Here’s a bunch of song-based lessons. Easy ones, hard ones, classics and obscurities; basically just stuff that I like, that I think you might enjoy learning. We’ve all had the dreary experience of going on the internet in the hope of learning a song only to find some guy teaching you how to play it completely the wrong way. I hope these lessons will be different. I’ve been conscientious in making these videos as accurate as they can be, so you can play the songs as they were played on the original recordings. I’m sure I’m not always 100% correct, but hopefully I’m pretty close. So have fun playing these songs. And remember to always listen carefully to the original recording, as there are always going to be nuances of feel and timing which are impossible to learn any other way.
My Best Friend’s Girl by The Cars. The most detailed breakdown of this classic on the internet.
Hand Clapper by Link Wray. Another amazing instrumental from the masterful Link Wray.
Rescue by Echo and the Bunnymen.
D for Dangerous Awesome psychobilly instrumental from The Reverend Horton Heat
Girl Afraid by The Smiths. Johnny Marr’s most challenging guitar part?
I’m Bored by Iggy pop. Scott Thurston on guitar for this Iggy classic
Jigsaw Puzzle Blues A fabulous Fleetwood Mac blues instrumental
Blues Run The Game A beautiful fingerstyle song from Jackson C Frank
Sweetness and Light by Lush One of the best songs from the shoegaze era
Happy House One more Siouxsie & The Banshees classic featuring stunning guitar work from John McGeoch.
Brand New Cadillac Learn the original version of a rock n roll/rockabilly classic
Silver Bells by The Ventures – Christmas Special 2020, part 2
Israel by Siouxsie & The Banshees Festive McGeoch
The Last Steam Engine Train by John Fahey
Arabian Knights by Siouxsie & The Banshees
Into My Arms by Nick Cave
Nosferatu Man by Slint
Bela Lugosi’s Dead by Bauhaus easy. riffs, and unconventional noise guitar techniques
Strolling Down The Highway by Bert Jansch. Beautiful acoustic blues
The Have Nots by X Learn a stunning Billy Zoom solo
White Girl by X
Bebop-A-Lula by Gene Vincent. Incredible rockabilly rhythm and soloing from Cliff Gallup
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Theme Morricone’s iconic piece arranged for solo guitar
Play for Today by The Cure
Snowblind by Black Sabbath Some proper rock riffage from Tony Iommi
Rainy Night in Georgia Soul guitar perfection from Cornell Dupree
Dreams Burn Down by Ride. Shoegaze Special
River Man by Nick Drake
Six Bells Chime A 1986 track featuring Rowland S Howard
Complete Control One of the greatest punk tracks from The Clash
Drive My Car A Beatles’ classic. Wonderful McCartney guitar solo
Raw-Hide The follow-up single to Rumble. More rock n roll greatness from Link Wray
London Calling by The Clash
Susie Q Some classic rockabilly from 1957. Mr James Burton on guitar
Look-Ka Py Py They don’t come any funkier than this Meters classic
Miserlou An in-depth look at the definitive surf guitar track.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Xmas special – beautiful solo jazz guitar
New York More Pistols
Bombora An awesome surf track from Australian band The Atlantics
The Happy-Go-Lucky Guitar Country guitar greatness from Don Rich
She Bangs The Drums by The Stone Roses
Fan Club by The Damned Great riffs and soloing from the great Brian James
Halloween by Siouxsie & The Banshees More McGeoch genius
Vestapol My take on the finger-style blues standard
Anarchy In The UK by Sex Pistols
Feeling Gravitys Pull by R.E.M.
Hong Kong Garden A post-punk classic from Siouxsie & the Banshees
Life During Wartime At last, a bit of Talking Heads
Ceremony The last Joy Division song and the first New Order
Anyone Can Play Guitar To mark reaching 100k subs on YouTube
Debaser by Pixies
Jeepster by T-Rex
You’re Gonna Miss Me RIP Roky Erickson.
Moonage Daydream An epic 2-part look at the Bowie/Ronson masterpiece
Pipeline Learn a 60s surf classic. Do it like the original, or like Johnny Thunders
Sheela-Na-Gig A great bit of 90’s indie from Polly Harvey
A Forest My first attempt at a Cure song. Great, easy
Suspicious Minds by Elvis Learn this all-time classic riff the right way
Spoilt Victorian Child by The Fall Love the main riff!
Viet Nam by Minutemen What an incredible player D Boon was. Love this one
40 Versions by Wire The more experimental side of Wire
Mannequin by Wire A punk, poppy Wire classic
West Germany by Minutemen One of Nels Cline’s favourite riffs. One of mine too
Three Girl Rhumba by Wire An obscure post-punk homage to Elastica’s Connection
Mercy by Wire Lesson 2 in my Wire series
That’s All Right Mama A rockabilly/rock n roll classic.
Ex Lion Tamer Kicking off a series of Wire lessons
Stack O’Lee Some lovely fingerstyle blues from Mississippi John Hurt
Blue Christmas For this year’s Xmas Special, another great Ventures track
Top 10 Alternative Beginner Songs Here’s a rundown of some of my faves
Making Plans for Nigel An XTC classic. 2 great, interesting guitar parts.
