Favorite I-IV Songs!

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List your favorite songs which just keep repeating the I to IV chord progression! (like C major to F major or A major to D major)

I'll start it off with my own favorite:

"Chemical Brothers - Where do I begin?"

― Craptain crunch, Thursday, 13 October 2005 16:38 (twenty years ago)

Aren't most New Order singles of this type? "Age of Consent" and "Temptation" are. Some of them might go to V, but they can be inverted, and it's similar enough.

― ajlee, Thursday, 13 October 2005 16:46 (twenty years ago)

U2 has maybe a thousand

"Elevation"

"Bad"

hmm what else?

― MartinApple, Thursday, 13 October 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

"Age Of Consent" - New Order
"InBetween Days" almost qualifies but there's that inconvenient chorus where they go to 2nd inversion V for a bit.

"Temptation" goes I-V-IV.

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 October 2005 16:48 (twenty years ago)

THE STROKES - BARELY LEGAL

― ZeldaH, Thursday, 13 October 2005 16:52 (twenty years ago)

"Procession" does this awesome deceptive I-IV trick at the beginning, then the bass comes in and throws the entire thing into i-VI/III.

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 October 2005 16:56 (twenty years ago)

Damn, five replies and three of 'em are based on New Order (also my immediate pick.)

― doug watson (solid air), Thursday, 13 October 2005 16:57 (twenty years ago)

a lot of Velvet Underground songs too

― richard wood johnson, Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:01 (twenty years ago)

"Get Back" is all C-F, I think.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:16 (twenty years ago)

How 'bout I-V songs? "Jambalaya," "Iko Iko," a lot New Orleans traditional stuff.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:19 (twenty years ago)

"Sister Ray"
"Roadrunner"

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:20 (twenty years ago)

(xpost: typical of New Orleans that they skip the IV and go straight to the climactic V -- kind of a pleasure principle, I guess, where I-IV is like denying the resolution, kind of teasing and/or ascetic)

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:28 (twenty years ago)

More I-IV from U2: "Desire"

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:29 (twenty years ago)

Wire - "Strange" (it has some extra stuff but isn't the main riff something like F#/F#/F#/B?)

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)

Every James Brown song.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:40 (twenty years ago)

Buffalo Springfield - For What It's Worth

― whenuweremine (whenuweremine), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:45 (twenty years ago)

Don't most of the James Brown songs follow the blues progression?

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:46 (twenty years ago)

Surely "Desire" is I-IV-V?

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:48 (twenty years ago)

A whole ton of them, like Sex Machine, just have a one chord part A and then go to the IV for the bridge, right?

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

The only blues one that pops to mind is Papa's Got a Brand New Bag.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

sunday morning - velvet underground
6am morningside - clientele
unknown legend - neil young

countless others. a good I-IV song is worth its weight in gold.

― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:53 (twenty years ago)

"I Feel Good" definitely follows the blues. I do see what you mean, though.

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:57 (twenty years ago)

Surely "Desire" is I-IV-V?

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 17:58 (twenty years ago)

"I Feel Good" definitely follows the blues.

Of course, good call.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 13 October 2005 18:00 (twenty years ago)

4th of July - Galaxie 500
blue flower - mazzy star

― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 13 October 2005 18:11 (twenty years ago)

Actually, "Desire" neither - it's D-A-E. The vocal line suggests a I-IV, though. I stand corrected.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 13 October 2005 18:14 (twenty years ago)

Throw an "is" somewhere in there, too.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 13 October 2005 18:14 (twenty years ago)

I don't think the VU's "Sunday Morning" qualifies. There's a repetition of the I-IV, but then it ends up moving to the dominant (in both the verse and the chorus).

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 18:16 (twenty years ago)

bruce springsteen, "state trooper"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 13 October 2005 19:34 (twenty years ago)

Actually, "Desire" neither - it's D-A-E.

That's I-IV-V, it just starts on the IV. (Songs that start on the IV could be a whole other thread.)

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:02 (twenty years ago)

Is that in E, though (in which case the D is a bVII)?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:06 (twenty years ago)

someone pls explain what i-iv-v means in terms of real chords and position on the neck?

