Playing odd time signatures is a great way to get out of your comfort zone and explore new sonic possibilities. Every time signature has a different feeling and pushes you to create and play in a different style.
One of the rarest and most exciting time signatures is the 2/4. It is mainly used in folk tunes, kids’ songs, and marches with its boom-pa boom-pa style progression. It is not that different from the classic 4/4 rhythm pattern, but there are accents every two beats instead of four.
There are not many songs composed in the 2/4 time signature today. The best examples from the past are Mozart’s Turkish March, The Flight Of The Bumblebee by Rimsky-Korsakov, and the Italian folk song Ciao Bella.
Let’s check some popular songs in 2/4 time signature, which are mainly folks and kids songs.
The Wheels On The Bus
One of the most famous kids’ songs, The Wheels On The Bus, is one of the oldest nursery rhymes. There are tens of versions of the song in different languages, making the song worldwide famous.
As with most kids’ songs, it has a basic progression, chords, and rhythm. It is in the 2/4 time signature with a steady beat. You will need only 2 chords to play the song, which requires only 3 fingers to play. It is a great song to learn and play for beginner guitarists to get familiar with chords and transitions.
The Wheels On The Bus Guitar Chords
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Baa Baa Black Sheep is yet another widely famous children’s song with a 2/4 time signature. It is mainly known as a bedtime song that kids love to sleep with. It is thought that the song was composed back in the 18th century in France.
It is a highly easy song to play with G, D, and C chords along with a traditional strum pattern of steady down strums. You can learn the song easily and quickly to play to your kids.
Baa Baa Black Sheep Guitar Chords
If you want to learn some children’s songs with easy chords and rhytymic patterns, take a look at my article Top 50 Famous & Easy Guitar Songs For Kids – Tabs, Chords Included
Hey Ya! – Outkast
Hey, Ya is the famous hip-hop hit song of the American band Outkast, released in 2003. The song was a massive hit around the world with its iconic chorus and melody. Everyone would remember the song with its funny video clip, which also won a Grammy award in 2004.
You can play the song with only four basic chords; G, D, C, and E. The song has a nice groove which you can play with a traditional strum pattern such as down-down-down-up-down. It is a pretty high tempo song, but you can play it slower to make it sound better on the guitar. It is an extremely entertaining song to play and is a perfect exercise for practicing the chords and transitions.
Muffin Man
The British nursery rhyme Muffin Man is another old children’s song in a 2/4 time signature. The song also has a game for children to play which is another reason it was a loved song by the kids.
The song is played with 5 chords and is relatively easy to play for any guitarist. You can deploy a basic strum pattern like steady down strum to play the song.
Ciao Bella
The Italian protest song from the 19th century, Ciao Bella, is one of the most famous songs today thanks to the famous Spanish TV series La Casa De Papel. The song became a huge hit after its appearance in the show and was covered and performed by many different artists.
But, it was a popular song a few decades ago, too, as it had many versions in different languages. The song was a symbol of worker protests and leftists and sung on many different occasions.
It is played with four easy chords and a basic strum pattern in which you mute the down strums and play open upstrokes. The strum pattern clearly shows the time signature with the accent on the muted strums.
If you want to learn songs in different time signatures, you can start with the 3/4 time songs Top 40 Popular & Easy Songs in 3/4 time – Guitar Tabs Included
What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor
What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor is the British pirate chanty which is famous today in pubs and bars where people drink while singing the song. It is one of the most famous folk tunes of Irish culture and has been covered and performed by many artists, such as the Irish Rovers.
The tune is extremely easy and fun to play and sing along with. The chords you will need are Dm, C, and Am, while the strum pattern is straightforward with downstrokes. The marchy rhythm of the song, due to the 2/4 time signature, is easily felt in the rhythm.
What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor Guitar Chords
Kalinka
The Russian folk song from the 19th century is another fun song to play in the 2/4 time signature. The song was composed for a theater play and loved by the audience, which later became one of the most popular folk songs of Russian culture. Kalinka is a snowball tree famous in the region.
The tune has a speedy tempo and light-hearted lyrics with the iconic chorus that gets faster every time the singer says Kalinka. It is an easy song to play with 5 of the basic open chords.
Joy to the World
Written in 1719, Joy To The World is the famous Christmas Carol who is the most-published Christmas hymn in North America. The song was written by the English minister Isaac Watts, and it is a Christian reinterpretation of Psalm 98.
The song is played with 3 easy chords, G, D, and C, with a basic strum pattern. An ideal tune to play at Christmas with family.
Joy to the World Guitar Chords
If you want to learn songs in different time signatures, you can check out my other article Top 45 Popular & Easy Songs in 6/8 time – Guitar Tabs Included
Samson – Regina Spektor
Released in 2001, Samson is considered one of the greatest songs of the American singer Regina Spektor. Although it was never released as a single, the song charted in many countries thanks to its beautiful lyrics and great melody in the odd 2/4 time signature. The song also became a great tune to sing in reality singing competitions like The Voice.
It is a relatively easy song to play with 7 chords which are all basic chords. The slow tempo of the song gives you enough time to change between chords, making it ultimately beginner-friendly.
Stop The Cavalry – Jona Lewie
The 1980 anti-war protest song written and performed by the English artist Jona Lewie, Stop The Cavalry, is yet another great song to learn and play in the 2/4 time signature. The song peaked the charts in many countries, becoming a worldwide hit against the war.
You can play the song easily with only four easy chords; A, E, G, and D. The lyrics are quite lovely, making the song a great one to play and sing along with. The strum pattern can be a traditional one with accented beats on every two strums.