Swamp Thing by The Chameleons A lovely bit of 80s post-punk. Chorus pedal essential.
Hanging On The Telephone A power-pop classic, as played by Blondie and The Nerves.
Feel The Pain by Dinosaur Jr. Been meaning to do a bit of J Mascis for ages, so here you go.
Human Fly by The Cramps More classic Cramps. Buzz, buzz, buzz…
Sunflower River Blues by John Fahey A beautiful open-tuned fingerstyle piece.
Goo Goo Muck by The Cramps A classic Cramps tune, pretty beginner-friendly too.
Lonesome Train (On A Lonesome Track) A rockabilly classic.
Love Comes In Spurts A New York punk classic. Amazing Robert Quine solo.
September Gurls A power pop classic from 70s greats Big Star.
Sleigh Ride This year’s Christmas Special, a great bit of 60s twang from The Ventures.
4 Happy Mondays Riffs Catchy and brilliant riffs from Mark Day of the Mondays.
The Headmaster Ritual By popular demand, some more Smiths/Johnny Marr. The greatest Smiths song?
Clean Up Woman A soul-funk classic.
Plastic Factory Some bluesy weirdness from Captain Beefheart
Another Girl, Another Planet Classic ’70s power pop from The Only Ones.
3 Gang of Four Riffs Some innovative post-punk riffage from Andy Gill.
Pale Blue Eyes, Part 1 A Velvet Underground classic. Here’s Lou Reed’s easy rhythm part.
Pale Blue Eyes, Part 2 This lesson focusses on Sterling Morrison’s lead part and solo.
Johnny B Goode They don’t come more classic than this! Here’s the right way to do it.
Gimme Danger More Stooges, and one of the greatest guitar riffs of all time.
Back To The Old House You asked for it kids, so here’s some more Johnny Freakin Marr.
Transmission A third and final (for now) Joy Division lesson.
Shadowplay Double Joy Division
She’s Lost Control An easy to play but awesome Joy Division song.
That Was The Worst Christmas Ever by Sufjan Stevens A depressing but beautiful Xmas special.
Freight Train by Elizabeth Cotten A must-know fingerstyle classic.
Chinese Rocks by The Heartbreakers An easy to play punk classic from Johnny Thunders’ band.
Public Image by Public Image Limited More British guitar anti-heroics.
Venus by Television One of my all-time favourites.
Soul Man by Steve Cropper/Sam & Dave So this is how you play rhythm guitar kids.
Purple Rain by Prince Break out the chorus pedal for an 80s classic.
Spellbound by Siouxsie and the Banshees More McGeoch. Rhythm guitar perfection.
The Theme From Joe 90 Learn how to play the fantastic 60s TV theme.
Shakin’ All Over by Johnny Kidd & The Pirates. Great song, great riffs, great solo. It’s all…great.
Shot by Both Sides by Magazine. Classic bit of post -punk with sterling guitar work from John McGeoch.
Rumble by Link Wray. An easy to play, totally bad-ass piece of instrumental rock n roll.
White Christmas as played by Kenny Burrell. A great solo jazz version of your favourite Xmas song.
I Walk The Line by Johnny Cash An all-time classic; learn Luther Perkins part note-for-note.
Breakdown (and then…) by Rowland S Howard Great tune from cult guitar hero par excellence.
It’s Over by Badfinger A bit of an obscure riff I suppose, but undeniably brilliant. Give it a go.
Terrapin by Syd Barrett Oddball acoustic brilliance.
Breadfan by Budgie Some fun rock riffage.
Kid More James Honeyman-Scott.
Brass In Pocket Some stunning rhythm guitar from James Honeyman-Scott.
Race With The Devil, Part 3 Another amazing Cliff Gallup solo.
Race With The Devil, Part 2 More Gallup, and some rockabilly proto-shredding in this great solo.
Race With The Devil, Part 1 How to play Cliff Gallup’smasterpiece of rock ‘n’ roll guitar.
Christmas Time Is Here A melancholic festive classic, chord melody style.
Needle of Death by Bert Jansch A fingerstyle masterpiece by one of my favourite acoustic players.
Pictures Of Matchstick Men by Status Quo Not a 12-bar boogie in sight, but a classic psychedelic riff.
Iron Man by Black Sabbath I am Iron Man…
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida by Iron Butterfly Heavy psychedelic vibes, man.
Mystery Train by Elvis A masterclass in rock ‘n’ roll guitar from Scotty Moore.
Teenage Kicks by The Undertones Iconic and easy to play pop-punk.
This Charming Man by The Smiths A detailed, geeky look at how to play an alternative classic.
Joy To The World by John Fahey A beautiful fingerstyle arrangement of the Christmas carol.
Sound and Vision by David Bowie Great song, two great guitar parts.
Cinnamon Girl by Neil Young Beautiful chords, some proto-grunge riffing, and the greatest solo ever. Seriously.
Loser by Beck A classic and easy to play slide guitar riff.
Search and Destroy by Iggy and The Stooges Awesome rock riffage.
Girls and Boys by Blur Amazing, inventive rhythm guitar.
Anji by Davy Graham An acoustic fingerstyle classic.
Get Lucky by Daft Punk A modern classic of funk guitar.
It’s A Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads A great, easy to play indie song.