― Jimmy Mod wants you to tighten the strings on your corset (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:10 (twenty years ago)

Desire's in A.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:14 (twenty years ago)

jimmy, it just means the first, fourth and fifth chords in a major scale. position on the neck has nothing to do with it. real chord examples would be a song whose only chords are A, D and E ... or a song whose chords are G, C and D ... or E, A, B ... or C, F, G ... etc.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:17 (twenty years ago)

like b, e, f?

― Jimmy Mod wants you to tighten the strings on your corset (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:18 (twenty years ago)

close but no cigar. sharpen that f.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:23 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, the B scale confuses a three-chord hack like me with all those sharps. Gimme G or D any day.

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:25 (twenty years ago)

Desire is in E Mixolydian. Final Answer.

― Craptain crunch, Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:27 (twenty years ago)

Ok then,

Bb, C#, D?

― Jimmy Mod wants you to tighten the strings on your corset (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:28 (twenty years ago)

Major chords rooted on those notes, you mean?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

yes?

― Jimmy Mod wants you to tighten the strings on your corset (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

Or does it have to start on a major chord?

― Jimmy Mod wants you to tighten the strings on your corset (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:33 (twenty years ago)

No, but what key are you in?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:33 (twenty years ago)

standard tuning

― Jimmy Mod wants you to tighten the strings on your corset (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

(E?)

― Jimmy Mod wants you to tighten the strings on your corset (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:34 (twenty years ago)

Bb = Bb - Eb - F
C# = C# - F# - G#
D = D - G - A

JtM: as soon as you realize that music is math the better.

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:36 (twenty years ago)

(nb: i'm not sure what you're asking exactly)

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:37 (twenty years ago)

If Bb major (actually should be spelled as A# in this case) is your root chord (i.e., the I chord), then C# is a bIII chord (common blues chord) and D is a V/vi chord (i.e., can lead to G minor).

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:37 (twenty years ago)

I just capo everything so I can play it with D, G or A fingering...

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:38 (twenty years ago)

Technically and enharmonically speaking, wouldn't it be Db, not C#?

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:39 (twenty years ago)

Well, you can spell it A# - C# or Bb - Db.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:41 (twenty years ago)

What about power chords? Those are chords without the 3rds right? Just roots and fives right? How do you guitar players finger them?

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:43 (twenty years ago)

i'm lost now.

― Jimmy Mod wants you to tighten the strings on your corset (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:44 (twenty years ago)

you count i-iv-v from the root?

(i.e. root(i),ii,iii,IV,V)

― Jimmy Mod wants you to tighten the strings on your corset (The Famous Jimmy Mod), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:45 (twenty years ago)

Depends on whether the player articulates down to the fourth string or not. You've got bass note root, the fifth on the next string, tonic again on the next string, and then the third on the fourth string.

x-posts to ken

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:46 (twenty years ago)

Well, you can spell it A# - C# or Bb - Db.

Right, but to keep the relations right you can't jump from Bb to C# and still call C# bIII because C isn't the 3rd tone of the scale.

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:46 (twenty years ago)

In C major:

C major - I chord
D minor - ii chord
E minor - iii chord
F major - IV chord
G major - V chord
A minor - vi chord
B diminished - vii diminished chord

x-post - Dan, right, that's why I suggested spelling it as A#

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:48 (twenty years ago)

There are no good songs with just two chords. Extremely few good ones with just three even.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:50 (twenty years ago)

Didn't we have that thread already?

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:51 (twenty years ago)

Haha

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:52 (twenty years ago)

ken: in the simplest, most common form: index finger on the low E string, ring finger two frets up on the A string, and that's it. you can add your pinky the same two frets up on the D string if you like, which gives you an octave.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 13 October 2005 20:52 (twenty years ago)

Here's a good one: Daniel Johnston - "Speeding Motorcycle"

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 13 October 2005 21:21 (twenty years ago)

folx:

verse /= song

thanx!

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 13 October 2005 21:25 (twenty years ago)

I've only just started listening to it as I type, but I'm weighing in with dEUS's "Theme From Turnpike".

(Incidentally, I first heard the track on Mixing It. Mark Russell and Robert Sandall couldn't work out what the Mingus sample was. And in the probably ten years or whatever, I've not placed it either. People?)

