Four Chord Song by Axis of Awesome -- WHAT IS HAPPENING?! 😲🤯 -- 307 Reacts -- Episode 234
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
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WHAT IS HAPPENING?! That's about all we can mutter from episode 234... Today, we're checking out something new. It's a song called "Four Chord Song" by a group named Axis of Awesome. And their name really says it all. Now, if you're not savvy with music theory, or you've never heard the reason why "pop" music is what it is, this video is about to blow your friggin' mind! You'll be amazed at just how many songs are written almost EXACTLY the same, yet sound amazingly different! Let's see if we can accurately decipher what's going on here... Let's get it!
#AxisofAwesome #FourChordSong #PopMusic #307Reacts
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Link to original video:
• Axis of Awesome - 4 Fo...
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Axis of Awesome singlehandedly ruined 'Poker Face' for me -- now I find myself singing "Come on Barbie let's go party!" in the chorus EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Same.
You mean "improved"
@@NishalKay definitely improved.
Same
@@zoegartham312 @NishalKay definitely improved. 2nd that!
Benny, they keyboard player, used to do a lot of wedding parties and realised that he kept playing the same thing all the time. AoA do a new version of this song once in a while, they just update the song to more recent pop songs.
The most ironic part of this song in my opinion is that "Birdplane" is an Axis of Awesome original song that uses the 4 chords. They actually DID write a 4 chords song.
The other thing I would like to point out is the joke about them being a comedy rock band for close to 40 years. So many of the reactors miss that joke because they are laughing at the previous one where they "forget" to introduce Benny.
Canvas bags is by Tim Minchin a Aussie comedy singer / songwriter
As others have said, Axis of Awesome have changed.... try finding their Elephant in the Room video, Lee is Bald, Benny has gone like Goku, and Jordan is still just a big geek.
The Chords are I, V, vi, IV from either C major, G major, A minor, or F major scales. something about those chords just seem to work some sort earworm magic.
There's a channel I like, 12tone, that does music analysis. He covers why so many songs use these chords. It's pretty interesting if you like music theory. ua-cam.com/video/d46gO5FUh-g/v-deo.html
I've always thought of them as the Heart and Soul chords.
Yeah, it’s too reductive to say it’s the record labels, because people keep gravitating towards the four chords because it’s familiar yet different.
Jazz is full of complex chords and changes, but general audiences don’t want it.
When I see a reactor not blink at canvas bags, I see an opportunity for Tim Minchin reactions
The piano player is named Benny, and he has his own YT channel called "Benny the jukebox" where he posts several versions, and there are multiple different versions that they tooled to the different locations they were at (like how this one had Natalie Imbruglia and Swag Man and Land Down Under because they were in Australia).
Also Canvas Bags because Tim Minchin played it on the same stage earlier in the night.
Notice there isnt a Rush song in there
Even as a comedy act this is better than most things on the radio
Jordan, Lee and Benny have changed alot since this song, Lee is bald now.
And Benny has his solo channel, Benny the Jukebox, which includes 'Another 4 chords'.
Elephant in the Room is an amazing song
For anyone not aware of these bits of trivia
Canvas bags-Tim Minchin and Torn-Natalie Imbruglia both performed that night at that show. (Oof, after double checking, can't find Torn, might be misremembering? Or it was the comedy sign language one?)
Bird plane is their own song, despite saying that they'd never done a 4 chord song.
Yess! Came here to say this! Which is why they laughed at "doesn't that sound familiar" haha
@@mintygrey well, that and it’s the bridge from Scar by Missy Higgins- not sure if that was an international hit or just Aussie?
To be precise, Birdplane is a pastiche of a song called (I think) Superman, which I got picked up on when I made a similar comment on another video.
"Bird-Plane" Is one of their original songs. Since it's Halloween, you might want to check out another original of theirs "Skeleton Man". It's pretty funny.
If anyone watching this or the original Axis of Awesome video is not trained in music in any way, you wouldn't know this so this is for your benefit:
Many of the songs that they include in the Four Chord song use MORE chords in other parts of the songs!
They are only playing the small portions of the songs that use the four chords they're talking about. It's still a hilarious video and awesomely done!
Axis of Awesome , this was brilliant when it first came out , and still is today
They are still around and regularly work the comedy festivals. They were at The Forum Theatre a few years back for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and were amazing. A full hour show from memory.
They are no longer performing.
I loved Home Free preforming "My Cousin Timothy" such a beautiful rendition 🤣🤣
this comment is late but they are Musical Comedians and is a joke that was performed at the Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala Night. I was up the back and it was the best night i have had. The acts are world class but these guys had every body humming it as we walked out.
