Great Acoustic guitar songs?

[Conor D]

I'm looking for suggestions for great songs to play on the Acoustic Guitar, it can be anything.. Pop, rock, classics etc. Anything I play at the minute is either my own stuff, or songs that noone else knows.

So here's the situation, you're with a group of people, there's a guitar and someone asks you to play something.. What do you play?

[HOGEPH]

Cavatina.

[anonymous-user]

If you've not heard it check out the John Mayer album Room For Squares, he's not hugely known in the UK but his music is really easy to listen to for those that you're playing to that maybe haven't also, and the accoustic guitars sound great - if I was to pick up a guitar I'd want to learn his song 'Why Georgia'.

[gregd]

I'll get slaughtered for this but how about Wonderwall?

[DavidY]

The Ballard of Billy Joe McKay - Shawn Mullins

[Bebee]

gregd said:

I'll get slaughtered for this but how about Wonderwall?

no

[Bebee]

Conor D said:

I'm looking for suggestions for great songs to play on the Acoustic Guitar, it can be anything.. Pop, rock, classics etc. Anything I play at the minute is either my own stuff, or songs that noone else knows.

So here's the situation, you're with a group of people, there's a guitar and someone asks you to play something.. What do you play?

The most 'sing along' I use are: 'Brown Eyed Girl' by Van Morrison and 'American Pie' by Don Mclean, even though I hate them, I have played them more times that the artist that wrote them. They always work for me anyway.

What about 'Wonderwall' have you thought about doing that one?

[otolith]

Simple instrumental stuff to learn;

Is There Anybody Out There

(I love that sudden bar of C major halfway through, it's like the sun coming out)

Ashokan Farewell

(That's a nice arrangement, I just play the melody. Think I'll learn that, tab here)

[davepoth]

Conor D said:

I'm looking for suggestions for great songs to play on the Acoustic Guitar, it can be anything.. Pop, rock, classics etc. Anything I play at the minute is either my own stuff, or songs that noone else knows.

So here's the situation, you're with a group of people, there's a guitar and someone asks you to play something.. What do you play?

I always like to have some popular ones. Brown Eyed Girl and American Pie are great. Wonderwall also if everybody's pissed up.

If everyone's sober I like to crack on with some murder ballads. But that's just me.

[V100]

I love doing acoustic versions of songs, here's a few I do:

Staind - It's been awhile:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=araU0fZj6oQ&ob=...

Sounds great, pick the first bit and drum the rock part.

Oasis/Slade - Cum on feel the noize:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6E-6jiTlIQ

fking crackin tune. Sounds ace in any rendition, piss easy to play.

The Beatles - And your bird can sing:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC6D2N4nylg

Easy to play, easy to sing, sounds fab.

The Animals - House of the rising sun:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmdPQp6Jcdk

Easy, fun, everybody knows it. Perfect for pubs.

Chris Isaak - Wicked game:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAOxCqSxRD0

Oh my god. Purely orgasmic. Great picking potential, easy too. Woman's fit aswell.

Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w7OgIMMRc4

D, Cadd9, G for verses. A, C, D for the chorus. Easy and fun. Great to play with a mate who can do an acoustic solo over the top.

The Jam - Burning sky:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HDkzVDJRG8

Bit of an obscure one. Very easy to sing and play. Lots of fun too.

Kaiser Chiefs - Love's not a competition:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqyaMayQ2nw

Skip the intro, just go straight into strumming. Hard to find the key when singing, but sounds great when you do.

The Kinks - Lola:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVXmMMSo47s

Lots of potential voice work here. Very easy to sing.

Neil Young - My my, hey hey:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDzpD_p1A8w

A more advanced one. Not much singing work to do, lots of focus on the guitar. One of my favourite songs.

Ocean Colour Scene - The day we caught the train:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf5gGwGVaTk

Lots of voice work, easy to play if you can do barre chords.

Paul Weller/Christy Moore - Black is the colour:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW4OMpCGGIw

Beautiful. Try singing this to a girl. I can help you with this one as it's impossible to find a tab. Difficult picking however.

The Rolling Stones - Paint it black:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Egt1Hq4wpE

Easy, has a few difficult-ish chords, lots of fun.

The Small Faces - Itchycoo park:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPDomnIF8dU

Very funky, lots of fun.

Rod Stewart - Handbags and gladrags:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edbFVGrTG-c

If you've got a good voice, this is for you.

Tears For Fears - Mad world:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gFl2OXySs8

Em, G, D, A. Proper music. Proper version. How can you not love it?

The Yardbirds - For your love:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2LSSgQMc2E

Em, G, A, Am. Easy to play and easy to sing.

