My Girl Chords & Guitar Lesson (The Temptations)

Is she the ONE?

Well, here’s a classic Temptations song about just that.

A young couple in the throes of love. The opening guitar riff is one of the most famous riffs ever and is instantly recognizable.

Below, I’m going to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind it.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “My Girl” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote My Girl?

“My Girl” was written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White. They were both members of The Miracles, another vocal group also signed to Motown Records in Detroit, Michigan. 

Smokey Robinson had David Ruffin in mind, the Temptations’ lead singer, when he wrote the song. He knew about his soulful, gospel-influenced voice and thought it would be a perfect match for this song. 

Robinson was RIGHT!

You see, at Motown, there were songwriters and producers for other artists, all working together, creating a ton of hits. The Temptations recorded “My Girl” at Hitsville U.S.A. (Motown’s Studio A in Detroit, Michigan) on September 25, 1964, with Smokey Robinson as producer.  

The rhythm section was The Funk Brothers, Motown’s legendary house band:

* James Jamerson on bass 

* Robert White on guitar (who played the iconic opening riff) 

* Benny Benjamin on drums 

* Earl Van Dyke on keyboards 

The horn section was overdubbed later.

“My Girl” was released as a single on December 21, 1964, and became The Temptations’ first #1 hit. 

From there, as they say, the rest is history.

“My Girl” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998, ranked on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and even preserved by the U.S. Library of Congress in the National Recording Registry for its impact.

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for My Girl?

The tuning for "My Girl," as recorded by The Temptations, is standard tuning. Robert White kept things simple. 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) 

All right!  

Now that you know the tuning for “My Girl”, let’s next talk about…

My Girl Chords

To play “My Girl”, as recorded by The Temptations, you’ll need to know 7 main chords they are C, F, Dm7, G, Cmaj7, F/G, and G7. All these chords I play as bar chord shapes. If bar chords are giving you all kinds of aches and pains, and you haven’t yet discovered how to play them effortlessly, go here: https://www.jonmaclennan.com/7mistakes 

Sure, you could substitute open (campfire) chords where possible. However, these chord voicings below fit the R&B style better. Let’s take a look at a few ways these shapes can be played on the fretboard. 

C is played as a bar chord in 3rd position, and on the middle strings like this: 

F is played in 5th position on the middle strings as well, like so:

Dm7 is a jazzier style chord played in the same position as F, like this:

G simply shifts F up 2 frets like this:

Cmaj7 is a beautiful variation on the C bar chord above. I play it like this:

F/G creates a lush, suspended sound. I play it using my fretting hand thumb on the 6th string. However, you can play the same chord without the “thumb-over” technique as well like this:

Finally, G7 is played as a bar chord in 3rd position using all 6 strings like so:

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 My Girl hard to play on guitar?

I would say playing “My Girl” on guitar is going to require a solid intermediate to advanced skill level. The song only uses a couple of chords. But the player must be able to switch from rhythm to licks and even make a key change at the end. So, take your time with this one. 

What key is My Girl in?

“My Girl,” as recorded by The Temptations, is in the key of C major. However, at the end of the song, it modulates up to D major. But the primary scale used in the song is the C major scale, which is built with the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. 

Let’s take a look at how these chords relate in the key of C major.

C (C major)

Notes: C, E, G

Function: This is the I chord (tonic) in C major. It’s the tonal center and sounds like “home”. 

F (F major)

Notes: F, A, C

Function: This is the IV chord (subdominant) in C major. It creates movement away from the tonic and often leads back to C or to G for tension and release.

Dm7 (D minor 7)

Notes: D, F, A, C

Function: This is the ii7 chord (supertonic minor 7) in C major. It’s commonly used to lead to the V chord (G) in a ii–V–I progression, adding smooth, jazzy movement.

G (G major)

Notes: G, B, D

Function: This is the V chord (dominant) in C major. It creates tension that wants to resolve back to C, giving a strong sense of direction in progressions.

Cmaj7 (C major 7)

Notes: C, E, G, B

Function: This is an extended I chord in C major. The major 7th (B) adds a jazzy, dreamy, or smooth flavor while still functioning as the tonic.

F/G (F over G)

Notes: G, F, A, C

Function: This is a slash chord: an F major chord with G in the bass. Functionally, it acts like a suspended dominant or tension chord. It’s a sophisticated and beautiful sound.

G7 (G dominant 7)

Notes: G, B, D, F

Function: This is the V7 chord (dominant 7) in C major. The minor 7th (F) increases tension, making the resolution to C (I) stronger and more satisfying.

Note: After all these chords are played in "My Girl", it then modulates up to the key of D major. This means all of the chords shift up 2 frets.

All right!

So that’s the theory. Next, let’s look at…

What is the strumming pattern for My Girl?

The main underlying feel for “My Girl” is a pop, R&B feel. The guitar strums a lot of 8th notes. In 4/4 time, 8th notes divide each beat into two equal parts, creating a driving, steady rhythm like this: 

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & 

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure, while the "&" represents the offbeats that add energy and momentum.

When counted out loud, it sounds like:

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

This gives a strong and consistent forward motion to the tune. Here’s an example of a “My Girl” style strumming pattern:

Conclusion

Bottom line, “My Girl” is a crowd-pleaser. I’ve played it more times than I can count at bars, clubs, weddings, private events, the works. It’s a classic tune every guitarist should know, and it offers a lot to learn from and advance your 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