In this post we will learn how to play the song Dear Prudence as popularized by the Beatles from their “White Album”
Couple of things to mention before playing Dear Prudence on the guitar. First, the 6th string should be tuned 1 whole note lower from E to D. Second, the whole song uses the guitar plucking/fingerstyle of Donovan/Travis finger picking.
Let’s learn this by section:
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One of Rubber Soul’s most memorable songs, Michelle was written by Paul McCartney with a little help from the wife of an old school friend.
The song was one of McCartney’s oldest, having been started in around 1959. He composed the tune on his first ever guitar, a Zenith, which he still owns.
Michelle was one of McCartney’s first attempts by McCartney to play with a finger picked guitar style, signalling a desire to experiment beyond the boundaries of rock ‘n’ roll.
Don’t forget to – Watch it in Full Screen Mode
Back In The U.S.S.R.
“Back in the U.S.S.R.” is a 1968 song by The Beatles. It is credited to the songwriting partnership Lennon–McCartney, although it was actually written by Paul McCartney. The song opens the double-disc album The Beatles, also known as the White Album, and then segues into the album’s next song, “Dear Prudence”.
The opening track on the White Album, Back In The USSR was written by Paul McCartney and inspired by Chuck Berry’s Back In The USA and the Beach Boys’ California Girls.
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“If I Fell” is a song by English rock band the Beatles which first appeared in 1964 on the album A Hard Day’s Night in the United Kingdom and on the North American album Something New.
The video below from Beatles Lead Guitar Secrets, will show you the guitar part that George’s played on the record. The second video tries to explain how to play If I Feel – One of the Beatles’ best ballad.
It was written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. “That’s my first attempt at a ballad proper….It shows that I wrote sentimental love ballads way back when”, Lennon stated his 1980 Playboy Magazine Interview.
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Two of Us
“Two of Us” is a 1969 song written mostly by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon–McCartney). An early performance of the song, in a guitar-driven rock style, can be seen in the Let It Be film. Unsatisfied with this style, which McCartney described as “chunky”, the band reworked the song around acoustic guitars. The Beatles performed a finished version of the song live at Apple Studios on 31 January 1969; this performance was included in both the Let It Be film and album.
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“And I Love Her” is a song recorded 25-27 February 1964 and was released in the UK 10 July 1964 and June 26, 1964 in the US.. Written mainly by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon–McCartney), this is the fifth track on their third album, A Hard Day’s Night. With “If I Fell” as a single by Capitol Records in the United States “And I Love Her” reached 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
On this post, you will learn how to play the nylon guitar part of the song which was played by George Harrison. Important to remember here is the chords.
“Help!” is a song by the Beatles that served as the title song for both the 1965 film and its soundtrack album. The movie’s original title prior to “HELP” was “Eight Arms To Hold You”.
How To Play HELP!
HELP! was also released as a single, and was nmber one for three weeks in both the United States and the United Kingdom.
The song was written by John Lennon, but credited to Lennon–McCartney. During an interview with Playboy in 1980, Lennon recounted: “The whole Beatles thing was just beyond comprehension. I was subconsciously crying out for help”.
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(Help!) I need somebody
(Help!) Not just anybody
(Help!) You know I need someone
(Help!)
(When)
When I was younger
(When I was young)
So much younger than today
(I never need)
I never needed anybody’s help in any way
(Now)
But now these days are gone
(These days are gone)
I’m not so self-assured
(And now I find)
Now I find I’ve changed my mind
And opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
And I do appreciate you being ’round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won’t you please, please help me?
(Now)
And now my life has changed
(My life has changed)
In oh, so many ways
(My indepen)
My independence seems to vanish in the haze
(But)
But every now and then
(Now and then)
I feel so insecure
(I know that I)
I know that I just need you like
I never done before
Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
And I do appreciate you being ’round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won’t you please, please help me?
When I was younger
So much younger than today
I never needed anybody’s help in any way
(Now)
But now these days are gone
(These days are gone)
I’m not so self-assured
(And now I find)
Now I find I’ve changed my mind
I’ve opened up the doors
Help me if you can, I’m feeling down
And I do appreciate you being ’round
Help me get my feet back on the ground
Won’t you please, please help me?
Help me, help me, ooh!
How To Play HELP!
During the Beatles retreat in India, Paul McCartney wrote a number of songs and “Rocky Raccoon” is ne one of them. He was inspired to play more acoustic guitar during their stay there. He played with John Lennon and Donovan.
“Rocky Raccoon” is a song by the Beatles from the double-disc album The Beatles (also known as The White Album).
You can refer to the video below as I try to explain how to play rocky raccoon on acoustic guitar.
This is an easy one once you get the hang of the strumming pattern and the chords.
The whole pattern and chords are the same all throughout the song! Check it out! Learn the chords and you are on your way in playing this Beatles song. More detail explanation in text can be found after the video.
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The whole song can be played by 3 chords with some variation for each chords. For example, D major and D Major Sus4 (Dsus4) are played one after the other.
C major and C major with /B bass is also played one after the other.
The guitar chords used for this song are the following:
For C and C/B the high G on the third string is played by the pinky finger. Also for Am7, the aside from the open G note on the 3rd string, high G on 1st string is also played.
As a matter of fact, high G note is played although out the song except for D major 🙂
Now somewhere in the black mountain hills of Dakota
There lived a young boy named Rocky Raccoon
And one day his woman ran off with another guy
He hit young Rocky in the eye
Rocky didn’t like that he said I’m gonna get that boy
So one day he walked into town
Booked himself a room in the local saloon
Rocky Raccoon checked into his room
Only to find Gideon’s bible
Rocky had come equipped with a gun
To shoot off the legs of his rival
His rival it seems had broken his dreams
By stealing the girl of his fancy
Her name was Magill and she called herself Lil
But everyone knew her as Nancy
Now she and her man, who called himself Dan
Were in the next room at the hoedown
Rocky burst in and grinning a grin
He said, Danny boy this is a showdown
But Daniel was hot he drew first and shot
And Rocky collapsed in the corner
Now the doctor came in stinking of gin
And proceeded to lie on the table
He said, Rocky you met your match
And Rocky said, Doc it’s only a scratch
And I’ll be better, I’ll be better Doc as soon as I am able
And now Rocky Raccoon he fell back in his room
Only to find Gideon’s bible
Gideon checked out and he left it no doubt
To help with good Rocky’s revival
“Across the Universe” is a song recorded by the Beatles. It was written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the various artists’ charity compilation album No One’s Gonna Change Our World in December 1969, and later, in different form, on Let It Be, the group’s final released album.
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“Blackbird” is a Beatles song from the double-disc album The Beatles (known as the White Album). The song was written by Paul McCartney, though credited to Lennon–McCartney.
McCartney explained on Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road, aired in 2005, that the guitar accompaniment for “Blackbird” was inspired by J.S. Bach’s Bourrée in E minor, a well known lute piece, often played on the classical guitar.