Sure, the Beatles were excellent songwriters and entertainers. However, have you ever stopped to examine their guitar work? Do you know that the Beatles actually had 3 great guitar players-George, John, and Paul-all of whom frequently switched off on guitar? If you want to fully understand how the Beatles approached the instrument, you should learn several Beatles songs by each Beatle guitarist. Also, you'll want to learn both acoustic and electric-based songs. To help you along, I've made a list of the songs to start with. I’ve chosen some electric and some acoustic songs. I've even chosen some songs by Paul, some by George, and some by John. It wasn't easy to meet this criteria--especially because there are so many great Beatles songs to choose from. 1. Yesterday The guitar player on this mostly-Paul McCartney created tune is, not surprisingly, Paul McCartney. During this recording, he plays acoustic guitar as he sings; no other Beatles play on this recording--the 1st time that that took place. (The strings were added in after the fact as an overdub.) Yesterday is considered the most covered track in rock 'n roll history, and it isn't actually terribly challenging to perform. It is a great choice for a Beatles acoustic guitar tune to add to your set list. For the advanced guitar players, Yesterday is a superb study in Paul McCartney's ballad guitar method. It has some striking chord changes, superb rhythm, and some very good guitar licks for those people who pay special attention to each phrase. Since it's so accessible and familiar but still sounds so wonderful, it ranks at the top of my list. Song 2. Hard Day’s Night A Hard Day's Night was written by Lennon. He composed the song in record time (during the night) to ensure he would provide the title song for the movie. The principle electric guitar work on the recording is performed by George Harrison...but that consists of the intro and the outro. An excellent groove is maintained by John Lennon's acoustic guitar part. The song A Hard Day's Night opens with an Fadd9 chord played on George's twelve string electric. Simultaneously John and Paul come in as well, providing a jangly, arresting opening to the Lennon original. This song (as well as the motion picture) prompted a whole age group to pick up an instrument and create their very own band. This song ranks on my list because it is a great deal of fun to jam along with. Even while the middle section of the song is designed for acoustic guitar strummers, electric guitarists will enjoy playing along with the introduction and outro section (and the guitar solo). 3: I Want To Hold Your Hand I Want To Hold Your Hand is easily among my favorite Beatles tunes. It really is pure excitement and it's probably the best of the early Beatles songs. According to John, I Want To Hold Your Hand was a true face-to-face collaboration. This track is undoubtedly lots of fun to spend time playing on guitar. The mix makes it much easier to play simply because it pans George Harrison's six string to one side and John's guitar to the other ear. Also, the energy of the song is incredible. Song 4. While My Guitar Gently Weeps The track has various layers of guitars, including acoustic and electric rhythm guitars in addition to Eric Clapton's weeping electric guitar solos. This song makes my "best of" list because of its tasty licks and its iconic sound. If you haven't heard it, you should definitely check out the performance of this song from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame DVD where it performed by Dhani Harrison (George's son), Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne and Prince. Talk about a supergroup! Prince's solo is unbelievable! I'd definitely recommend that you check it out. 5: Blackbird Blackbird is a McCartney tune that features Paul performing and performing acoustic guitar all at once. The only percussion on the tune is Paul's boot. McCartney is actually tapping his foot to keep the time, and it is by design captured on the recording. The acoustic guitar work on this song is well-suited for intermediate and advanced guitarists. However, if you'd like to play Blackbird just like Paul does (i.e. not simply strumming the chords), you may find it to be a bit too difficult for beginners. It's a great showcase of the arpeggiated style Paul developed on while in India with the Maharishi.
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