Here is one of my favorite all-time songs. You don't need a keyboard, play it on guitar :D .
DO NOT LET THIS SONG INTIMIDATE YOU. IT IS REALLY VERY SIMPLE. Just learn one little part at a time. This song is MUCH easier to play than Stairway to Heaven. So, be a little patient and you'll get it. The chords are all very easy to fret.
Chords used in this song
Chords used in Intro only
G5 D5 F5 Bb5 Eb5 Ab5 A A7
e------------------------------5---5--
b------------------------------5---8--
g-------7----10--------8-------6---6--
d--5----7----10---8----8---6---7---5--
a--5----5----8----8----6---6---7---7--
e--3--------------6--------4---5---5—
Chords used in rest of song
Am Am9 F#m F#m9 G A D Dsus4 B E E7 Bm A7
e--5---7p----2----4p----------------------------0---0----7------
b--5---5-----2----2-----3---5---7i---8m-----4---0---3p---7---8p-
g--5---5-----2----2-----4---6---7i---7i-----4---1---1----7---6--
d--7---7-----4----4-----5---7---7i---7i-----4---2---2----9---7--
a---------------------------------------------------------------
e---------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction riff (keyboard played on guitar)
I'm going to break this into 4 fairly easy parts. Go slow and learn each part. After just a little practice this intro will seem very easy and natural feeling. Don't give up!
G5 D5
e------------------------------------
b---0---------0---3---1---0----------
g------0h--2------------------2---0--
d------------------------------------
a------------------------------------
e------------------------------------
F5 Bb5
e-----------------1------------------
b---------------------3---1----------
g---2-----0h--2---------------3---2--
d------3-----------------------------
a------------------------------------
e------------------------------------
Eb5 Ab5
e------------------------------------
b-------------1---3---1--------------
g---3--2h-3---------------3---2---0--
d------------------------------------
a------------------------------------
e------------------------------------
A A7
e-----------------------------------------
b---5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-----8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8p--
g---6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-----6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6---
d---7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-----7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7---
a-----------------------------------------
e-----------------------------------------
OK, that was the Intro. Once you learn that, the rest of the song
will seem super easy. And it really is easy.
Verses-
During the verses you really are playing just two chords, Am and F#m.
But you add a 9th to each chord with your pinky. Easy and sounds great. It's all arpeggios. Here's basically how it goes:
Am 9th F#m 9th
e-----------7--5----------------------4--2-------
b--------5--------5----------------2--------2----
g-----5--------------5----------2--------------2-
d--7-------------------------4-------------------
a------------------------------------------------
e------------------------------------------------
This is a simple Am and F#m chords with the 9th added (use your pinky)
for color. Same pattern, just move down 3 frets. Easy
This repeating pattern is played throughout all verses.
Now the chorus. The chorus is also played with very simple to fret partial chords.
G A D sus4
e-------------------------------------------------
b--------3------------5------------7--8m--7-------
g-----4-----4------6-----6------7------------7----
d--5------------7------------7------------------7-
a-------------------------------------------------
e-------------------------------------------------
Slide the G chord up two frets to play the A chord. Use a barre with your index to hold the D chord.
Just a little different the 2nd time through.
G A D B
e--------------------------------------------------
b--------3------------5------------7----------4----
g-----4-----4------6-----6------7----------4-----4-
d--5------------7------------7----------4----------
a--------------------------------------------------
e--------------------------------------------------
Third little section of chorus:
G D E E7
e-------------------------------------0----------------0-
b--------3------------3------------0-----0---------3p----
g-----4-----4------2-----2------1---------------1--------
d--5------------0------------2---------------2-----------
a--------------------------------------------------------
e--------------------------------------------------------
OK, these are pretty much open chords arpeggio style.
Now, one last part, the chords during the solo. Super easy, you simply
Strum back and forth between Am and Bm.
