Pop music - Part 13

How to play “Sultans of Swing”

“Sultans of Swing” is a song by the British rock band Dire Straits, written by the lead vocalist and guitarist Mark Knopfler. Dire Straits recorded a demo at Pathway Studios, North London, in July 1977, and it acquired a following after it was put in rotation on BBC Radio London. After Dire Straits signed a record contract with Phonogram Records, they rerecorded it in February 1978 at Basing Street Studios for their debut album, Dire Straits.

The B-side, “Eastbound Train”, is a live track. “Sultans of Swing” reached the top five in Canada, South Africa, and the United States, and the top 10 in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia. It remains a staple of classic rock radio and is one of Dire Straits’ most recognisable songs.

“If you assume you haven’t learned anything yet, there’s no reason your playing can’t stay dynamic all your life.” – Jerry Garcia

Paul2026-05-09T13:13:52-04:00

How to play “Hey soul sista”

Hey Soul Sister ukulele

Hey, Soul Sister” is a song by American rock band Train. It was written by lead singer Pat Monahan, Amund Bjørklund, and Espen Lind. It was released as the lead single from the band’s fifth studio album, Save Me, San Francisco (2009).

The song reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and is Train’s highest-charting song to date. It was the top-selling song on the iTunes Store in 2010, and the second overall best-selling song in the US in 2010. It is also the band’s most commercially successful single to date, reaching number one in 16 countries. The single received a 11× platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 5, 2022, signifying sales of over eleven million copies. It was also certified 15× Platinum in Australia and Diamond in Canada. The live iTunes version of “Hey, Soul Sister” garnered a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards. The song was not eligible for any Grammy Award in the General Field.

Paul2026-04-20T16:28:48-04:00

Alice’s Restaurant

download pdf lyric, notation, tabs and chord sheet

“Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” is a 1967 satirical, talking-blues folk song by Arlo Guthrie, lasting over 18 minutes. It is a largely true story about a 1965 Thanksgiving littering arrest, its impact on the Vietnam War draft, and a restaurant run by Alice Brock in Stockbridge, MA. The song is a popular Thanksgiving tradition often played on radio stations

Paul2026-05-02T09:50:03-04:00

How to play “Three White Horses”

Chords and strumming pattern “Three White Horses. This is a pretty cool tune, and not too difficult to play as a finger-style piece and to accompany yourself while singing. three_white_horses

Bass line
E E E E C C C C G G G G F# F# B B

Intro:
Em — C — G – G/F# – B

Em | C | G | B7/F#
There’ll be three white horses, all in a line
Em C G G/F# B7
There’ll be three white horses in a line
Em C G G/F# B7
Three white horses, when you go that way
Em C G G/F# B7
You will need somebody when you come to die

“It is a funny thing, but when I am making music, all the answers I seek for in life seem to be there, in the music, there are no questions and no need for answers.” – Gustav Mahler

Paul2026-03-17T10:30:51-04:00

How to play “Take it to the limit”

How to play take it to the limit on guitar. Download the chord and lyric sheet here: Take It To The Limit

“Take It to the Limit” is a song by the Eagles from their fourth album One of These Nights from which it was issued as the third and last single on November 15, 1975. It reached No. 4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was also Eagles’ greatest success to that point in the United Kingdom, going to No. 12 on the charts. Billboard ranked it as the No. 25 song for 1976.

The song, written by Eagles members Randy Meisner, Don Henley and Glenn Frey, began as a solo composition by Meisner, who sang lead on it. As it remained unfinished when time came for the One of These Nights album to be recorded, Henley and Frey assisted Meisner in completing it. Meisner’s performance of the song was popular with the audience in Eagles concerts but disputes over his reluctance to perform it would also directly lead to Meisner’s departure from the band.

Composition

According to Meisner, he wrote the first few lines of the song one night while playing an acoustic guitar after returning from the Troubadour; however he was […]

Paul2026-04-18T12:24:40-04:00

Tennessee Waltz simple melody part 1

Tennessee Waltz sheet music and chord chart.

Chords and strumming pattern “Tennessee Waltz”. This is a lovely, stately old tune, and not too difficult to play as a fingerstyle piece. The first video has a simple fingering for the first part of the melody.

