beginner rock songs

[roscoepwavetrain]

i've played the guitar for 35 years and picked up the mandolin this year.

after i dug deeper into mandolins featured in rock songs (there are several awesome lists on this website) i started thinking about rock songs that would be work with a bluegrass edge or basically played with a mandolin. also, i have a really deep voice, so i was also looking for stuff i could sing and the songs below fit that bill.

so what follows is a list of some songs that a beginner could play (those i've put the chords by them) and then some that are more intermediate or advanced but within grasp of someone wanting to learn.

lastly, youtube is a great source and frankly someone, somewhere, has covered these songs (and then some) and they are on that site at least in live form. good luck and have fun!!

beginner songs:
Tulsa Time (i like the don gibson version and that's G - D, clapton plays it A - E7)
Knocking on Heavens Door (G - D - A7, play this one slow and sort of "plucky")
Shady Grove (jerry garcia did it, sort of rock-related, Dm - C - F)
Wagon Wheel (not rock per se, but popular with rock fans, G - D - Em - C)
Still haven't found what i'm looking for (U2, C - F - G)

more advanced:
copperhead road - steve earle (really not hard if you take your time to learn)
losing my religion - REM (solid song and everyone knows it)
turn the page - bob seger (not "hard" but depends on what key/tempo you play it in)
tonights the night - neil young (ok, probably not for everyone but i like it).

again, not an all inclusive list, but just something to get folks thinking and playing. i've gotten a lot from this site and thought i'd through this out there.

[Ben Cooper]

good suggestions. I like Mary Janes Last Dance, Comes A Time, Margaritaville (ok, not rock), Stuck in the Middle with You, Dead Flowers, etc...

[roscoepwavetrain]

haha, finally got a reply to my post!!

[Artie1957]

Copperhead Road was my first conquest. Losing My Religon was second.
Nice list BTY!

[crisscross]

With our little acoustic trio "Kitchen kings" we do a version of Elton John's "Rocket man".
On the mandolin I play simple two finger chords

http://www.guitaretab.com/j/john-elton/9429.html
I don't play the sus chords, only major and minor.

[parttimepicker]

If I may, here's a tutorial for Sweet Home Alabama I did:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kk2a7YdAVXY

[spufman]

Short but sweet (I always thought): Poco's Us. Love the mandolin & electric bass interplay.

[farmerjones]

Y'know I play a lot of James Taylor stuff. Eagles, Jackson Brown, and Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young. What I've found is the actual chord progressions are pretty straight forward, but often the keys are goofy. Or they use some sort of goofy tuning so you can't rip it off. Well, I know the stuff well enough that whatever I try is going to be in D or G to start with. The actual recorded tune may be in F demolished. I don't care. I'll still move a tune to a any number of keys later, but that part of a tune/song is quite
malleable to me. Good Luck!

[Themis Paraskevas]

Johnny B. I was listening to it shortly after I picked up the mando and I realised there s some mandolin in it! Also check out Dropckick Murphys-Rose Tattoo. Not a classic but nice tune.

[lflngpicker]

"Mr. Bojangles" got me started on the mandolin, then "Ho Hey" by the Lumineers, and the third one was "Jamaica, Say You Will" by Jackson Browne (not so easy but a great tune).

[darrylicshon]

My wife and i play shady grove , i will solo on a lot of rock songs she plays on guitar , really like doing some Neil Young sobgs

[Barry Wilson]

D, C, G
Can't you see, blue on black, midnight rider, sweet child, every rose has it's thorn, wanted dead or alive... lots

[crisscross]

D, C, G

if you manage to throw in an occasional F, you can add "Sweet home Alabama" to the list.

With E and A added:"Hey Joe"

[David L]

the OP lists "Knocking on Heaven's Door" as G - D - A7. It is actually G - D - Am - - G - D - C.

[Ben Cooper]

D, C, G
Can't you see, blue on black, midnight rider, sweet child, every rose has it's thorn, wanted dead or alive... lots

LOL, will now start playing those too!

[Ed Goist]

Long May You Run, Neil Young

Oh, another fun Neil Young jammer is Cortez The Killer, especially when you have someone to share leads with. (For the leads just play any combination of notes out of the Em Pentatonic scale: E G A B D E

The chords are:
EM --> D --> Am7 (1) --> Am7 (2) [repeat forever ]

Em = 0-2-2-0
D = 2-0-0-2
Am7 (1) = 2-2-3-3
Am7 (2) = 2-2-3-5

[Ben Cooper]

Surprised no one has mentioned Like a Hurricane. Another fun Neil Young jam tune. I believe most of it is Am G F Em G and the chorus is C G F G C F G to F (to some where safer where the feelings stay.... ) Am G F Em G. Or at least that is the way I play it....

[Ed Goist]

Surprised no one has mentioned Like a Hurricane. Another fun Neil Young jam tune. I believe most of it is Am G F Em G and the chorus is C G F G C F G to F (to some where safer where the feelings stay.... ) Am G F Em G. Or at least that is the way I play it....

Great suggestion! I tabbed this one out too. It's not "spot on", but doesn't sound too bad. Enjoy!

[Ben Cooper]

Great suggestion! I tabbed this one out too. It's not "spot on", but doesn't sound too bad. Enjoy!

Thanks Ed! I will try the chords you tabbed out. Probably closer than my "ear". THis one just has so many opportunities for give and take you know? Trading portions of the jam solos is a lot of fun on this.