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Easy learning PJ song for a rookie?

RB247657RB247657 Posts: 34
in The Porch
I'm looking to try to learn 1 song on acoustic in the next month. It's a sort of bet with my hunting buddies. We all have to be able to play a song around the campfire, and hunting camp is set for the week of Aug. 25.

I want to learn a PJ song (of course), but have very little(read-none) musical talent, so the easiest song is what I'm shooting for. My friends are mostly into country/western, which is fine, I just want to bring something different to the table. A Neil song would do too. I tried to learn 1 of his a year ago, but our 1st little one showing up put a stop to that.

Thanks in advance.
Reuben
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Comments

  • F Me In The BrainF Me In The Brain this knows everybody from other commets Posts: 31,703
    Small town or Not For You.
    (I suck horribly at guitar and can play both of those.)
    The love he receives is the love that is saved
  • JimmyVJimmyV Boston's MetroWest Posts: 19,490
    If you can learn Lukin you will scare the shit out of them. :-)
    ___________________________________________

    "...I changed by not changing at all..."
  • RB247657RB247657 Posts: 34
    Lukin would be sooo good. There's usually a bit of booze kicking around so I could really mumble the lyrics too
  • ....Shackles31........Shackles31.... Posts: 272
    rockin in the free world is 3 chords
  • VitalogensiaVitalogensia Posts: 2,131
    I've been learning Long Road as my first song. I suck at guitar and trying to learn how to sing on top of it made it feel like I was learning all over again.
    Virginia Beach 2000; Pittsburgh 2000; Columbus 2003; D.C. 2003; Pittsburgh 2006; Virginia Beach 2008; Cleveland 2010; PJ20 2011; Pittsburgh 2013; Baltimore 2013; Charlottesville 2013; Charlotte 2013; Lincoln 2014; Moline 2014; St. Paul 2014; Greenville 2016; Hampton 2016; Lexington 2016; Wrigley 2016; Prague 2018; Krakow 2018; Berlin 2018; Fenway 2018; Camden 2022; St. Paul 2023; MSG 1 2024; Baltimore 2024
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 28,998
    Long road is the easiest: D first chord change is a G. Back. To a D. Then Next chord change is Em then A.
    And the wind keeps rolling..... C the G. Back to D.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 28,998
    ....Shackles31.... said:

    rockin in the free world is 3 chords

    The main riff is Em, D, C
    Chorus is: G, D, C, Em
    Them bridge is A back to main riff

    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • RB247657RB247657 Posts: 34
    Cool. I hadn't even thunk of Long road. I'm gonna look into that. Thanks!
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 28,998
    RB247657 said:

    Lukin would be sooo good. There's usually a bit of booze kicking around so I could really mumble the lyrics too

    Lukin is the same chords as the main riff in rockin....the whole song is three chords: E or Em, D, C
    It s just played different
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • veddertownveddertown Scotland Posts: 5,260
    Not For You, Whipping, Sometimes, LBC, Off He Goes, NAIS, In My Tree, Indifference, Gone, Low Light. These are just a few songs that I can think of that with a decent tab and a little practice are really easy and fun.
    Like a book among the many on a shelf...

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  • pledgeagrievancepledgeagrievance Posts: 2,873
    edited July 2014
    I was in the same boat a few years ago. I wanted to learn some easy PJ songs and then advance. Long Road was the 1st song I learned. Someone posted the chords for u. It's super easy.
    Indifference is easy too. It's pretty much Em, D until the chorus and then I think it's just Em, D, A.

    I have to disagree that Eldery Woman is easy for a beginner. It was hard to get the timing and there's quick chord changes. But if it's easy for some people, that's great for them. They are probably very good guitar players.

    Black & Immortality on acoustic isn't too hard either. Ultimate guitar tabs .com, if I remember correctly, will have everything u need.

