songs with great melodies but no chord changes

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The omnipresent omnistatic geir hongrosition that chord changes = melodies = good music has got me pontificating on pieces of music that, despite maintaining a particular key or simple chord change for the duration, have very catchy and memorable melodies. Some that came to mind initially = Talking Heads' "Crosseyed & Painless", Fela Kuti's "Water Get No Enemy", Kraftwerk's "Europe Endless", The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows", and Miles Davis' "Ssh/Peaceful".

Stonerly thought-ramblings or nay?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Is this thread doomed from the get go? What say ye on this notion?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:16 (twenty-two years ago)

None. And that is my definite answer.

Maybe classical Indian ragas, and that's it.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Btw. "Europe Endless" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" do both have chord changes. The bass may be the same, but the harmonies between the lead melody and the bass change throughout.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Come to think of it, "Europe Endless" modulates even the bass several times throughout the song.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Dammit Geir, I was just about to point out that "Tomorrow Never Knows" has chord changes.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Metal Machine Music to thread.

― may pang (maypang), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:23 (twenty-two years ago)

The bass may be the same, but the harmonies between the lead melody and the bass change throughout.

This sentence could easily describe a great many Fela Kuti and James Brown songs. In fact, unlike the majority of Kraftwerk's, James Brown's songs have definitive CHANGES, rather than drawn-out shift sections.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:24 (twenty-two years ago)

The last two bands I've been in I have refused to write songs with chord changes. It's the one thing I'm punk rock about.

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Suicide "Rocket USA"

― anode (anode), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Every Spacemen 3 song, ever. The end.

― The River Kate (kate), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I have never denied James Brown's songs having chord changes. They are still helplessly repetitive and monotone though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:30 (twenty-two years ago)

A lot of the Eastern European (a few Bulgarian spring to mind) traditional songs I've heard are like this-- just a single droning lower voice or instrument in an unchanging note, and vocal melody over the top.

I'm not a musical student though, so I probably don't know the technical terms for these things.

― Blood and sparkles (bloodandsparkles), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Stereolab's "Super Electric" contains only one guitar chord, although the bass does change at the bridge (but I don't think it counts).
I think "Anamorphose" has only one chord too.
Best of the one-chord Spacemen 3 tracks: OD Catastrophe.
John Lee Hooker -- Boogie Chillen

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Nah, I'd take Honey or Hypnotised.

― The River Kate (kate), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh yeah, Wire "Drill"

― anode (anode), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Geir in racist eurocentrism shockah

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 28 January 2004 23:45 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I must have missed that, Shakey.

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)

'None. And that is my definite answer'

You've Been Hongroed!

― omg, Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:25 (twenty-two years ago)

You and I - Jeff Buckley. Mostly improvising around one chord

― lee ward (lee ward), Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:41 (twenty-two years ago)

John Coltrane to thread! (Resolution, for one).

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Pet Shop Boys - Paninaro

― daavid, Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Primal Scream - Deep Hit Of Morning Sun

I'm pretty sure that's basically one chord. The chorus vocals are unbelievable.

― Sansai, Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Every deep dubby techno track ever written.

― damian_nz (damian_nz), Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, melodies, right. I don't need none of yer stinking melody nonsense.

― damian_nz (damian_nz), Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Every track on Talking Heads' Remain in Light

― Joe (Joe), Thursday, 29 January 2004 01:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Brian Eno's "No One Receiving." Two chords, count 'em.

Does "A Sailor's Life" count? That's basically one chord...

― Douglas (Douglas), Thursday, 29 January 2004 02:02 (twenty-two years ago)

lots of stuff on the dead c "43 sketch" cassette, which I just downloaded and am being blown away by. the dead c doing pop. anyone know what year this was from?

― Ian Johnson (orion), Thursday, 29 January 2004 02:15 (twenty-two years ago)

i'd include a lot of robert wyatt tracks in this - there ARE chord changes but they're minimal and the vocal lines drift everywhere.

― phil turnbull (philT), Thursday, 29 January 2004 02:36 (twenty-two years ago)

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