― A.C.M.E. (A.C.M.E.), Thursday, 13 October 2005 21:27 (twenty years ago)

to keep the relations right you can't jump from Bb to C# and still call C# bIII because C isn't the 3rd tone of the scale.

-- The Ghost of Black Elegance (djperr...), October 13th, 2005.

right, that's why I suggested spelling it as A#

-- Tim Ellison (thefriendlyfriendlybubbl...), October 13th, 2005.

Probably better to spell it in Bb upon further reflection!

Bb - I chord
Db - bIII chord
D natural - V/vi chord

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 22:32 (twenty years ago)

Two that I heard today: Let the Cool Goddess Rust Away - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah ... and Modern Music - Black Mountain. Also known as a "drone" progression because of the root note of the I chord showing up in both chords. Heroin is a perfect example, Cale drones one note for most of the song.

― MadMaryWilliams, Thursday, 13 October 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

Mojo Nixon had a song called "Jesus at MacDonalds" on his first record that was kind of a "Roadrunner" thing. Don't remember how long he stuck to the I-IV in that (maybe through the whole song?).

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 22:50 (twenty years ago)

Beat Happening - "Indian Summer"

― gygax! (gygax!), Thursday, 13 October 2005 22:52 (twenty years ago)

I like the Galaxie 500 version of that.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 13 October 2005 22:54 (twenty years ago)

Hot Chocolate, "You Sexy Thing" (mostly)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Friday, 14 October 2005 00:40 (twenty years ago)

And how could we forget:

THE SEEDS - "UP IN HER ROOM"

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 14 October 2005 01:44 (twenty years ago)

So it's just the top three strings of a garden variety Johnny Ramone barre chord, fcc and tim? For some reason I though it would be more complicated. What if you just played a G5 with your fingers on the third fret on the B string and the high and low E string and then mute the A string, how does that fit in?

here are no good songs with just two chords. Extremely few good ones with just three even.

Didn't we have that thread already?

I was thinking of this thread so I guess not exactly.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 14 October 2005 01:55 (twenty years ago)

Actually, I don't think people are necessarily referring to Johnny Ramone or Blue Cheer/Sabbath root-and-fifth chords when they say "power chords." People say that, like, early Who songs have "power chords," right? I think it just refers to hitting all the strings at once with a punchy sound.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 14 October 2005 02:24 (twenty years ago)

OK, here's what I gleaned from googling guitar message boards.

Almost everybody defines the term the way fact checking cuz did.

The reason the third is left out is apparently that the chord is meant to be played with a lot of distortion (hence the "power") - if the third were present, it would interact with the distortion and cause "beating."

Some people use it to mean Pete Townshend playing almost any chord. Most say this is plain wrong but some people have come up with a justification that he used less distortion than others, so he can get away with adding the third.

A special case is the "open G5" I described above, which apparently Townshend also played.

On another note, Tim, I wanted to tell you that I passed George Martin's son on my way home tonight.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 14 October 2005 03:13 (twenty years ago)

Wow, does he live near you?

Yeah, that's very true about thirds causing beating with distortion.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 14 October 2005 03:17 (twenty years ago)

No, he manages a restaurant near where I work, although I'm not sure that he really needs to work.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 14 October 2005 03:21 (twenty years ago)

everything by that band cyclops

― corey c (shock of daylight), Friday, 14 October 2005 03:23 (twenty years ago)

Almost everybody defines the term the way fact checking cuz did.

well, pretty much all guitar manuals do. but pretty much all rock critics use it the way tim mentioned (all strings, punchy sound). it's almost two entirely different things.

but everyone should agree on your G5 chord, ken, because it is a most beautiful thing and it fits the guitar manual definition of a power chord and it's probably the way that three-quarters of the open G's in rock and pop are played anyway.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Friday, 14 October 2005 04:44 (twenty years ago)

I remembered another song this weekend:

MIA - "Sunshowers"

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Monday, 17 October 2005 14:04 (twenty years ago)

OK, now I get it, fcc and tim, it's just "Paranoid," or even "Get Back" apparently.

― k/l (Ken L), Tuesday, 25 October 2005 17:31 (twenty years ago)

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