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THREE CHORD SONGS This List and Discussion Developed for the Purpose of Ear Training Practice The words “three chord songs” are being used here to identify tunes that can be sung or played all the way through using only the I, IV, and V7 chords of the key in which the tune is being performed. What is meant by the I, IV, and V7 chord? Since examples always start with the key of C, let’s not start there. Start with the first letter of the alphabet “A”. The scale for the key of A is: I = A, II=B, III= C#, IV=D, V=E, VI=F#, VII=G and A again as both VIII & I. So, the I, IV, and V7 chords for the key of A are: A, D, E7. For the key of B they are: B, E, F#7. So you start to see the logic but wonder why the V7 is F#7 rather than F7? To understand that, you need to know the “theory” (which is really a rule) for constructing a major chord and we’ll leave that for another day/another reference. If you can locate a “Circle of Fifths” for reference, do so while you look at the I, IV, & V7 chords for each key. Here they are: C, F, G7 G, C, D7 D, G, A7 A, D, E7 E, A, B7 B, E, F#7 F#, B, C# Db, Gb, Ab7 Ab, Db, Eb7 Eb, Ab, Bb7 Bb, Eb, F7 F, Bb, C7 Now notice the relationship to the “clock” Circle of Fifths. Moving counterclockwise one level from the key of the tune will identify the IV chord, and moving clockwise one level will identify the V chord. That’s just one handy reason for memorizing the Circle of Fifths! A note of encouragement and caution about three chord songs: If you are playing alone and don’t quite know the melody, you can make the melody whatever you want it to be and harmonize with your own tune. In fact this is exactly what has happened with many traditional melodies—they have changed over time, by location, etc. Playing alone you can also decide to add whatever chord sounds best to you. The note of caution is that your chord may or may not work when you play with someone else. The reasons why have to do with what sounds consonant or harmonious to our Euro-American-educated musical sense and what sounds dissonant. For example if you play a D minor chord (D-F-A) while your partner plays a G7 (G-B-D-F), that’s usually cool as the total sound will be a G9th and all of the notes being played are part of the G major scale. However, if you play a D major chord, ouch! D major contains an F# which is not part of the G major scale. Meanwhile your partner playing the G7 will be playing an F natural. Enough of this. Let’s list some of those tunes. The first one’s listed will include some tips to get you started. After that you are on your own. If you get too frustrated, move on and try to hear the changes in another tune. Some are easier than others. Later go back to the ones that stump you. In doing this ear training exercise, don’t just stay with the key of C. Try all the others. You might reap the side benefit of learning that whereas you thought you could not sing, you can sing quite comfortably in certain keys. Three Chord Tunes with Accompanying “Ear” TipsThree chord songs almost always begin in the “home” key. Always start on the I chord of the key you are trying to play. The last chord is also always the I chord. The chord just ahead of the ending will be a V7 chord, except on a rare occasion where you are ending with that “A-men” sound, in which case it’s IV, I. Try a IV to I chord change a couple of times, singing “a-men” to hear this. Now try V, I a few times to hear how that gives a resolved or finished sound for concluding a tune. Down by the Riverside: The IV chord occurs only one time, and that’s in the chorus. The V7 occurs 5 times and sometimes only for a couple of beats. Lili Marlene: The IV chord occurs only once for one measure (four counts). Therefore, it was an error to list this one on the Two Chord List. Paper of Pins: This is a very old tune that could be sung quite effectively in the present by a male/female duo. The V7 chord occurs twice, and the IV chord only once for one measure. This Old Man: Uses the IV chord one time for four beats, and the V7 twice. The