If you’re interested in learning guitar or learning to play guitar better, I’m your guy. I live in New Jersey but teach online guitar lessons coast-to-coast. If you’d like to see if I’m a good fit for you, the first online lesson is free! Nothing to lose except a little time, and we’ll both enjoy meeting a fellow guitar enthusiast. Let’s chat!

Paul2026-04-20T16:09:28-04:00

Push Off

push off chord diagrams

“Push Off” is an acoustic ballad by the alternative band The Palms, noted for its focus on piano and layered, emotional vocals. The song explores themes of being overwhelmed by the world. It was featured on Last.fm and reviewed as having a distinct, piano-driven sound. “Push Off” is an acoustic ballad by the alternative band The Palms, noted for its focus on piano and layered, emotional vocals. The song explores themes of being overwhelmed by the world. It was featured on Last.fm and reviewed as having a distinct, piano-driven sound. “Push Off” is an acoustic ballad by the alternative band The Palms, noted for its focus on piano and layered, emotional vocals. The song explores themes of being overwhelmed by the world. It was featured on Last.fm and reviewed as having a distinct, piano-driven sound. How to play “Push Off” by the Palms for easy guitar. You can download the chord chart for this great song below, and view the video for strumming pattern and chord fingering positions. “Push Off” is an acoustic ballad by the alternative […]

Paul2026-04-21T12:56:24-04:00

Hey Jude

Hey_Jude part 1 lesson with Tabs
This video and chart can help you play the melody of “Hey Jude” in the first position. Set your fingers for each chord as the chord charts indicate. Being deliberate about where your fingers go is pretty important for moving ahead with guitar playing! Be patient and enjoy your progress… and your success!

Download chord/lyrics guitar PDF

How to play “Hey Jude” on guitar. This is a great tune for solo guitar and vocal accompaniment! And it’s not too hard to get under your hand. Hey Jude! The Beatles 1968. The song’s original title was “Hey Jules“, and it was intended to comfort Julian from the stress of his parents’ separation. McCartney said, “I knew it was not going to be easy for him”, and that he changed the name to “Jude” “because “I thought that sounded a bit better”.

I think people who create and write, it actually does flow-just flows from into their head, into their hand, and they write it down. It’s simple.

Paul McCartney

Paul2026-04-29T12:43:14-04:00

Nobody Knows You

nobody_knows_you_when_you_re_down_and_out Chord/lyric sheet

“Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out” is a blues standard written by pianist Jimmie Cox in 1923 and originally performed in a Vaudeville-blues style. The lyrics in the popular 1929 recording by Bessie Smith are told from the point of view of somebody who was once wealthy during the Prohibition era and reflect on the fleeting nature of material wealth and the friendships that come and go with it. Since her 1929 recording, the song has been interpreted by numerous musicians in a variety of styles.

“Music is the great uniter. An incredible force. Something that people who differ on everything and anything else can have in common.” – Sarah Dessen

Paul2026-04-18T12:47:12-04:00

Stand by me

Download PDF

“Stand by Me” is a song originally recorded by American singer-songwriter Ben E. King in 1961, and written by him, along with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who together used the pseudonym Elmo Glick. According to King, the title is derived from, and was inspired by, a spiritual written by Sam Cooke and J. W. Alexander called “Stand by Me Father”, recorded by the Soul Stirrers with Johnnie Taylor singing lead.

“Stand by Me” was featured on the soundtrack of the 1986 film Stand by Me, and a corresponding music video, featuring King along with actors River Phoenix and Wil Wheaton, was released to promote the film. The song was also featured in a 1987 European commercial of Levi’s 501 jeans, contributing to greater success in Europe. In 2012, its royalties were estimated to have topped $22.8 million (£17 million), making it the sixth highest-earning song of its era. Fifty percent of the royalties were paid to King. In 2015, King’s original version was inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, as “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”,^[4] just under five weeks before his death. Later in the year, the 2015 lineup of the Drifters recorded it in tribute.

There have been over 500 recorded versions of the song,

Paul2026-05-09T13:08:16-04:00