“Two chords are pushing it”: Three Bob Dylan songs that use only one chord
Music stars are often worshipped as immortal deities, especially after an early, mysterious death. Musicians like Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison carried a messiah-like aura prior to their tragic demises, which was only augmented in death. Bob Dylan holds a similar degree of untouchable majesty, with the distinction of actually being alive to experience it.
The Nobel laureate has seemingly transcended time, having released music far beyond his years in his early 20s and remaining active in his 80s. Despite appearances, however, Dylan does not boast superhuman abilities. From a young age, his latent strengths lay in lyricism; self-confidence and a passion for the piano ran the last lap, laying the groundwork for early success.
After finding the word-dense style of folk music, Dylan expanded his instrumental faculties, picking up the acoustic guitar and harmonica. After moving to New York City, he became sufficient to frame his words but would never be considered a virtuosic vocalist or instrumentalist. This unconventional vocal approach served the young songwriter particularly well, with the unique, earthy yelp grabbing the attention of a generation hungry for change.
Dylan would never describe himself as an instrumental genius. Early on, his playing was apt for requirements, and by the time he embraced folk-rock in the mid-1960s, his status was such that he could attract the world’s finest musicians to support him. In 1965, guitar legend Mike Bloomfield joined Dylan to play on Highway 61 Revisited and over the ensuing decades, he welcomed Mark Knopfler and Mick Taylor to the stage and studio, among several others.
These collaborations helped to bring stylistic variety and compositional complexity to Dylan’s vast catalogue. However, such complexity is certainly not a necessity. As drone musicians know all too well, one can write a pleasing song using just one chord. As the Velvet Underground bandleader Lou Reed once said, “One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords, and you’re into jazz.”
In the expansive Bob Dylan catalogue, at least three songs use just one chord. Of course, this simplicity can risk monotony, but in most one-chord songs, melodies, accompanying instrumentals, vocals and strumming variety are used to keep things fresh.
In 1989, Dylan released his 26th album, Oh Mercy, a comeback release of sorts buoyed by the beautifully produced tracks’ Most of the Time’ and ‘Man in the Long Black Coat’. Dylan kicked the album off with ‘Political World’, a song that bounces along on an F# minor chord throughout, with lead embellishments and bass lines stirring up the sound at intervals.
Two decades later, Dylan wrote his Together Through Life cut ‘It’s All Good’ using just a G minor chord. In 2012, Dylan used a single chord once again while recording ‘Tin Angel’ for Tempest. Similarly, the song marches on in a regular tempo, this time in B♭ minor, as Dylan unfurls a strong narrative of a lovers’ triangle involving a man struggling with faith and insomnia.
Three Bob Dylan songs that use only one chord:
- ‘Political World’ – Oh Mercy
- ‘It’s All Good’ – Together Through Life
- ‘Tin Angel’ – Tempest
Never Miss A Tale
The Far Out Bob Dylan Newsletter
All the latest stories about Bob Dylan from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.