Dying Cowboy (Oh, Bury Me Not ---): Moves to the IV chord twice and from there to the V7. Goodnight Ladies: If you are frustrated or intimidated by the above tunes, try this one. The IV chord occurs once. If you are doing the second part of this song; i.e., “Merrily we roll along, over the deep blue sea”, stay on the V7 chord to “turn-around” back to the top so you end on the Goodnight Ladies section of the song. Blow the Man Down: (In waltz, ¾ time). Move from I to IV chord, then to V7. Once you arrive on V7, stay there until the ending I chord. Shortnin’ Bread: While you often hear other chords added, this still also harmonizes with just I, IV, and V7. Bile That Cabbage Down: Anybody else remember seeing the Smother’s Brothers on USA network TV with this three chord song? Ginny Luetje 11/02/ Disclaimer: No pretense of this being an exhaustive list. There may be an occasional repeat as I am working off several lists that are lying about my place. Three Chord Christmas Songs Angels We Have Heard on High O Come All Ye Faithful What Child Is This Twelve Days of Christmas The First Noel We Wish You a Merry Christmas Deck the Halls Holly and the Ivy I Saw Three Ships It Came Upon the Midnight Clear God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Jingle Bells It Came Upon the Midnight Clear Joy to the World Angels from the Realms of Glory Silent Night Silver Bells Away In A Manger Oh! Tannenbaum General List of Three Chord Songs and Hymns Beautiful Brown Eyes Waltzing Matilda Around Her Hair (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon) Frankie and Johnny Little Brown Jug Vive L’ Amour (Vive la compagnie) There Is a Tavern In the Town The Marines Hymn Oh Susannah Home Sweet Home Camptown Races Oh! Them Golden Slippers Abide with Me Aloha Oe Amazing Grace America Battle Hymn of the Republic Beautiful Dreamer Big Rock Candy Mountain Blowing in the Wind Brahm’s Lullaby Caisson’s Song Dry Bones For the Beauty of the Earth Everybody Loves a Lover Get on Board Grandfather’s Clock Hand Me Down My Walking Cane Happy Birthday Happy Wanderer Hello My Baby For He’s A Jolly Good Fellow Home on the Range Lemon Tree Li’l Liza Jane Little Brown Church in the Vale Lonesome Valley Mama Don’t Allow Mandy Marianne (All Day) Matilda Me and Bobby McGee Michael Rowed the Boat Ashore Midnight Special Listen to the Mocking Bird Moonlight Bay M.T.A. Muffin Man Music in the Air My Bonnie My Heart Cries for You Nearer My God to Thee Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen Saints Go Marching Sentimental Journey She’ll be Comin’ Round the Mountain Sidewalks of New York Sleep, Baby, Sleep Supercalifragillisticexpialidocious Snowbird (I, V, II) So Long, It’s Been Good to Know You Swanee River There’s a Hole in the Bucket This Land Is Your Land Canadian Errant Un Catch a Falling Star Cielito Linda Cindy Comin’ Through the Rye Crawdad Song Desparado Do! Do! Liegst Im Herzen Workin’ on the Railroad Don’t It Make You Want to Go Home Dinah (In the Kitchen) If I Had a Hammer I’m On My Way In the Sweet Bye and Bye Irene Goodnight I’ve Got Sixpence I Wish I Were Single Again Jacob’s Ladder Jimmie Crack Corn John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt Juanita Jump Down, Spin Around Just a Closer Walk with Thee Kum Ba Yah Oh! Dear! What Can the Matter Be Oh! Mary Don’t You Weep Old Dan Tucker Old Black Joe Old Chisholm Trail Old Cotton Fields Back Home Old Gray Mare Old Folks at Home Old Kentuky Home Old MacDonald Old Oaken Bucket Old Rugged Cross Old Paint Old Time Religion One More River On Top of Old Smoky Pack Up Your Sorrows Put Your Arms Around Me Honey Red River Valley Reuben and Rachel Ring, Ring, the Banjo Rock of Ages St. James Infirmary (Begin on I minor, Use IV minor and V7) This Train Trail to Pretoria Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport Turkey in the Straw Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star Wabash Cannonball Wearin’ O’ the Green We’ll Sing In the Sunshine Wide River Worried Man Blues When You and I Were Young Maggie Yankee Doodle Yellow Bird You Are My Sunshine |