I've had the song Connection stuck in my head recently. Although I like the song I would have to say off the top of my head it is probably the simplest Stones song. Almost sounds as if it could have been written by somebody who writes jingles for commercials. Can you think of a simpler Stones song?

"You Got Me Rocking" comes to mind...and "Start Me Up"

Wanna hold you?

Short and Curlies.

Or...Wake Up In The Morning which of course is a commercial jingle.

"I'll be in my basement room with a needle and a spoon."

Sometimes I think I can guess which are really 90% + or - Keith songs by their simplicity. Simpler titles, lack of flowery words, etc. Then, just when I think I've figured it out, I turn out to be wrong!

But what is the whole theory about simplicity and perfection. You listen to something like JJF and wonder how anything can be THAT good! Same for a lot of their other "simple" songs.

Beats me.

Jiving Sister Fanny, without a doubt, the most effortless song they've ever come up with. Musically it's basically stupid - performance, it's fantastic.

Look at some of their tunes that are similar:
Brown Sugar - Sad Sad Sad.
Love Is Strong - Lowdown (yet alone Wicked As It Seems)
One Hit - It Won't Take Long
Terrifying - Sex Drive
Tumbling Dice - Start Me Up or for that matter
Street Fighting Man - Tumbling Dice
Jumpin' Jack Flash - When The Whip Comes Down

Those are all, what I would consider, a type of Stones formula. I know the songs are not the same in terms of how they go, but the keys are transferable (Tumbling Dice - Start Me Up) and the chord structure is basically the same, just played in a different way (Brown Sugar - Sad Sad Sad) Fanny is off the wall.

brown sugar and I'm going down are the same chords as well. just played in a different order.

Hide Your Love

Dance Little Sister

"Goin Home"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2008-07-13 09:29 by ryanpow.

I would say that Play with fire is the simplest and easy to play

Tell Me

In terms of chord progression, Dance Little Sister is surely one of the easiest.

JumpingKentFlash

The main riff of Dance Little Sister might be their simplest, but the bridge takes the song out of consideration.

I'd go with Dead Flowers (D-A-G) or Rip This Joint (B-E-F# in open G with capo on the 4th fret).

The Stones' simplest song is probably "Had It With You" from "Dirty Work". I bet it took them about a minute to come up with that tune.

"Stoned"

Midnight Rambler is pretty simple. As is Sympathy.

Going Home & Back Of My Hand are easy, structure-wise.

What do you mean with "simple"? Most of the musician know the simple ones are the most difficult ones. would you think playing the blues is simple? There is a reason that Clapton and others waitet so long to make an blues-album, its not simple. These so called simple stuff sounds banal very easy. This stuff is very tricky.
Hope you know what i mean, can`t find the right english words.

miss you -

Lies.

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electricmud
What do you mean with "simple"? Most of the musician know the simple ones are the most difficult ones. would you think playing the blues is simple? There is a reason that Clapton and others waitet so long to make an blues-album, its not simple. These so called simple stuff sounds banal very easy. This stuff is very tricky.
Hope you know what i mean, can`t find the right english words.

Good question. I really wasn't talking about the number of chords used or something like that. I meant the simplest in terms of melody. Connection almost sounds as if it was written for a tv commercial.

Off The Hook

__________________________

I can remember playing Off The Hook on an accoustic guitar when I was about 10 years old, so it must be simple.

Love it, mind.

Actually, Monkey Man is simple. It's fantastic. As is Can't You Hear Me Knocking.

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baxlap
The main riff of Dance Little Sister might be their simplest, but the bridge takes the song out of consideration.

I'd go with Dead Flowers (D-A-G) or Rip This Joint (B-E-F# in open G with capo on the 4th fret).

Agreed. When I teach guitar I recommend that my beginner students learn how to play Dead Flowers. It's a good one to practice changing chords to, although I teach it with A7 in the chorus....

Rolling Stones Tribute

Play Rolling Stones

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LOGIE
I can remember playing Off The Hook on an accoustic guitar when I was about 10 years old, so it must be simple.

Love it, mind.

Just remembered, Grown Up Wrong was even easier!

Well, it won't take long and the titles of all the RS songs will appear here...
No, seriously - first thing I thought about when reading the topic was the Satisfaction riff. I don't mean the whole song, just the riff. Anyone who has never even played guitar can play it. And yet it is one of the most powerfull riffs ever (if not the very most powerfull one).