Am Bm Am Bm
e--------5----------7-----5-5-5----7----7-7-7------
b--------5----------7-----5-5-5----7----7-7-7------
g--------5----------7-----5-5-5----7----7-7-7------
d----7----------9---------7-7-7----9----9-9-9------
a--------------------------------------------------
e--------------------------------------------------
d d d d d u d u u d u (suggested only)
This is just a freestyle strum. Don't worry about the exact rhythm. Get
funky with it, it is a very jazz style jam. Have fun!
ONE LAST THING. ON THE VERY LAST CHORUS ONLY, YOU PLAY:
G A D
G A D
F C D
F C D
F C D
F C D
Just strum these chords.
That's it!!!!!
Now the lyrics.
Intro G D F Bb Eb Ab A A7
(Am)You know that it would be un(F#m)true
You (Am)know that I would be a (F#m)liar
(Am)If I was to say to (F#m)you
(Am)Girl, we couldn't get much (F#m)higher
(G)Come on baby, (A)light my (D)fire (Dsus4)
(G)Come on baby, (A)light my (D)fire (B)
(G)Try to set the (D)night on… (E) fire (E7)
(Am)The time to hesitate is (F#m)through
No(Am)time to wallow in the (F#m)mire
(Am)Try now we can only (F#m)lose
And our (Am)love become a funeral (F#m)pyre
(G)Come on baby, (A)light my (D)fire (Dsus4)
(G)Come on baby, (A)light my (D)fire (B)
(G)Try to set the (D)night on… (E) fire (E7)
Solo Am Bm Am Bm Am Bm (solo as long as you like)
Play intro - G D F Bb Eb Ab A A7
The (Am)time to hesitate is (F#m)through
No (Am)time to wallow in the (F#m)mire
(Am)Try now we can only (F#m)lose
And our (Am)love become a funeral (F#m)pyre
(G)Come on baby, (A)light my (D)fire (Dsus4)
(G)Come on baby, (A)light my (D)fire (B)
(G)Try to set the (D)night on… (E) fire (E7)
(Am)You know that it would be un(F#m)true
You (Am)know that I would be a (F#m)liar
(Am)If I was to say to (F#m)you
(Am)Girl, we couldn't get much (F#m)higher
(G)Come on baby, (A)light (D) fire
(G)Come on baby, (A)light (D) fire
(F)Try to set the (C)night on (D)fire
(F)Try to set the (C)night on (D)fire
(F)Try to set the (C)night on (D)fire
(F)Try to set the (C)night on (D)fi-------------re!
Repeat Intro and end on A chord.
If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis
Damn, another one of those songs I've tried to work out for years and never quite got there.....m9ths eh?
I'll have a go at this in the AM!
One of my all time favourites too - thanks Wes!
MORE......MORE.......MORE!!!!!!!
(LOL - I can have TWO weeks off now!)
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
great lesson Wes, thank you very much, can't wait to try this.
Matt
Fantastic!
Thanks Dudes!
Keep on Rockin'
Pat
Wow, pretty cool. I'll ask the singer in the band if he can sing it. If so, I may give it a whirl. He mentioned the song last Friday on the way to practice. We'll see...
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
I heard Jose Feliciano's version before I ever heard The Doors' version! If I remember correctly, Jose Feliciano used an acoustic guitar. When I later heard The Doors, I thought "wow, what did they do to it!? :lol:
My curiosity is piqued with this song...
The 5 chords are easy enough to form; I've used a few 5 chords in some lessons.
G5 D5 F5 Bb5 Eb5 Ab5 A A7
e------------------------------5---5--
b------------------------------5---8--
g-------7----10--------8-------6---6--
d--5----7----10---8----8---6---7---5--
a--5----5----8----8----6---6---7---7--
e--3--------------6--------4---5---5—
But how do you work in the individual notes into the 5 chords? Or am I missing something altogether at this point.
G5 D5
e------------------------------------
b---0---------0---3---1---0----------
g------0h--2------------------2---0--
d------------------------------------
a------------------------------------
e------------------------------------
etc.
As always, a big loud thanks. :)
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
Thanks for your work, this is one of the coolest keyboard intros. Now, good luck learning the entire solo!
