Are you an aspiring musician in desperate need of easy songs for beginners? Or, are you an absolute pro looking for some simple jams to relax your aching fingers? Stop looking, because here are five well-known songs you can play with two only chords. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Two chords, sounds pretty sweet right? Well, it all depends on the chords of course. If you’re a beginner, don’t freak out when you see a barre chord. Just take a deep breath and focus on the chord diagram. Rome wasn’t build in a day, so just practice and enjoy!
#1. Born in the U.S.A. - Bruce Springsteen
Fun fact: the first compact disc ever to be pressed in America is … Well take a wild guess. Yeah, you’re totally right. It’s “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen. This guy changed the way music is perceived by blue-collar workers. He spoke out and the people listened. If you’ve seen the flick “Blinded by the Light,” you’ll know that The Boss still touches people's hearts, to this day. But let’s get back to business.
Mr. Springsteen’s signature song is a great choice for novice players. It’s well-known, so people can easily sing along. And the two-chord structure make it a walk in the park. All you need to do is alternate between Bm and Em, and you’re good to go! There’s only one little catch though.
The Em chord is one of the easiest chords to play on guitar, but the Bm chord is a bit more challenging. If you’re a novice, don’t be scared! This is the perfect song to try out your first barre chord. The only thing you have to do after playing the Em chord is to finger an Am chord and slide it up two frets. Check out our blog on how to play barre chords.
#2. Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus
You may know his daughter better than the man himself. Yeah Billy Ray Cyrus is the dad of Miley Cyrus. He raised his girl with music that speaks to the heart. Billy Ray is also the reason nobody calls Miley Cyrus by her real name, Destiny Hope. As a kid she used to smile a lot, so her dad dubbed her Smiley. When the time came for Destiny Hope to dominate the world she adopted a name that fitted the challenge.
Now, back to the countryman who enjoyed a revival in the mainstream thanks to the hit song “Old Town Road” by Little Nash. Don’t tell my heart, my achy breaky heart … that this timeless 90s hit is truly one of the easiest songs to learn. All you need for this campfire crowd pleaser are two of the most basic chords: Gm and Cm.
Again, this is a perfect song for practicing barre chords. If you look at the Gm and Cm, you’ll see that these chords practically have the same finger position. Only the Gm chord is rooted on the lower E string third fret and the Cm starts at the same fret on the A string. Check it out!
#3. Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles
You see, even the Beatles wrote two-chord songs! If you’re familiar with C and Em, then this song will be a piece of cake for you. Hot tip: Another Beatles song, “Paperback Writer,” uses the exact same two chords. Which makes it a great example of how two songs with identical chord schemes can sound so different.
It’s a two birds with one stone kind of thing. So, even for pro’s this is a nice way to relax and still please your crowd. There’s nothing better than a satisfied audience, no matter if it’s only your cat, the bonsai tree in the corner of your apartment, or an empty bottle of coke.
#4. Lively Up Yourself - Bob Marley
Reggae, for those of you who didn’t know it yet, is generally a good genre to start out with; and most songs are fairly easy to play. This upbeat Bob Marley tune is no exception. All you need are a Dm and a Gm. The Gm chord again? Yup that’s the same guitar chord that we used in “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus.
And what about the Dm chord? “Yeah, what about it,” you’re thinking. Well, you can play this beauty in a couple of different ways. One way is at top of the fretboard, close to the nut, as shown in the chord diagram. But if you like to improve your skills, try to nail the Dm barre chord. Start out by finding the D note on the A string or check out our blog on how to play minor barre chords on the A string.
This track will get you some extra love if you play it on a hot summer night while chilling out on the beach next to a campfire. Since the song is pretty easy, try working on your vocal cords for extra effect. This way you can mesmerize everybody and nobody will notice you’re just playing a two-chord song.
#5. Something In The Way - Nirvana
Everyone already knows “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” So, why not try this lesser known yet beautiful Nirvana track? It combines one of the most common chords - oh yeah that’s the Dm chord again - with the rarely utilized F#m. This results in a very unique and somber sound.
It’s also a pretty slow song. So, don’t worry too much about smooth and seamless transitions.
If you’re more advanced, try playing the Dm barre chord on the lower E string and the F#m barre chord on the A string. These chords are practically neighbors when you look at it this way. For some pointers on how to play minor barre chords on the E string just check out our blogpost on the matter. Enjoy, relax and don’t forget to challenge yourself from time to time. Happy jamming!
Alex is a professional writer and digital marketing expert.