The Smiths - Bigmouth strikes again:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqZdC6qXhLI

Odd rhythm, very difficult to sing whilst playing. Ideally have one person singing and another playing.

Paul Weller - Hung up:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpgaeNoBI3M

Gorgeous. All that can be said.

Oasis - Cast no shadow:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6thmKcSRwc

Easy, fun.

Oasis - Half the world away:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1YqF3pYAeg

Strum, then pick the higher bottom strings, one by one. Personally I put a capo on 4th to suit my voice.

Led Zeppelin - Babe I'm gonna leave you:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrVDViSlsSM

A classic. Difficult to play and sing!

Marvin Gaye - Heard it through the grapevine:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hajBdDM2qdg

One from the soul king. This one is half a step down, but works without doing that.

Natalie Imbruglia - Torn:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYAhku6gKQA

Yes yes, call me a gheyer. But I fking love it.

Bob Marley - I shot the sheriff:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXmhyc_QynE

Oddly enough, this really does work.

That should keep you occupied for a while.

Edited by V100 on Friday 22 July 00:37

Edited by V100 on Friday 22 July 00:38

[gregd]

Some great ideas from V100 there.. On a similar Weller theme how about Liza Radley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0haQp1eAg8&fea...

[MrCheese]

Standard tuning:

Big Love - Lindsay Buckingham
Those Who Wait - Tommy Emmanuel

weird tuning stuff:

Ariel Boundaries - Michael Hedges
Heartsong - Gordon Giltrap

[The Hypno-Toad]

MrCheese said:

Big Love - Lindsay Buckingham

Trouble is, that this is so good how could you beat it?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruppr480OGw

Somebody told me that he builds his own guitars, like Brian May but I don't know if thats true.

You could always try;

Nick Drake
From The Morning
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2JjJPDz3EE

Been Smoking Too Long
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncBVNAbd99s&fea...

Things Behind The Sun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-uBfYkfA9o&fea...

Riverman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idcaRTg4-fM&fea...

[Mr Gearchange]

Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKd06s1LNik&ob=...

[Crafty_]

Quite a bit of wellers stuff transfer to acoustic well, reference is the "days of speed album"

Brand new start - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ClTktEf4CA
Above the clouds - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgQ512h9yWQ
Headstart for happiness - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL0A6MrRqb4
English Rose - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAEGapfVMXI
Come on/Lets go - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tng_n3kqf6g
Carnation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-8DxUm-HZ4&fea...

Kooks
Seaside - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8OLb1DK9HY
Ooh Laa - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVUD2pvytQ4&fea...

Paramore covering Kings Of Leons' "Use Somebody"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uBTy10WFRA&fea...
hallelujah - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFHjUzEk0iI

Maximo Park - Books from Boxes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYF8jZRjqls
By the moument - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-PUodzX1zg

Pigeon Detectives
Don't how to say goodbye - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsM2AV29fKE

Robert Johnson
Sweet Home Chicago - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkftesK2dck
Crossroads - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yd60nI4sa9A
Malted Milk - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN-xtjDD9vo
Walkin' Blues - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2-EL6Pk2L0

^ Clapton has obviously covered these and lots more of Johnsons stuff, bit of an interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETELORdwmJA

Ocean Colour Scene - Outside of a circle http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NBTnGBkeIM
Apparently how the song was originally written

[tank slapper]

Check out this guy's channel - http://www.youtube.com/user/Iggypres

He has done tons of acoustic covers, and many of them are very good.

[V100]

Crafty_ said:

Quite a bit of wellers stuff transfer to acoustic well, reference is the "days of speed album"

Brand new start - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ClTktEf4CA
Above the clouds - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgQ512h9yWQ
Headstart for happiness - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL0A6MrRqb4
English Rose - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAEGapfVMXI
Come on/Lets go - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tng_n3kqf6g
Carnation - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-8DxUm-HZ4&fea...

All of them are fab. Town Called Malice is another one, brilliant acoustic. Carnation is a favourite of mine.

[JFReturns]

Andy Mckee. Awesome.

[Zad]

Or if you fancy a bit of a challenge, Newton Faulkner's version of Teardrop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjT86g9gTKk

[RV8]

"Just The Way I’m Feeling" by "Feeder"

"Paranoid Android" by "Radiohead"

"Analyse" by "Thom York" Usually played on piano, sounds good on acoustic- altered tuning (Drop) D, A, (Drop) C, c, b, e.

"Older Chests" by "Damien Rice"

"Everloving" by "Moby" Nice straight forward picking pattern with good build to strummed chords.

"Minor Swing" by "Django Reinhardt"