The Native Ground Books & Music title Easy Two-Chord Songs for Mandolin mentioned above is now available from the publisher and amazon.com.
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Thanks, I love 2-chord songs.
In addition to those mentioned, I like rock'n'roll 2-chorders "Memphis, Tennessee" (Chuck Berry) and "Dream Baby" (Roy Orbison), both of which work fine on mandolin.
However, call me mad, you can even call me jazz, I don't mind - but I use three chords for Cripple Creek.
Bren
I don't know if anybody mentioned this one already, but how about "Copperhead Road"?
We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams
Little Liza Jane - I and V
Rye Whiskey - I and V
Jambalaya - I and V
Ruben's Train - I and V (though you could just sit on the I really)
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Primary: Newson 2018
Secondary: Gibson F9 2014
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I was going through this thread with the plethora of songs and every-once-in-a-while, I would think, "That can't be just two chords," so I picked up the old Breedlove and tried 'em. I'll be danged. They are two chord songs. Who knew?
David Hopkins
2001 Gibson F-5L mandolin
Breedlove Legacy FF mandolin; Breedlove Quartz FF mandolin
Gibson F-4 mandolin (1916); Blevins f-style Octave mandolin, 2018
McCormick Oval Sound Hole "Reinhardt" Mandolin
McCormick Solid Body F-Style Electric Mandolin; Slingerland Songster Guitar (c. 1939)
The older I get, the less tolerant I am of political correctness, incompetence and stupidity.
Don't ya hear Jerusalem moan is another goodie - though that's a 1 chord song (the version on Nitty Gritty Dirt band Vol 2 is just a B chord with the melody). It's more a vocal tune - but Nitty Gritty had a good instrumental part too.
Information on lessons, gigs, and misc musical stuff: www.mattcbruno.com
Weekly free Mandolin Lessons: www.mattcbruno.com/weekly-posts/
My gear and recommendations: www.mattcbruno.com/gear-recommendations/
Cooking fun: www.mattcbruno.com/quarantine-cookbook/
Mando's in use
Primary: Newson 2018
Secondary: Gibson F9 2014
Primary Electric: Jonathan Mann OSEMdc 5
I've never really understood the need for songbooks for a specific instrument, except for the occasional special riff for a certain instrument. Aren't songs for ANY instrument? All you need are the chords and sometimes a melody or lick. You figure it out on whatever instruments you like.
One more: You Never Can Tell
We play Fever with 2 chords (Am E). You can use more but this works.
I believe Ashes of Love is a 3 chord song. Two other 2 chorders are Who's That Knocking On My Door and Last Night I Dreamed of Lovin' You.....with the caveat that there is a 7th inserted so I call it a 2 1/2 chord song.
Last edited by Denny Gies; Mar-21-2018 at 8:47am. Reason: an additional thought
"Feelin' Alright"
As the original poster mentioned a while back, by the time she's learned all of the suggested songs she's definitely playing at least 3 chord songs, but what the heck...
Born In The USA by Springsteen has two chords (B & E, and a little lick) and there's at least a couple of Beatles songs that can be played in two chords (Eleanor Rigby and Paperback Writer)
Oh and I just remembered... Get Up Stand Up by Bob Marley is a ONE CHORD SONG! Bm all day long
Katy Daley
Northfield F5M #268, AT02 #7
You could teach her just the one Am shape (maybe Em too), you can make loads of part chords with Am, just move it around and play a zillion songs in key of C:
C: 3320xx I
Dm: xx776x II
Em: xx998x III
F: x332xx IV
G: x5540x or 32000x V
Am: xx221x or (different, Em shape) x775xx VI
Bdim: forget it
Main thing is how they’re related on fretboard, physically left to right for Dm to Em, and up and down for V and IV . Might be a lot to begin with but like this she makes that song hers, even if it has 4-5 chords...
It’s late, hopefully no typos. Good luck!
Season of the Witch -Donavan
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