The original performance was even longer; this video actually snipped some of it out. The linger one is out there somewhere. They also usually swap out some songs every time they do it, so there are other versions out there too (other live shows and a “studio” music video)
Oh, I haven't thought about Axis of Awesome in a while. Thanks for the reminder.
I've heard the T- shape also called the "sign of the cross" 😆
Much respect guys!
They have over 6 to 8 editions of this song, soooo many songs to fit in they changed it up over the years.
Oh, they got some other great ones! "What would Jesus do?" and "How to write a love song" are my favourites. They're both absolutely hilarious!
They did a song on How to write a love song. It's very funny
It's epic
So these guys are Australian and there is a big history of musical comedy in Australian. Check out The Doug Anthony All Stars Tim Minchin Tripod to name a few.
Tripod in fact have a similar song to 4 Chords called Oasis Medley.
It's long enough ago that I'm not sure who was first.
I recommend RobProcks Pachelbel Rant, its in the same vein as this but different.
So good!
That's a great bit. Thanks for reminding me of its existence.
Awesome video I haven't watched for years...
Check out how to write a love song by Axis of awesome and see another example of record label influences
There “how to write a love song” shows how those things are also all done same way 😂😂😂😂
This was awesome... thank you.
I’ve heard of this but never seen it before. Thanks
Haven't heard this in forever - thanks for getting other dude back on track with coolness (I forget your names).
The cords are from Pachelbel's Canon.
pretty sure this is the first time i've seen you guys pop up in my recommendations, but this really makes me wanna binge all your videos when i'm drunk. gonna be doing that this weekend lol
Try The Holy Trinity! I can't find a single reaction to it anywhere😞 Axis of Awesome is great but Holy Trinity has to be my fav!
Love Axis of Awesome
No key changes or time signature changes in popular music it can all be made on a computer
haha love the hand follow cam edits!
#thanksronnie! We love it when he does that to you
Pachelbelie's rant was one of my favorite versions of this song. " He hates cellist, probable was spurned by a woman cellist"
I love that too!!!, Also Axis of Awesome have actually updated THIS song to add in more new songs to it FYI
That was actually before this song, by a few years. And I think they use the same 4 chords. Definitely worth a listen.
Rob is awesome. That rant worked solid gold.
Pachabels Canon in D…
Blues Travelers’ “Hook” plays it note for note… and they won a Grammy… and the lyrics are the biggest and best joke ever… John Popper sings about how it doesn’t matter what he sings…
@phatptony GREAT EXAMPLE!! Such a great song, but SO SIMPLE! History repeats itself 😉
Aaaaaaand why does this video only have 3000 likes??
Subscribed.
Thank you, Matthew!! Means a lot! 🙏🏼🙏🏼
I remember watching this live on aussie telly...
13:20
Take youre canvas bags to the supermarket
Was a song performed earlier that evening by musical comedy host of the event, Tim Minchin
They threw that somg in there on the fly to make fun of tim 😅
The canvas bag song was about when Aussie supermarkets started not using plastic bags anymore
Also the videos much older than 11 years ago, that's just when it was uploaded to UA-cam
Just subscribed.
Chicken Little is the BEST!!!! Which is why it's fun for them to mock him because he gets his own back lol.
It blows my mind that anyone who is musically inclined wouldn't recognize the signs.
Hey guys, Pastor Fred here, new subscriber. You were talking about listening to different genres, I agree, but some I just can't get on board with, just personal choice. One of which is death metal, if you like it thats fine, but you talk about watching someone doing the play through and how musically enabled some people really are, then I suggest you watch, maybe even react to Gone In April, the song As Hope Wecomes Death is a cool video. I used to work with the drummer Yanic Bercier, one of the nicest people with incredible knowledge and understanding in medical imaging... I do hope you watch them, and the Lead Singer/Fiddle player is his wife... Great voice!!! Looking forward to watching more of your reactions, I like your take on things... Have a great day!!
Benny Davis( AKA Benny the jukebox) is awesome. his many other medleys are excellent, 6 Chords is my favorite.
I heard this long ago, and loved it. So funny. Status Quo were always said to use only three chords, but I loved those guys. Still do in fact. Brilliant reaction. I think you didn't know Take Your Canvas Bags, it's by another Australian singer Tim MInchin. And fun.
Tim Minchin is incredidible too, worth a listen. If I Didn't Have You uncut version, or Inflatable You from Graham Norton, Dark Side, lots more. And yes, the video for Canvas Bags.
Some bands do great with just 3 chords. Nirvana comes to mind.👍🤘
If you want to check out someone who is genius on piano, try Tim Minchin "Dark Side (Awesome version)" . But any Tim Minchin is genius. BTW the canvas bag part was one of Tim's songs.
