'Tis a gift to be simple

I listen to a lot of music, and I've read and heard a lot of comments from a lot of people about it. A common reason given for not liking a particular band (or artist), and one of my major pet peeves, is, "man, those guys only know, like, three chords!" Harmonic simplicity is mistaken for lack of talent or, more importantly, the inability to make enjoyable music. I, for one, reject this notion wholeheartedly. As a matter of fact, I count simplicity as a virtue in music, and I know I am not alone. To help illustrate my point, I would like to present several hit songs that employ no more than three chords throughout.

I'll begin with the most blatant, knock-you-over-the-head example I can think of:

Louie Louie

Originally written and recorded by Richard Berry in 1955, this song features the classic I-IV-V chord progression (meaning major chords built on the first, fourth, and fifth notes of the song's key) ascending and descending (I-IV-V-IV-I) repeated without variation. This is as simple a "3-chord" song as you could find. Yet this song has enjoyed nearly 6 decades of popularity. It has been covered by everyone from The Kingsmen to Motorhead. Louie Louie is certainly difficult to dismiss.

Cecilia

Paul Simon is widely considered to be one of America's greatest songwriters, ranking with the likes of Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie. In addition to his considerable verbal skills, he is a consummate guitarist, indeed a technically proficient musician in general. Take Simon and Garfunkel's 1970 hit Cecilia. This song features a catchy melody, an easy, cheerful style, and captivating rhythm. The lyrics are both poetic and accessible. Though it was first popular in the 70's, it is still recognizable to people whose parents weren't even born when it was released. And yes, Cecilia only has three chords.

Shifting gears a little bit, let's talk about funk and soul. Please consider:

Nearly every single James Brown song

James Brown is the Godfather of soul. His music has been shaking rumps and moving feet since the 1950's, and is still a primary influence in soul music. Millions upon millions find themselves unable to resist such hits as Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Get Up Offa That Thing, and I Feel Good. I Feel Good is another fine example of a hit song that features only three chords. To take the James Brown example one step further, Get Up Offa That Thing, as a matter of fact, uses only 1 chord through the majority of the song. There are just a few horn hits later in the song that play a different chord. James Brown's success comes from a focus on the danceable grooves of his music, as well as the tight control that his band has over the music they're playing.

It's certainly worth noting The Ramones when we're talking about songs with simple chord progressions. Take, for example:

I Wanna Be Sedated

Of course, punk music is one of the styles most often criticized for being "just three chords," so it really isn't necessary for me to point that fact out. What I would like to point out, however, is that songs like I Wanna Be Sedated are remarkable for their ferocity, angst, and energy. They may not be refined like Cecilia or tight and carefully crafted like I Feel Good. Their strength lies in raw animal appeal, and is no less great than any of the other songs mentioned here.

Finally, let's look at something from the world of modern pop. It is impossible to ignore the hype and popularity of the group LMFAO and their hit:

Party Rock Anthem

This song is exactly what the title suggests. It is over-the-top, catchy, candy-coated dance pop, and people love it. Its three chords have taken it from the radio to dance floors to the Super Bowl, one of the most coveted performance slots in the world.

In conclusion, I'd like to remind you of my objection: do not dismiss a band (or artist) because they (or he or she) writes music that uses only three chords. It may very well be that you are right about the music you are criticizing- it might be terrible music. It might be poorly performed, have asinine lyrics, or might simply not be your thing. That's fine, and I'm behind you all the way! Musical taste is subjective. All I ask is that you don't use "just three chords" as your reason.

As I hope I've illustrated above, it is perfectly possible to use only three chords to create music that is timeless (Louie Louie), complex (Cecilia), danceable (James Brown), emotionally powerful (I Wanna Be Sedated), or even just wildly popular (Party Rock Anthem). Not everyone likes all of that music, and you might even be hard pressed to call some of it "good music," but you cannot deny its impact on our culture.


(Disclaimer: This article is a statement of opinion that was written at 4am, and is not intended to be taken as fact, moral authority, or even a particularly well-constructed argument.)

Power

As I was trying to set up this blog, the power went out. Nice try, The Universe. I'm going to blog despite your best efforts. As soon as I figure out what to write about.