Stop The Cavalry Guitar Chords
Flight Of The Bumblebee – Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Flight Of The Bumblebee is actually the orchestral interlude to the opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. It was composed at the beginning of the 20th century and became quite famous with its music inspired by the chaotic and rapidly changing flying pattern of a bumblebee. The melody became a part of modern-day pop culture.
Well, the song is played with a high tempo single note licks all around the fretboard. It is not a challenging song to play, but it is not the easiest either. It is more like an exercise to work all your fingers in all positions on the fretboard. You can start slowly and build up the speed later.
Flight Of The Bumblebee Guitar Tabs
There are some amazing classical songs to play on guitar, to check some of them you can click on the link Top 40 Easy Classical Guitar Songs For Beginners – Tabs Included
Foggy Mountain Breakdown – Earl Scruggs
Released in 1949, Foggy Mountain Breakdown is a bluegrass instrumental song by Earl Scruggs. The song is written in the common breakdown format, which leaves solo sections for every instrument playing. Originally the song is played by a five-string banjo.
There are many legato techniques used in the song, thanks to its banjo arrangement. It is an easy song to play with nice country and folk licks, which are also great practice for your guitar skills.
Foggy Mountain Breakdown Guitar Chords
Kathy’s Song – Simon & Garfunkel
One of the greatest songs of the American folk-rock duo Simon & Garfunkel is Kathy’s song. Written by Paul Simon, it is one of his most personal songs, which he wrote for his girlfriend, Kathy.
It is an emotional and pretty song played with 7 chords and a low tempo. The beautiful lyrics make it an ideal tune to play and sing along with.
The Grand Old Duke Of York
Another English nursery rhyme from the 18th century, The Grand Old Duke Of York. It is played with only three chords, D, A, and G, along with a basic strum pattern. As this is an action song, it is better if you play it with an upbeat high tempo.
The Grand Old Duke Of York Guitar Tabs
If you like to play folk guitar tunes, this list might just be for you Top 50 Famous & Easy Folk Guitar Songs – Tabs, Chords Included
Down To The River To Pray – O Brother Where Art Thou
Down To The River To Pray is a traditional American folk song that is described as a Christian folk hymn, an African-American spiritual, an Appalachian song, and a Southern gospel song. The song’s real origin is not known and is sung by many different groups in the country.
The version that is sung in the movie O Brother Where Art Thou is one of the most famous and most fantastic covers of the song. The 2/4 time signature with basic chords and the choir that sings the song create a fantastic atmosphere. You can play the song to sing with friends to replicate the feeling.
O Brother Where Art Thou/Down To The River To Pray Guitar Chords
You’re A Grand Old Flag
You’re A Grand Old Flag is an American patriotic march in 2/4 time signature, which gives the feeling of marching soldiers. The song is played with four easy chords; D, G, D7, and A, which are all easy chords. The strum pattern is steady down and upstrokes with the accent on each downstroke.
You’re A Grand Old Flag Guitar Chords
Oh, Where Have You Been, Billy Boy, Billy Boy
Oh, Where Have You Been, Billy Boy, Billy Boy or, shortly, Billy Boy, is a traditional American folk song and nursery rhyme. The song is about questions asked to Billy Boy, who wants to marry a young girl whose mother does not let her marry. It is a funny song with its ironic and teasing lyrics.
You can play the tune with only two chords, C and G7. It is one of the most straightforward songs to play on the list. It is a perfect song to learn for absolute beginners and kids.
Oh, Where Have You Been, Billy Boy, Billy Boy Guitar Chords
If you want to try some songs that are a bit harder, check out my other list 50 Epic 12 String Guitar Songs Of All Time – Tabs Included
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp – Led Zeppelin
The legendary hard rock band Led Zeppelin likes to experiment with different time signatures like 6/8, 3/4, 7/8, and 2/4, and many more. Bron-Y-Aur Stomp is one of those great songs with a 2/4 time signature. The song’s name is inspired by the house in the countryside where the band was living in Wales. But, the funny part is the song’s name is misspelled as the place was named Bron-Yr-Aur.
The 1970 acoustic song has lots of experimentation as Jimmy Page played a Martin D-28 guitar, John Paul Jones preferred a double bass, and John Bonham used spoons and castanets.
The song is played with different arpeggios and chords. However, you will have to tune your guitar to drop D tuning to play this one. It makes all the chord shapes much more manageable.
Bobby Shaftoe
Bobby Shafto’s Gone to Sea or Bobby Shaftoe is a basic English folk song and a nursery rhyme. It is one of the oldest folk tunes that originated in the 1600s.
It is an extremely easy-to-play song with only two chords, C and G. The strum pattern is also straightforward, with steady down strums and emphasis on the first strum of every two.
Peggy-O
Peggy-O, Fennario, The Maid of Fife, The Bonnie Lass o’ Fyvie are all the same song with different names, which is actually a Scottish folk song about the love between a soldier and a girl. Tons of artists like Bob Dylan, Grateful Dead, Simon and Garfunkel, and many more covered the tune.
C, F, Am, and G are the chords you will need to play the song. The strumming is also easy in the 2/4 time signature rhythm. To play it like the recording, you can capo the 5th fret.
Conclusion
2/4 time signature features some of the most straightforward rhythmic patterns, which are mainly used in folk and children’s songs as well as marches. It is an excellent time signature to learn for beginners as most songs feature basic and easy chord and rhythmic progressions.
So, here are some 2/4 time signature songs for you to play and master different rhythms and feelings than the traditional 4/4 time. So, take your guitar, choose and play the song you want from the list.
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