The fact that they could throw in the Australian classic "Waltzing Matilda" shows just how unoriginal Western music has become. Waltzing Matilda was written almost 130 years ago
Great reaction video! Benny (the guy on the keyboard) has his own channel: BennyTheJukebox
I love the Bertha's Mussels Sticker! I'll have to join yall next time you come to Baltimore :p
Hey Ethan! I (Matt) recorded an album in Baltimore in 2014, what a crazy awesome place! My sticker is starting to show some wear, I’ll have to come get another one for sure! 😉
the fun part is that Birdplane is one of their own songs and 4 cord song has lyrics from that song, meaning they acctually wrote a 4 cord song before this one🤣.
Ed Sheeron won his copyrights trail in the USA with this video this week😂
Let’s gooo! We heard about that! Good for him!
Big dude comes out then sings high - Rob "Overalls" ears start burning somewhere.
Now that you both have good headphones, y'all should check out the Homefree - Folsom Prison Blues cover.
Has anybody explained the "take your canvas bags to the supermarket" reference, or did you already know it?
As far as I can tell as a non-musician, it's basically just Pachelbel Canon in D.
It basically is! And if you listen to most modern punk/rock music, a LOT of it circulates around this format, it’s crazy!
“Musicians are the world’s greatest thieves.”
Hey guys, I'm about as musical as a burnt up match so probably don't know what I'm talking about, but watching this made me wonder if this is why Home Free are able to mash up so many songs in their Country Fried Pop medley. You should add it to your list, it's another fun one.
These four chords are part of the basic chord progression of Pachelbel's canon in D. Others have said it but check out an actual earlier video Pachelbel's Rant, it's hilarious
So 4 2 3 4 got it
You've not seen the lead of Fall Out Boy lately. Chefs kiss.
One of the song's Waltzing Matilda is at least 100 year's old.
have you ever listened to their @How To Write A Love Song, it's a great parody of 90's/00's R&B love songs, have a lovely weekend
I've seen a few Americans react to this video, and there's quite a few songs referenced in here that are really only popular in Australia (and maybe the UK). I can't help but wonder how many of those you've actually heard before. 'Doesn't it sound familiar?' for example, isn't just a statement from the Axis of Awesome about the four chord song. The lyrics from that line on are a reference to Missy Higgins' most popular hit 'Scar' (with the very last line modified).
I personal think, that the reason we tend to like theese songs with the 4 cords is because, there are som much noise in our daily rutines..., cars, planes, PEOPLE, traffic in general and tv's, music, radio and so on and on and on...
We have started to found peace in some minor things..., we can't go BIG in how we hear music, because we are so feed up by noice, talk and so on, so many people can't relate to more than 4 cords in general...
We are emposed on the fact, that we are hurting our self, with all the things we want to do..., instead of the things we need to do, therefor we use our limited amount of energy on many things, and therefor we can't get too much envolment in each thing...
Just my theory....
And it has always been like that..., some people like some things better than other..., some like Beethoven, others Bach, or Mozart..., but even then it was the ear..., by time we have been inclined to hear more and more of the same...
ps. 40 songs... ;-)
Status Quo - Three Chords ;)
You guys are missing it. This is simple. "does it affect ME?' isn't the right question. '"Does it affect the people I sing to/write song for?" = YES' means it actually does.
Now do How to Write a Love Song by Axis of Awesome
The original song is the best song on the internet!!!!
IMO, this is a scathing indictment of the music industry. All they do is pump out the same song over and over again and expect us not to notice 😂
I know you laughed at "take your canvass bags to the supermarket", but if you hadn't come across that, it's by Tim Minchin! You should definitely react to him if you haven't! Maybe "Rock and Roll Nerd"?
They have a longer version but it's not the live version
They do a really good how to write a 90's boy band song. Check it out.
You guys should listen to Chopsuey happy version by Melodicka Bros. Love you guys stay awesome and stay safe.
The first major band to call this out was Blues Traveller with their song “Hook”. Worth a dive into both the song and lyrics.
I’ve heard arguments that it doesn’t matter if it’s the same chords, the genius is what you make of them. Thoughts?
It's just variations of air pressure, so it's magic
It doesn't matter what they say, as long as they say it with inflection
Some bands make awesome songs that revolve around just 3 chords, like many Nirvana songs.
You guys should react to the video Pachelbel Rant, it's great too
Ironically the 4 chord song was the Trios only big hit and success
well only one famous internationally there alot more popular in Australia had a few hits
Notification gang! 🔥
Take a listen to "How to Write a Love Song" by The Axis of Awesome.
I'm just feeling bad for all the bands who just used these chords because they sounded good together, without any "bad" intentions. I'm not sure if it's really a problem. All the songs they used are so different. It doesn't really matter if the intervals are the same.
A song is (or shoud be) more than a progression of chords.
John butler .
