They say that two things in life are unavoidable: death and taxes. 

Here’s a song about a guy feeling down from the ladder.

The guitar part blends fun bass lines, swinging rhythms, and even some bluesy chord changes to boot.

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 “Sunny Afternoon” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Sunny Afternoon?

“Sunny Afternoon” was originally written by Ray Davies, the lead songwriter of the English rock band The Kinks. The song’s lyrics have a similar theme to “Taxman” by The Beatles, which was released earlier the same year, 1966. With lyrics like:
The tax man's taken all my dough,” expressing the pain of higher tax bills. 

Davies captures the plight of a man who has lost his fortune and must adjust to a more modest way of living, capturing both humor and a subtle critique of social and economic circumstances. Despite the troubled circumstances, the protagonist in the s...

If you like blending rhythm and lead, then I think you’re going to enjoy this post. 

It’s on a song that’s become a singer-songwriter classic.

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 “Wild World” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Wild World?

Wild World” is a classic acoustic folk tune written and recorded by the English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens (a.k.a Yusuf Islam). It was placed on his iconic album Tea for the Tillerman, released in 1970.

The song sings about a man losing his girl. She extracted all she could from him and then left for greener pastures. Somehow still in love, the man offers her a mixture of well-wishes and cautionary advice. He tries to warn her of the bad out there, and still shows masculine virtue and care for her. 

The story most closely associated with the song's inspiration is the end of Stevens' relationship with American actress Patti D'Arbanville. They had been a coup...

I may die on this hill… but I’ll keep saying it.

The blues is the foundation of rock n roll, and those who master the fundamental principles will only play rock better than those who don't.

Below is another perfect example of this. 

It’s a legendary song from a band that’s been together for (as of this writing) 55 years. 

That’s an incredible feat.

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 “Walk This Way” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Walk This Way?

“Walk This Way” was originally written by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry. Two founding members of the legendary American rock band Aerosmith. It was first released in 1975 on the album Toys in the Attic and has gone on to become one of their most popular songs.

It’s a unique blend of rock and blues. 

The guitars are gritty and funky.

Combined with Tyler’s incredible vocals and sexual lyrics, this song became a huge hit. Tyler has explained the lyri...

Here’s a tune that was first recorded by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos in 1963.

In 1965, the Beatles recorded their version with Ringo Starr singing lead.

Below, I’m going to share some insider tips on the guitar style behind both of these versions.

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

Who Wrote Act Naturally? 

“Act Naturally” was originally written by Johnny Russell and Voni Morrison, two songwriters in the country and Bakersfield, California music scene. The first recorded version of “Act Naturally” was done by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos in 1963. This cut became Owens’ first number one hit on the Billboard Country Singles chart. 

The song has a light-hearted feel, which Ringo Starr later recorded super well with the Beatles. The Beatles’ version appeared on the UK version of Help! in 1965 and catapulted the song’s popularity. It was recorded at EMI Studios in London on June 17, 1965, and went on to become one of Ringo’s sig...

Let’s go back in time to the ‘90s…

Here’s a song from a landmark album from Alanis Morissette. 

You only need a handful of chords to play it. 

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 “Ironic” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Ironic?

“Ironic” was originally written by Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette and guitarist-producer Glen Ballard. The song has a catchy, pop-rock sound to it, and was released in 1996 as the third single off the album Jagged Little Pill. 

“Ironic” was recorded primarily at Westlake Recording Studios in Los Angeles. Morissette and Ballard worked closely on the arrangement, crafting a radio-friendly structure that highlighted her quirky, yet expressive vocals. It starts off with a simple acoustic guitar played without a pick. And then kicks into a full rock band sound.

Upon release, “Ironic” soared up to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and became one of Morisse...

Last month we lost a legend…

RIP Ozzy Osborne.

So below, I’m going to share with you some insider tips on the guitar style behind one of his most legendary songs with Black Sabbath. 

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

Who Wrote Paranoid

“Paranoid” was originally written by all four members of the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath: Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. 

The story is quite interesting… 

You see, they had just finished recording their second album, Paranoid. But their producer, Rodger Bain, said it wasn’t quite long enough and needed one more song. 

So Tony Iommi came up with the opening guitar riff and basic structure in about 20 minutes. Then, the rest of the band came together to finish it off and record it immediately.

Here’s the kicker, though…

It was meant to be a filler track for the album, but when the label heard it, they went against the band’s wishes and renamed the whole album af...

Behold… One of the smoothest songs of the ‘80s.

It’s about a Playboy who's got a shiny exterior but leaves behind a trail of broken hearts. 

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

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

Who Wrote Smooth Operator?

“Smooth Operator” was originally written by Nigerian-British singer-songwriter Sade Adu and Ray St. John. The song sings the story of a smooth and sophisticated man who travels the world and seduces women.  

It was recorded in London during sessions for Sade’s debut album Diamond Life. “Smooth Operator” was released in 1984 as a single and quickly became one of the band’s most famous tunes. The track is heavily jazz-based. The chords have a sophisticated sound blending elements of soul, pop, and R&B. The production is also features Stuart Matthewman on saxophone. This combination of understated instrumentation and Sade’s warm, controlled voice ...

Here’s one of Cyndi Lauper’s biggest hits.

It’s a powerful ballad that later became an important crossover tune between pop and jazz. 

There’s only a handful of chords you’ll need to know.

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

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

Who Wrote Time After Time?

“Time After Time” was written by American singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper and musician Rob Hyman. It was released in 1983 as part of Lauper’s debut album She’s So Unusual. 

The story behind “Time After Time” is quite lucky.

You see, Lauper had essentially finished recording her debut album with hits like "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" and "She Bop" already in the can. But producer Rick Chertoff felt the record was short just one more song. The initial inspiration for the title came when Lauper saw an ad in the TV Guide for the 1979 science fiction film Time After Time, starring Malcolm McDowell as...

Here’s a song that transports you to another world!

John Lennon himself described it as “cosmic” songwriting.

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 “Across the Universe” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Across the Universe?

“Across the Universe” was originally written by John Lennon. However, it is credited to the Lennon/McCartney songwriting partnership. During this time Lennon had been exploring Eastern spirituality, and the song’s most prominent lyric, “Jai Guru Deva Om” is a Sanskrit phrase which means "Victory to the divine teacher" or "Hail the divine guru".  

This phrase was used by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Lennon’s spiritual teacher. The lyric is sung over and over, giving it a mantra-like effect set to music. Lennon later described “Across the Universe” as a piece of “cosmic” songwriting. It was one of his favorite songs. 

The first studio recording was made in February 1968 at Abbey Roa...