Your favorite 3 and 4 chord songs.

[SkipII]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

Sometimes I'll assign myself "obstacles" when I'm writing. The obstacles this one time were:

1. Use a strange turn-of-phrase I overheard in a bar;
2. Limericks;
3. Three chords and the truth.

Did the turn of phrase and the verses are limericks. Closest I could come on #3 was 3 chords plus a 7th, and a total fabrication.

This is great. great country music lyrics are almost comically poetic.

I could sit in a cowboy bar anywhere and expect to hear this. (Actually, I don't sit in cowboy bars, but this might encourage me to do so!)

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by saxonblue

Pretty close to the truth for me too but given the context of his recent passing I'll nominate Bill Withers' "Lean on Me".

I'll second the nomination. And if you want it to be three chords rather than four, you can skip the Em.

[jkilgour2000]

This is a fun one IMG_1625.jpg

[L20A]

I cut my teeth on Folk music, so I will go with almost any Folk Song using
G, Em, C, D.

And if I need a change,
C, Am, F, G.

If I feel like a challenge, I will go for,
D, B7, G,A.

[M19]

CCR's versions of Midnight Special and Before you 'Cuse Me. E/E7-A/A7-B7.

[PerryE]

Great thread this! Self-imposed limitations or just trying to write something in a particular style. Brent - great songs you have!

About making your own productions - it is great being a multi-instrumentalist but having a keyboard - preferably a synth or at least Midi with a good DAW - is a good second-best. My Korg Kross-synth has a lot of interesting capabilities and together with Studio One Pro I have no excuses for not making music.

[personatech]

[FoxHound4690]

Wow, I wasn't expecting this many responses thanks heaps guys.

One of my all time favourites is Wanted dead or alive, Bon Jovi.

Apart from the awkward little intro which I just cannot for the life of me play properly on a 12 string it's guts of the song is just again basic chords G, F, D and Cadd9

[Nyghthawk]

CCR Wrote a Song for Everyone
PP&M Blowin' in the Wind
John Anderson Seminole Wind

[FOG01]

There are so many but the one I thought of first is Just Like Heaven by The Cure. A major- E major- B minor- D major. Add a smidge of F# minor to G major in the chorus and it is a simple but wonderful sound.

Honorable mentions to Amie (Pure Prarie League) Southern Cross (C,S&N) and Cool Change (Little River Band).

[started with 1]

Hey y’all. There are 4 versions of “Angel from Montgomery “ the John Prine classic 4 chorder on show and tell right now. My version is in Eb capo 1: D G A7 D and D C G A7 G . The A7 is in the last line of both the verse and chorus.

Sending an “Angel from Montgomery”
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/...d.php?t=577285

[Ceabeceabe]

Ray Bonneville - So Long Blues

https://youtu.be/Uw6UxDhND8I

[rstaight]

I have playing Bob Dylan's Knockin On Heavens Door a lot lately.

G D Am
G D C

All the way through.

[TokyoNeko]

U2 With or Without You

Cranberries Ode to My Family

[rabbuhl]

Knockin on Heaven's Door (mentioned above)

You Can't Always Get What You Want
Am C [repeat during verse]
Am C, Am C, D F C [chorus]

Three Little Birds

Crossroads (John Mayer version)

I'd Rather Go Blind (two chords G Am repeated)

Purple Rain (play down 1/2 step is easier)