Ocean will blow your mind if u play guitar
Oh yeah, They're from AUS first time here so no sub yet guys ;( However you call singing the same 4 chords, 'outside the box' - I know this goes at least back to Canon in D, from the 1790s. But I love this mashup, I suppose it's thinking outside of a very small box. I play sax & organ, not guitar, so the T fingering is n/a to me. Your music theory, transpositions & calling out same chords, but the melody starts on 3 - Perfect IMHO, The Axis of awesome has one more you should go watch called " What Would Jesus Do?" Not too good for analysis, but I expect you will Laugh out Loud -- Cheers -G
Hi, guys! If you want something different, check "La grasa de las capitales" by Serú Giran from 1979.
La Grasa de las Capitales is the second album by the Argentine Rock band Serú Girán, released in 1979. After its deeply criticized debut album Serú Girán, the band went in search for a different sound, one that could be closer to the fans' expectations. They grew distant from symphonic rock and became closer to rock while keeping a considerable jazz fusion element in the music, which also was present in the debut album, and to a lesser extent some progressive rock along the way.
The album spurred three hit singles. Pedro Aznar's "Paranoia y Soledad" (Paranoia and Loneliness) which was a cryptically metaphoric song talking about a man's descent into insanity; "La Grasa de Las Capitales" (The Grease/Fats of the Capitals) which presented a sharp criticism on the paparazzi and the frivolous magazines (as showed on the sarcastic album cover, which parodies Gente magazine), and the final track, "Viernes, 3 A.M." (Friday, 3:00am) which had lyrics graphically depicting a man's suicide.
In 2007, the Argentine edition of Rolling Stone ranked it 17 on its list of "The 100 Greatest Albums of National Rock".[2]
It reminds me of art and film! The artier it gets, the less enjoyable to the untrained ear. The crap that comes out of Cannes, and out of art shows is simply not pleasing. The golden ratio is the key (no pun intended). They pranked a load of artists once by showing them the paintings of three year olds (after telling them that a famous artist had painted them). The gushing shite that these critics came out with about emotion and texture was incredible. One even cried! When they told them that they were painted by children - it was priceless!
I think I was at least 500,000 of those views. LoL
After listening to this you should react to"Repeat stuff" by bo burnham
Pachel Bell rant you will like same situation.
Record companies or not. These chords are biblical These are God's chords & progressions dating back to the Dead sea scrolls... They are that Old... It is why church music is so easy to sing. You already know the tune. We are creatures of habit and like familiar things.
Want another oldschool one that is similar? ua-cam.com/video/JdxkVQy7QLM/v-deo.html&ab_channel=RobPRocks
And yes, it IS 14 years old. I said old school.
Love AoA! Deffo check out How to Write a Love Song and In The Club Tonight for the laughs, Phone$ for the depressing truth and The Holy Trinity for the blasphemy! I also second Elephant in the Room which was how the address Jordan presenting as female after she came out as transgender. Hilarious way of getting it across in a comical way.
Ooo also Benny (the keyboard bloke) does a 90s mega mix that’s pretty cool too BennyTheJukebox
I broke with the my conquatlti ueyey of tee
Ugh over 74 million views boys
first time for me seeing this
Just curious, but you blamed the record labels for the use of the four chords, but you also admitted to using them the whole time. Are the record labels making you use them or is it something else?
Unfortunately, it’s more societal than anything by choice. Music with simple rhythms and chords, and memorable hooks tend to get more listeners, and repeat listeners. And the four-chord structure has just proven successful time and time again.
@@307Reacts I agree! It gives a familiar structure while also providing something new. Same reason why most movies follow very similar structures. Just thought it was a bit reductive to blame record labels for the usage of four chords in pop songs when you guys don't seem to have anyone but you and your audience directing your music, and you likely use the chords for the exact same reason why pop songs become popular - they're popular because of the familiarity with a new coat of paint and the record labels swoop in to capture that.
You are wrong about Blinding Lights which is one of the reasons it's a great song and even many musicians and rock or metal guys think it's a good song. The 4 chords are I, V, vi and IV whereas the blinding lights progression is ii-vi-I-V (rick beato picked it up by ear). I mean sure you go I to V and it's 4 chords but that's about where the similarities end...
4 Chord songs show how sad the music industry killed musicians song writing talents for quick sellable mass produced identical items..Once song writing was so diverse but the industry didn't want original talent.... Very Sad..
"my cousin, Timothy" - cnn
💋💋💋👀
Legend has it you cannot call yourself a "reaction" channel until you have reacted to Dimash Kudaibergen. j/k but do yourself a favour and take a look at his music. A young Kazakh man with an incredible range and multi-instrumentalist. Some have called him the best voice in the world.
I mean if it aint broke dont fix it.
Bla bla bla skip to @3:18