The ULTIMATE “Mary Had A Little Lamb” Chords & Guitar Lesson

This ain't your typical nursery rhyme about an innocent little lamb. 

It’s a legendary blues song that started with Buddy Guy and exploded with Stevie Ray Vaughan.

In this post, I’m going to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind it. (Both Buddy Guy’s and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s versions.)

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Mary Had A Little Lamb” chords and guitar lesson!

Who wrote Mary Had A Little Lamb?

“Mary Had a Little Lamb” (not the nursery rhyme) was originally written by blues legend Buddy Guy. He released his version in 1967, and it’s got a classic, funky, Chicago blues feel. 

Then, later in 1983, Stevie Ray Vaughan recorded an epic blues guitar version for his debut album, Texas Flood. This album was recorded at Jackson Browne’s personal studio in Los Angeles in late 1982. They banged the entire record out in just a couple of days. The sessions were largely live in the studio, capturing the raw chemistry between Vaughan and Double Trouble, his rhythm section, which at that time consisted of bassist Tommy Shannon and drummer Chris Layton. 

Vaughan took Guy’s classic and amped it up with more blues-rock intensity and ferocious guitar chops. It’s got a tight funky groove. 

Texas Flood, the album featuring “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” is one of the most iconic blues albums of all time. 

Although “Mary Had a Little Lamb” was never released as a major standalone single, it became a staple of Vaughan’s live performances and is a must-know tune for blues guitar players.  

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Mary Had A Little Lamb?

The tuning for "Mary Had A Little Lamb” as recorded by Buddy Guy is standard tuning. Standard tuning is spelled: E, A, D, G, B, and E. 

Here are the strings:

• E (6th string, lowest pitch)
• A (5th string)
• D (4th string)
• G (3rd string)
• B (2nd string)
• E (1st string, highest pitch) 

However, to play along with Stevie Ray Vaughan’s version, he tuned down ½ step. This changes the strings too: 

• Eb (6th string, lowest pitch)
• Ab (5th string)
• Db (4th string)
• Gb (3rd string)
• Bb (2nd string)
• Eb (1st string, highest pitch) 

All right! 

Now that you know the tuning(s) for “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” let’s next talk about…

Mary Had A Little Lamb Chords

To play “Mary Had A Little Lamb”, as recorded by Stevie Ray Vaughan, you only need to know 3 main chords (plus 1 variation) they are E7, A7, B7, and E7#9. It’s really just a simple blues song using the I, IV, and V. Then, we have a variation on the I chord (that extra E7#9). 

Let’s take a look at a few ways these shapes might show up on the fretboard.

E7 uses all 6 strings and has a great open sound:

A7 is one of the bluesiest shapes of all time. I play it like this:

B7 is played from the 5th string down in open position like so:

Finally, we have E7#9, which is sometimes called the Jimi Hendrix chord. I play it like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard for RHYTHM and LEAD guitar, and want to discover the easiest and fastest way. Then get your hands on my free Fretboard Guide PDF right here now:  

Is Mary Had A Little Lamb hard to play on guitar?

I would say playing “Mary Had A Little Lamb” on guitar is going to require an advanced skill level. The trickiest parts are the funky rhythms, the constant switching of rhythm and lead, and of course all the wailing licks throughout the whole song. Getting these things right requires an extreme about of blues guitar skill. So, take your time with this one.

What key is Mary Had A Little Lamb in?

“Mary Had A Little Lamb”, as recorded by Buddy Guy, is in the key of E major. The primary scale for the song would be the E major scale, which is built using the notes E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, and D#.  

The song is a blues in the key of E major. It uses the 3 main chords you’ll see in a blues commonly referred to as the I, IV, and V chords.

Let’s take a closer look at how these chords relate in the key of E major. Starting with…

E7

Notes: E, G#, B, D

Function: This is the I7 chord, the tonic of the key in a blues context. Unlike a straight major chord, the dominant seventh adds tension and a raw, gritty blues feel right at the home base. 

A7

Notes: A, C#, E, G

Function: A7 is the IV7 chord in E blues. Moving from E7 to A7 gives you a classic forward motion while still staying in the key of E blues. The minor seventh (G) adds that bluesy color, and it naturally wants to resolve back to E7 or push toward the V7 chord.

B7

Notes: B, D#, F#, A

Function: B7 is the V7 chord in E blues. This is the dominant that creates strong tension, driving the listener’s ear back to the tonic E7. The D# acts as a leading tone to E, and the chord’s natural dominant seventh character adds energy making it essential for the classic blues resolution.

E7#9

Notes: E, G#, D, G

Function: E7#9 is a variation of the tonic I chord with a raised ninth (G) added to the E7. This is often called the “Hendrix chord” . The #9 is a bitter, dissonant sound. But it’s perfect at the same time. 

Together, these chords form the backbone of a traditional E blues progression.

All right!

That’s my theory breakdown. 

Next, let’s look at…

What is the strumming pattern for Mary Had A Little Lamb?

The main underlying feel for “Mary Had A Little Lamb” is a funky 16th note boogaloo-style blues groove. In 4/4 time, 16th notes divide each beat into four equal parts, creating a quicker, more flowing rhythm. The counting for 16th notes in a measure looks like this:

1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure. The "e," "&," and "a" divide each beat into four evenly spaced subdivisions.

When counted out loud, it sounds like: 

"One-ee-and-a, Two-ee-and-a, Three-ee-and-a, Four-ee-and-a."

Here’s an example of a strumming pattern in the style of “Mary Had A Little Lamb” :

Conclusion

To wrap it up, Buddy Guy’s and Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Mary Had A Little Lamb” is not some innocent nursery rhyme. It’s a mighty blues groove with real some grit and world-class blues guitar playing.  

Keep practicing, and if you want to learn songs way faster, better understand the fretboard for lead and rhythm, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide here right now: 

Jon MacLennan