Pachabel's Canon

July 2, 2008 2:55 PM

Tracks based around Pachabel's Canon... does an even vaguely complete list exist?

The chord structure is everywhere, I know this. So why are all the lists out there so hopelessly vague? I mean, half a dozen tracks in the 1990s? Really?

So, has anyone found a list that's halfway complete? Failing that... should we start one...?

posted by twine42 to media & arts (21 comments total)

Everyone has seen this by now, I'm sure, but there's a guy with stand up about it.
posted by phunniemee at 3:03 PM on July 2, 2008

Oh, man - I just saw an online video of some guitarist doing a comedy bit where he kind of rattles off all the variations on the Canon in popular music....argh! Let me look!
posted by tristeza at 3:04 PM on July 2, 2008

there ya go
posted by tristeza at 3:04 PM on July 2, 2008

Odd that Wikipedia doesn't have this, but they don't.

Coolio had a song called, I think, "I'll see you when you get there" that used it.
posted by drjimmy11 at 3:05 PM on July 2, 2008

Here is a list that has some.
posted by Solon and Thanks at 3:06 PM on July 2, 2008

Well, it seems like the first four chords are all it takes to qualify. If that's the case, I nominate 'Let it Be' by the Beatles. Bonus: plagal cadence with stepwise downward bass line. Very sweet.
posted by stubby phillips at 4:32 PM on July 2, 2008

Well, I guess the fourth chord of Let it Be is an F, isn't it? Not an Em. Forget I said anything.
posted by stubby phillips at 4:35 PM on July 2, 2008

Oh, hey, that comedian already mentioned Let it Be. Damn. I'm going now.
posted by stubby phillips at 4:38 PM on July 2, 2008

Thanks To Gravity did a version. They were a local band at UNH when I was there.
posted by sisflit at 5:49 PM on July 2, 2008

If you are going youboob, you must include JerryC's version, but probably only Fred and Barney haven't seen that one by now. It's up over 45 million views by now.
posted by caddis at 5:51 PM on July 2, 2008

Brian Eno
posted by rhizome at 6:45 PM on July 2, 2008

It's mentioned in sisflit's list, but I just wanted to throw in another vote for Spiritualized's Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space.
posted by JohnFredra at 6:54 PM on July 2, 2008

My mother-in-law owns the CD Pachelbel's Greatest Hit, which contains 8 versions.
posted by web-goddess at 7:01 PM on July 2, 2008

Some more:

Hook, Blues Traveler
With Or Without You, U2
Cryin, Aerosmith
Torn, Natalie Imbruglia
Basket Case, Green Day
Machinehead, Bush
One Tin Soldier Rides Away, Joni Mitchel, many covers
Graduation Song, Vitamin C
posted by sdrawkcab at 7:26 PM on July 2, 2008

The Nields have based a song around it, but unfortunately I can't remember the name of it. They use the whole chord progression, transposed into C.
posted by bassjump at 7:28 PM on July 2, 2008

Don't miss LAGQ's "Loose" Canon.
posted by Jaltcoh at 8:27 PM on July 2, 2008

I think Bush's Machinehead doesn't count for the same reason Let It Be doesn't count (see above).
posted by Jaltcoh at 8:30 PM on July 2, 2008

I think most of the songs on sdrawkcab's list suffer from the same problem as stubby phillips had and corrected.

The first three chords (not literally, but assuming a key of C) are C G Am, but the fourth is F. That's not the same chord sequence we're looking for: C G Am Em F C F G.

On the other hand if we're including anything with those first three chords, the world's your oyster. "No Woman No Cry" qualifies, "Another Girl, Another Planet" qualifies, probably a hundred songs qualify.
posted by AmbroseChapel at 11:33 PM on July 2, 2008

With or Without You is also not a valid example.
posted by Jaltcoh at 6:48 AM on July 3, 2008

Pachebel's Canon is not a canon, it is a passacaglia.
posted by A Long and Troublesome Lameness at 7:10 AM on July 3, 2008 [1 favorite]

"Kite Song" by Truth
posted by Spyder's Game at 1:31 PM on July 5, 2008