    Post edited by pledgeagrievance on
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 28,998
    Giventowail.com
    The chorus to alive is E G D A.
    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • WhatYouTaughtMeWhatYouTaughtMe Posts: 4,957
    Long Road and Small Town are two of the easiest to play and sing at the same time in my opinion.
  • CosmoCosmo Posts: 12,225
    I agree. 'Long Road' is probably one of the easiest songs. Elderly Woman is a bit tricky... I had a tough time getting the strumming pattern right and the chords are not the ones on the record liner notes.
    'Wishlist' is pretty easy except I had problem at the end of the chorus coming out of the G to the F (because I always used the 'cheater F'). It did get me to learn to play the F chord the right way. The solo is pretty easy, too.

    An easy Neil Young song is 'Heart Of Gold'... you can cheat on it and play an Em instead of the Em7. That's what I did until I got a little better. And 'Love Is a Rose'... but, your fishing buddies will punch you if you play it around the campfire... unless there are chicks or little kids there.

    And Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' is easy as long as you understand that you will be playing the chords for a long time before you learn to play that little solo at the beginning. 'Pigs On The Wing' is fun, too. A bit tricky because of the odd chord changes... but, it is a fun song to play.

    Practice G-A-D. There are about a million G-A-D song out there. It is also good to know E and C, too. Learn those 5 chords and you know about 100% of Country Songs and 100% of Punk Rock songs.
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  • RB247657RB247657 Posts: 34
    Awesome. Thanks for all the responses folks. I'm gonna give long road a shot, and if all goes well will try Elderly women. Now to make the time to do all the practicing.
  • WhywhyzedWhywhyzed Posts: 270
    I'd recommend Drifting.

    Head over to tabs.ultimateguitar.com or giventowail to find the tab.

    Basically a G song, with Ds and Cs (you can play Cadd9s, and its even easier).

    Strum pattern is D DUD D DUD for each measure (going from memory here) and the quicker measures have a chord change in the middle after 2-and. Plus singing in G is fun (I'm just learning this, myself :) I found grabbing a free app like Vocalist Lite and using the Tuner is a *HUGE* help learning to sing the right notes.
  • WhatYouTaughtMeWhatYouTaughtMe Posts: 4,957
    Whywhyzed said:

    I'd recommend Drifting.

    Head over to tabs.ultimateguitar.com or giventowail to find the tab.

    Basically a G song, with Ds and Cs (you can play Cadd9s, and its even easier).

    Strum pattern is D DUD D DUD for each measure (going from memory here) and the quicker measures have a chord change in the middle after 2-and. Plus singing in G is fun (I'm just learning this, myself :) I found grabbing a free app like Vocalist Lite and using the Tuner is a *HUGE* help learning to sing the right notes.

    Oh wow, completely forgot about drifting!
  • VitalogensiaVitalogensia Posts: 2,131
    I'll have to give Drifting a try. Agree about the tricky-ness of Elderly Woman...just can't get the timing down no matter how many times I watch "how to" videos or listen to the song (as if the past 20 years wasn't enough).
    Virginia Beach 2000; Pittsburgh 2000; Columbus 2003; D.C. 2003; Pittsburgh 2006; Virginia Beach 2008; Cleveland 2010; PJ20 2011; Pittsburgh 2013; Baltimore 2013; Charlottesville 2013; Charlotte 2013; Lincoln 2014; Moline 2014; St. Paul 2014; Greenville 2016; Hampton 2016; Lexington 2016; Wrigley 2016; Prague 2018; Krakow 2018; Berlin 2018; Fenway 2018; Camden 2022; St. Paul 2023; MSG 1 2024; Baltimore 2024
  • jeff2040jeff2040 Des Moines, IA Posts: 1,614
    I'm pretty terrible with the guitar but I picked up the first few parts of Man of the Hour pretty quickly. I've never tried to get through the whole song but that might be one to try as well.
    Sometimes you find yourself
    Having to put all your faith
    In no faith
  • bootlegger10bootlegger10 Posts: 16,181
    jeff2040 said:

    I'm pretty terrible with the guitar but I picked up the first few parts of Man of the Hour pretty quickly. I've never tried to get through the whole song but that might be one to try as well.

