The Mod Generation

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Help! Which Mod songs are good to play on guitar as a learner?

My son 13 year old Morgan is trying to learn guitar and asked me to post this question. He asked me how easy it would be to learn 'That's Entertainment' and what other 'Mod' songs he should try to learn.

I reckon 'That's Entertainment' would a perfect song to learn, but not playing guitar myself, I couldn't give him a good answer of other good tunes.

So in your opinion, which Mod / sixties songs are good to learn to play as an absolute beginner? Really want to encourage him on this so your ideas would be great.

A future Weller awaits your suggestions!

 

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Permalink Reply by Charlotte & Michael on August 2, 2011 at 19:33

Good advice. Thanks!

Permalink Reply by clark robertson on August 2, 2011 at 11:41

yep good starting point mate.thats entertainment ,bit of rythum and a few chords. try try g emin . amin f the chords init 

Permalink Reply by Charlotte & Michael on August 2, 2011 at 19:34

Thanks. He really wants to get it nailed, but has such a very long way to go.

Permalink Reply by gem on August 2, 2011 at 16:36

louie louie , wild thing ,red red wine,, all ,D,G and A,,ifyou want ,go on to youtube and type "how to play " then the song name ,you should find loads of songs all simplified ,from the jam ,the who ,any band really ,,dont buy " burt weedon ,play in a day " took me 3yrs to suss how to play " bobby shafto" ;)

Permalink Reply by Charlotte & Michael on August 2, 2011 at 19:37

Play in a day? I remember that. Michael and Morgan had made a pact to learn That's Entertainment by the time we get back from our holidays. Was that a pig just flew past the window??

Permalink Reply by Micheal on August 2, 2011 at 18:00
Found this really easy song Peggy Sue not mod i know, but the great feeling you get when you can play a recognisable tune & a great tune at that, this guy breaks everything down without all the jargon that ultimately put me off at first & stopped me playing for a good while if he practices this everyday for half an hour he'll be playing it within a week with his eyes closed, Not long till he'll be playing My Generation.

Chords are A D E & F

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQc3dN92yvg
Permalink Reply by Charlotte & Michael on August 2, 2011 at 19:40

Thank you! Great advice. Nothing wrong with 'Peggy Sue' by the way...!

 

Permalink Reply by Paul D,Angelo on August 2, 2011 at 18:31

Most Rock & Roll based stuff is easy, and some R&B, There are some good music books out now, with good stuff in them, in my day it was Michael row the boat ashore, and Claire de lune, don,t know how I got to be in a pro outfit, it was so boring!!!! 

Permalink Reply by Charlotte & Michael on August 2, 2011 at 19:45

Thanks Paul. You are right.

Permalink Reply by gem on August 2, 2011 at 18:52

at the minute im learning "dear prudence" its in drop D it uses "travis picking " or claw hammer ,its a bugger to get the hold of ,the chords are easy enough ,it comes out of the blue but when you concentrate on it you loose your train of thought ,but ill get the frigger

Permalink Reply by Charlotte & Michael on August 2, 2011 at 19:42

Good luck on Prudence. Thanks Gem!

Permalink Reply by The Collectors on August 4, 2011 at 23:52

Loads of the blues based/R'n'B songs can be played in three easy chords (generally E, A and B - but if you're rubbish on the guitar, like me, then D, G and A, a capo and other easy chord shapes works).  Like the comment earlier about nursery rhymes.  I have a friend, Brian McDade who launched a guitar learning book based on childrens songs he wrote as part of childrens book.  Brian plays blues and Americana mainly in his own songs.  However, if you listen to the piano chords of Marvin Gaye's 'Can I Get A Witness', not to mention 'Everybody Needs Somebody (to love)' and the theme to Sesame Street, you soon realise they are very similar in structure!  So, kids songs and R'n'B aren't really that far away. 

 

When it comes to many earlier Who, Kinks, Georgie Fame (sorry, I play keyboards, not guitar), etc. it's the same: very easy chords, normally with the occasional minor or seventh thrown into the mix.  Playing the cords to many of these songs is quite straight forward.  Getting the riffs and melodies/lead guitar parts is where it becomes difficult.

 

Beware Weller, though.  Even though many of The Jam's songs (especially early ones) appear simple, the actual chord progressions can be difficult.  A lot of his later work (even in The Jam, let alone Style Council or solo work) was written on/with a piano and the chords can be quite obscure even though the song sounds simple (e.g. 'English Rose' or even 'You Do Something to Me').  I say this, however, as a keyboard player and can't confirm it through trying: like I said, I'm a three chord strummer on the guitar, so some of the more obscurely shaped piano chords may actually be easier on the guitar. I'm not sure.

 

Good luck to your son!  Though as Steve Temple wrote above, look out for him trying to learn the last bit of 'My Generation', unless you fancy re-mortgaging the house! 

 

Keep the Faith,

Paul

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