4 Legendary Songs You Didn’t Know Only Use Two Chords

The best classic rock songs often aren’t filled with complex musical arrangements. More complex, progressive songs can certainly be amazing to hear, and I could easily name a few action-packed, musically intelligent tunes that are unforgettable. But there’s something quite enjoyable about a good song that isn’t too flashy. That’s the case for the following four legendary songs, each of which only uses two chords throughout the song. Let’s take a look!

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“Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac

“Dreams” by Fleetwood Mac might just be the folk rock band’s most famous song. And it only features a pair of chords, more or less. Stevie Nicks really knocked this one out of the park, and all it really uses in terms of song structure is a fluctuation between F and G. For a song full of so many tense emotions, “Dreams” comes off as soothing and magical.

“Give Peace A Chance” by John Lennon

John Lennon was one of the greatest songwriters of the 1960s, so it’s not exactly surprising that he had mastered the art of putting together a catchy, well-rounded tune without any wild or advanced music theory involved. “Give Peace A Chance” by John Lennon and Plastic Ono Band is a stripped-down protest anthem that only uses the chords A and D.

“Something In The Way” by Nirvana

One of grunge band Nirvana’s most emotionally devastating songs also happens to be one that only features two main chords. “Something In The Way” is gentle compared to the rest of Nirvana’s discography, but the emotional depth of it is something that has stuck with listeners for decades. It’s not an overly complex tune, either. All you have is Cobain’s raw voice, gentle coasting drums and bass, and a somewhat out-of-tune guitar melody carrying the weight and vulnerability of the track.

“Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin

This is probably one of the most famous examples of songs that only utilize two chords. “Whole Lotta Love” pivots heavily around the D chord to build up that lightning-hot tension at the start of the song. Honestly, this whole song just uses fundamental, basic musical structures to keep it going, but it’s the psychedelic tricks in the meat of the song that are the most memorable.

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