    Nothing like a good somg about death to liven up a campfire with friends and booze :)
  • mcgruff10mcgruff10 New Jersey Posts: 28,998
    bootlegger10 said:

    jeff2040 said:

    I'm pretty terrible with the guitar but I picked up the first few parts of Man of the Hour pretty quickly. I've never tried to get through the whole song but that might be one to try as well.

    Nothing like a good somg about death to liven up a campfire with friends and booze :)
    Lol

    I'll ride the wave where it takes me......
  • ponytdponytd Nashville Posts: 671
    Satan's bed is easy to learn. Nothingman isn't too bad. SOLAT is easy too
  • willbarclaywillbarclay Ottawa, Canada Posts: 3,298
    Not sure if someone mentioned this one or not, but Last Kiss is a very easy song as well.

    also ... Not sure if its the kind of song to do around a camp fire with a bunch of dudes or not. But its very simple. :-/
  • BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,314
    Thin Air, and Stone's little bridge riff is not hard either.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • Pearl JamesPearl James Pittsburgh/Chicago Posts: 438
    Small Town is probably youre easiest bet to be honest. Only have to move two fingers the entire song really.

    As for a Neil song, Walk With Me would be incredibly easy as well, only two fingers required. Plus he played it with PJ so thats always a plus.
  • MayDay10MayDay10 Posts: 11,834
    edited July 2014
    A fun song to play for a beginner which is very easy and recognizable by most is Zombie by The Cranberries.


    Songster is also a great app!
    Post edited by MayDay10 on
  • BinFrogBinFrog MA Posts: 7,314
    Some of the easiest songs I play either solo or in my acoustic duo:

    Nirvana - Lounge Act
    PJ - Thin Air, Black, Porch, Indifference
    Screaming Trees - Nearly Lost You (just modify it to use basic major chords), Dollar Bill
    Pink Floyd - Free Four, Wish You Were Here
    Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees, Creep
    Phish - AC/DC Bag, Suzy Greenberg, Heavy Things
    Rolling Stones - Loving Cup
    Trey Anastasio - Drifting
    Neil Young - Act Of Love
    Social Distortion - Ball And Chain (3 chords for the whole song)
    Ben Harper - Steal My Kisses
    Jack Johnson - Bubbletoes
    Sublime - What I Got
    U2 - Running To Stand Still
    The Temptations - My Girl
    Paul Simon - Late In The Evening
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • ponytdponytd Nashville Posts: 671
    Smells like Teen Spirit and Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap are really easy.

    also, the very beginning of Nothing Else Matters lol
  • VitalogensiaVitalogensia Posts: 2,131
    If you really want to push yourself, give John Cage's 4'33" a try. Nailed it my first time!
    Virginia Beach 2000; Pittsburgh 2000; Columbus 2003; D.C. 2003; Pittsburgh 2006; Virginia Beach 2008; Cleveland 2010; PJ20 2011; Pittsburgh 2013; Baltimore 2013; Charlottesville 2013; Charlotte 2013; Lincoln 2014; Moline 2014; St. Paul 2014; Greenville 2016; Hampton 2016; Lexington 2016; Wrigley 2016; Prague 2018; Krakow 2018; Berlin 2018; Fenway 2018; Camden 2022; St. Paul 2023; MSG 1 2024; Baltimore 2024
  • WhywhyzedWhywhyzed Posts: 270
    Vitalogensia said:

    I'll have to give Drifting a try. Agree about the tricky-ness of Elderly Woman...just can't get the timing down no matter how many times I watch "how to" videos or listen to the song (as if the past 20 years wasn't enough).

    Yeah I would not have gotten Small Town if my teacher hadn't showed me. But once he did it really was pretty easy. It's in 6 / 8 time, so theres 6 8th notes per measure, with emphasis on the 1st and 4th ones.
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