Moanin’ at Midnight” by Howlin’ Wolf and any number of one-chord blues tunes would qualify (except that you asked for rock). [/QUOTE] I did mention the Wolf. The interesting thing is that a lot of his songs were picked up by rock bands, but I don’t think any of the one-chord songs made that transition. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/48 "2006-06-16T05:49:24Z")
I’m wrong. Smokestack Lightning is one chord, and plenty of people have re-done it. Back Door Man is one chord, and the Doors covered that. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/49 "2006-06-16T06:03:40Z")
[QUOTE=Phantom Dennis] **For What It’s Worth** , by Buffalo Springfield: E A E A E A E A… Great song though. Simplicity is by no means a bad thing. [/QUOTE] Nuh-uh. The bridge goes E D A D… Sing it or listen: > [@](#): > > I think it’s time we stop, children, what’s that sound > Everybody look what’s going down My nomination is for _Give Peace A Chance_ - 9 words, same tune, over and over again ad nauseum. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/50 "2006-06-16T13:21:57Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Back Door Man is one chord, and the Doors covered that. [/QUOTE] Right, but the Doors reworked it into a standard 3-chord blues form. Even Willie Dixon’s own version (he wrote it, but his recording came after Wolf’s) has a V-IV-I progression on the “Men don’t know but the little girls understand” line. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/51 "2006-06-16T13:25:53Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Pick almost any Stereolab song, and you’re likely to have a song (a kick ass tune, at that) built around two chords and Marxist lyrics half sung in French. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but it’s probably going to have about six different rhythms going on simultaneously, sometimes in an odd time signature. That’s simple by you? ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/52 "2006-06-18T20:59:32Z")
Im so glad im so glad im glad Im glad Im glad ---
**Author:** ![Phantom\_Dennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@Phantom\_Dennis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phantom_Dennis)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/53 "2006-06-18T23:24:21Z")
[QUOTE=Rico] Nuh-uh. The bridge goes E D A D… [/QUOTE] Curses! I forgot the bridge. I stand corrected. **For What It’s Worth** is actually a 3-chord song instead of a 2-chord song. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/54 "2006-06-19T00:32:40Z")
Another one I forgot: “Jambalaya” by Hank Sr. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693/55 "2006-06-19T04:29:00Z")
[QUOTE=Biffy the Elephant Shrew] Yeah, but it’s probably going to have about six different rhythms going on simultaneously, sometimes in an odd time signature. That’s simple by you? [/QUOTE] Well, I wasn’t addressing the OP so much as the one- and two-chord song subthread. Stereolab is both simulataneously simple and complex. The basis of their songs is a layering of simple melodic and rhythmic motifs. None are particularly difficult on their own, but I suppose you can say when combined they’re greater than the sum of their parts. I love Stereolab, and their music can be quite cerebral at times, although I hesitate to call them complex. Speaking of Stereolab, in addressing the one-chord song part of this thread, I just remembered one of their main influences – Neu! – have the song “Hallogallo” on their debut disc, consisting entiredly of one chord. It’s a brilliant song. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-worlds-simplest-rock-songs/360693.md?page=2)