If you are a Fab Four fan and an aspiring guitar player, then you’ll enjoy in our list of easiest Beatles songs to play on guitar.
The argument as old as time. Who is better: the Beatles or the Rolling Stones? These two bands are not only among the greatest music acts in the history but also 2 bands that became synonyms for rock music (and The King of course). I am a bit stretched on this topic. While I like songs from The Beatles more, the overall feel of dirtier, extravagant and electric of the The Rolling Stones also appeals to me. If you want to crunch it into numbers, then there is no doubt. The Beatles are the biggest music act in the history. They sold close to 300 million records (verified) while the actual sales might have been closer to 600 million. Then you have multiple chart records and what not. And all of that in 10 years.
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Of course, you know the story. The band is successful, has millions of fans – there comes a woman – band splits up. I think lots of people share my opinion that Yoko Ono is to blame for why The Beatles split up. Get this. Although all band members agreed that there are no wives or girlfriends in the studio, Lennon would bring Ono to White Album studio sessions and argued she should give her artistic input to the album. This, of course, didn’t sit well with the rest of the band, and Lennon became distant. Yes, I know lots of other factors contributed to the breakup, but let’s all agree Yoko is one to blame. Although, in the end, it was maybe for the best. This way we saw that the members of the Beatles were great musicians also as individuals.
Let’s talk about playing songs from the Beatles on guitar real quick. There is a distinctive difference between the songs from the band’s early career and the ones that they played later. The earlier songs are without any doubt easier to play. The guys didn’t complicate much at first. The rock music was in its early beginnings, so it was important to keep it simple. Later, they used more complex techniques and experimented with different sounds, making the songs harder to play for others. I think this is something most bands tend to do. When they struck gold and become famous, then they get bored and look to challenge themselves and their fans. Also keep in mind that The Beatles used to record multiple versions of one song, sometimes making them sound completely different, so always stick to the album versions. Since you are already here, I guess you like classic rock. If that’s true, then check out our list of Easiest Classic Rock Songs to Play on guitar.
When it comes to creating the list of easiest Beatles songs to play on guitar, I’ve relied on multiple websites like Beginner Guitar Lessons and Gibson including few YouTube tutorial videos while also reading forum topics on Reddit, DM Beatles, and Beatle Links. I looked for the songs that were recommended the most by other guitar players as the easiest to play from The Beatles. Since I also play guitar for a long time, I know the opinions can be subjective when it comes to the complexity of playing a particular song. So, I’ll immediately admit I have been a bit subjective, since there were few songs that had the same amount of recommendations, and I’ve moved up the ones I thought were easier. If you disagree with some of the entries on the list, please share your thoughts with us in the comment section. Let’s now check out the list.
10. Helter Skelter
If you are an occasional the Beatles fan, chances are you might not be familiar with this one. As I mentioned in the intro, the Beatles turned to experimenting in the later stages of their career and so Helter Skelter was born. The song is much faster and “dirtier” than you would expect but isn’t too hard to play. You just have to pay attention to these E chord variations. The interesting thing about the song is that people tend to describe it as the “first heavy metal song” in the history.
9. Yellow Submarine
As you can see, all you will need are a group of basic chords. The strumming pattern will need some practice, but the song is rather simple and repetitive, especially in the chorus part. The basic idea when the band wrote the song was to create a tune for children. This, of course, didn’t stop media to interpret the song as having a political or social message. The lead vocals were sung by the band’s drummer Ringo Starr, rather than Lennon or McCartney.
8. Get Back
Few simple chords are all you’ll need to play this entry on our list of easiest Beatles songs to play on guitar. It is intended for the electric guitar, but that shouldn’t stop you from playing it on the acoustic guitar. Although it has just the basic chords, you’ll need some time to get it right. If you are a beginner, you may want to skip the licks featured at the end of the each verse. Since the song was written mostly by McCartney and recorded towards the band’s breakup, Lennon always thought Get Back contains some subtle attacks on Yoko Ono.
7. You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away
Chords: Dsus4, Fadd9, C/E, C, D/C, D/A, D/A, G/D
Although this song number 7 on our list of easiest Beatles songs to play on guitar is slower and rhythm is simple, I still think the more complex chords make it hard to play especially for the beginners. Still, it was often recommended, so I listed it. I have provided the most accurate chords, but if you have troubles, there are plenty of simpler versions. It won’t sound like the original, but it should do.
6. Across The Universe
Chords: D, Bm, F#m, Em7, A, A7, D, Gm, A7sus4, G
Are you comfortable with barre chords? If not, then playing Across The Universe that ranks 6th on our list of easiest Beatles songs to play on guitar will be a tough challenge. As you can see, there are lots of chords featured in the song, chord change isn’t ideal, but the song is slow and has a simpler strumming pattern. In the chords link provided, you’ll also find tabs for the short picking intro.
5. Eight Days a Week
Chords: D, E/D, G/D, E7, G, Bm, A
This is a really fun song to play. Playful, cheerful and you’ll most certainly enjoy it. There are some strange chord variations that may scare the beginners, but trust me, it isn’t a big deal. At the end of the day, you can always find a simpler interpretation. Although the song charted very well and became quite popular, the band never thought highly of it and never performed it live. It was only in 2013 when McCartney featured it on some of his live shows.
4. Eleanor Rigby
It can’t get any simpler with this entry on our list of the easiest Beatles songs to play on guitar. It only uses two chords, although you should use the variations of Em chord if you want to get it as accurate as possible. Melody is really catchy and the strumming pattern isn’t hard. Although Lennon claimed that he wrote the entire song except for the first verse, the truth is that he didn’t contribute anything big. Thought you’d like to know this.
3. Let It Be
This is one of the most popular songs from the band, and amazingly, even beginners can play it with ease. Although there are some occasional twists, you won’t have any problems since the strumming pattern is repetitive and basically, you just need to change chords with moderate speed. The chords distribution is more or less the same through the whole song. And now, let’s see the top two on our list of easiest Beatles songs to play on guitar.
2. Twist and Shout
Straight from the band’s first album, comes basically three chords song, not counting the A chord variation. All you need to do is play A7, D, G, A in that order for each verse line. I kid you not, that is the entire requirement for this song, from the beginning to the very end. Just listen to it few times to catch the strumming pattern correctly. It will also sound great if you just play a regular A chord instead of A7. The song isn’t the Beatles original, dating back to 1961 when it was first recorded by The Top Notes, vocal rhythm, and blues group.
1. Love Me Do
After the 10th time, someone recommended Love Me Do as one of the easiest Beatles songs to play on guitar, I’ve stopped counting. There is no doubt that majority of the guitar players think this song can be played even by people who take the guitar for the first time in their hands. Ok, you’ll have to know the basics, but the rhythm is super easy and the chords distribution is the same on all verses. You’ll just have to change it a bit on the bridge. The song was written by McCartney when he was 16 years old, and the Beatles recorded three versions, with each of them featuring a different drummer.
