2 chord songs

There are actually some great songs that use only two chords. Learning 2-chord songs is a great way to practice switching between chords and to get a good feel for each chord. Let's begin with an old folk song; Tom Dooley. It's great to start out with a song that you've heard over and over again, cause you'll feel when to change chords and you don't have to stare at the screen the whole time. This song uses the two chords G and D7. Let's try it!

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Tom Dooley

		
G                                                        D7
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley, hang down your head and cry,
D7                                                         G
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley, poor boy, you're bound to die.	

G                                          D7
Hand me down my banjo,  I'll pick it on my knee.
D7                                          G
This time tomorrow night it'll be no use to me.
G                                              D7
I met her on the mountain, I swore she'd be my wife,
D7                                                   G
I met her on the mountain, and I stabbed her with my knife.

G                                                        D7
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley, hang down your head and cry,
D7                                                         G
Hang down your head, Tom Dooley, poor boy, you're bound to die.

Another song that works great with only 2 chords (Em and C),is Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles:

Eleanor Rigby

 
C                          Em
Ah, look at all the lonely people.
C                          Em
Ah, look at all the lonely people.

Em
Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice in the church
                    C                Em
where a weeding has been, lives in a dream.
Em
Waits at the window, wearing the face
                               C               Em
that she keeps in a jar by the door, who is it for?

Em           
All the lonely people,
      C               
where do they all come from?
Em           
All the lonely people,
      C            Em
where do they all belong?
		

These are in no way exact transcriptions of the songs, but only my interpretations. The purpouse of this lesson is to give an example of songs with only 2 chords.

Now try to play some more 2-chord songs. This time you'll get no help to know when to switch between the chords. Here are some more 2-chord songs to try:

Row, row, row your boat	Chords: A and E
Working class hero(Lennon)	Chords: Am and G
Oh my darling Clementine	Chords: C and G7
Songbird (Oasis)	Chords: G and Em
Down by the riverside	Chords: A and E (Third chord, D in refrain)

New list of 2 chord songs!

I've made a new longer list of great songs with only 2 chords. View the list here

Don't miss the new lesson about 3 chord songs

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