Quick And Easy Stuck In The Middle With You Chords & Guitar Lesson

Ever been at a party and stuck in the middle of an awkward conversation? 

This can be quite uncomfortable, and that’s where the inspiration for this song came.

It only uses a handful of chords. Below I’m going to break down a couple of ways to play it – easier to advanced.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this "Stuck In The Middle With You" chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Stuck In The Middle With You?

"Stuck in the Middle with You" was co-written by Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan, two members of the Scottish band Stealers Wheel.

The song’s inspiration came from an awkward industry party hosted by their record label. They were at this party and feeling out of place. They took their discomfort and channeled it into the lyrics which poke fun at the superficiality of the music industry. The chorus, "clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right," reflects their sentiments of being caught between insincere individuals. 

“Stuck In The Middle With You” was released as a single in 1973 and quickly climbed the charts. It reached No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and No. 8 on the UK Singles Chart. 

The recording took place in 1972 at Apple Studios in London. It was produced by the renowned duo Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who were known for their work with artists like Elvis Presley. 

The song sold over a million copies and was certified gold. Its enduring popularity was further cemented when director Quentin Tarantino featured it in a memorable scene in his 1992 film "Reservoir Dogs," introducing the track to a new generation and solidifying its place in pop culture. 

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Stuck In The Middle With You?

The tuning for "Stuck In The Middle With You”, as recorded by Stealers Wheel is a bit complicated. You see, there are multiple guitar parts. One is tuned down a whole step. 

When tuning your guitar down a whole step, each string is lowered by two semitones. 

Here's how the strings will look after tuning down: 

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

Make sure to adjust your tuning carefully to achieve these pitches. Tuning down a whole step can give your guitar a darker and deeper tone.

There is also another guitar tuned to some form of D . Here is a lesson in that vibe: 

However, the easiest way to play it is standard tuning. Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE.  

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) 

Let’s next take a look at the… 

Stuck In The Middle With You Chords

To play “Stuck In The Middle With You” on guitar you only need to know 5 main chords they are D, G, A, C, and G7. Let’s take a look at a few ways the “Stuck In The Middle With You” chords can be played on the fretboard.

D is played in open position from the 4th string down like this:

G is played using all 6 strings like this:

A is played from the 5th string down like so:

C is played from the 4th string down like this:

Finally, G7 is a variation on the G chord above and uses all 6 strings like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard and want to learn it the simplest and fastest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

All right! Now that you know the "Stuck In The Middle With You” chords, let’s next talk about… 

What key is Stuck In The Middle With You?

"Stuck In The Middle With You" as recorded by Stealers Wheel is in the key of D major. The main scale for the song is the D major scale which uses the notes: D - E - F# - G - A - B - C#.

If you looked at that scale in the form of intervals it would be:

Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole 

Here’s a simple way to play this scale on the fretboard in 9th position: 

Here’s a quick breakdown of how each chord functions in the key:

D Major (I chord)

• Notes: D, F#, A
• This is the tonic chord in the key of D major. It serves as the home base or root of the key.
• Built on the 1st degree of the scale.
   

G Major (IV chord)

• Notes: G, B, D
• This is the subdominant chord in D major. It creates movement away from the tonic and toward resolution.
• Built on the 4th degree of the scale.
  
  

A Major (V chord)

• Notes: A, C#, E
• This is the dominant chord in D major, it’s built on the 5th scale degree.
• It often creates a strong pull back to the tonic chord. with a G to create an A7 (dominant 7th) chord for a stronger pull to the tonic.
  
  

C Major (♭VII chord)

• Notes: C, E, G
• This chord is borrowed from the mixolydian mode (D mixolydian: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C) and is not diatonically part of the D major scale.
• It introduces a bluesy, folk, or rock flavor and creates a modal or borrowed harmony.

G7 (IV7 chord)

• Notes: G, B, D, F
• This chord is a dominant 7th chord based on G. While a plain G major chord (IV) fits diatonically in D major, G7 includes the note F, which is not in the D major scale (it’s a flat 7th in relation to G).
• G7 introduces a bluesy or jazz-influenced sound.

So, that’s the theory, but all that info doesn’t mean a thing without a good…

Stuck In The Middle With You Groove & Strumming Pattern

The main underlying feel for “Stuck In The Middle With You” is a driving 8th note groove. In 4/4 time, 8th notes divide each beat into two equal parts.

Counting 8th notes out loud should be solid and even:

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure.

The "&" represents the subdivision between each beat.

When counted out loud, it sounds like:

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

This is the motor of the song. However, when strumming “Stuck In The Middle With You” I would use a combination of 8th notes and also muted percussive strums like this:

Conclusion

To wrap it up, “Stuck In The Middle With You” is a great party song that could be a hit with your audience. Whether you are using an alternate tuning or keeping it in standard, it’s a ton of fun to play.

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

Jon MacLennan