# G Em C D : Greatest Hits **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576 "2011-02-16T13:18:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/1 "2011-02-16T13:18:12Z")
I’ve been teaching my friend’s 9 year old son to play guitar. We’ve been working on chords for a while now and he’s gotten to the point where he’s pretty good with G Em C D. He even makes changes from one chord to the next fairly well. So, I want to teach him to play through a song that uses those chords. A song with all four of those chords would be best, but a good G C D song would be a good start as well. I’d like to limit selection to songs that are already in the key of G, so that he can better hear how what he is playing matches the song. Preferably in 4/4 or 3/4. A song that, as recorded, is strummed on an acoustic guitar would be great but that point is entirely unnecessary. More important is to pick something he knows.[ul] [li]Trendy Recent Stuff[/li][li]Beatles, he knows the Beatles fairly well[/li][li]The Monkees, he knows alot of Monkess songs as well.[/li][li]Bob Dylan, he’s _pretty good_ in his knowledge of Bob Dylan but not nearly as much as the above.[/li][li]Bob Marley, again _pretty good_ in his knowledge here.[/li][li]Anything you think a 9 Year old might know from simple cultural osmosis.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Crotalus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crotalus/32/41_2.png) [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/2 "2011-02-16T13:29:29Z")
Octopus’s Garden by the Beatles and Every Breath You Take by the Police are pretty well-known I VI IV V progression songs. Octopus’s Garden may actually be in G, but I don’t think EBYT is. Stand By Me is another well known I VI IV V song. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/3 "2011-02-16T13:34:05Z")
To help you locate songs of that type, you might investigate [Turnaround (music) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnaround_(music)) first. Blue Moon Heart and Soul Free as a Bird ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/4 "2011-02-16T13:48:18Z")
Show him [The Axis of Awesome](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1fQ1P4Mwlc&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/5 "2011-02-16T14:18:07Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > To help you locate songs of that type, you might investigate [Turnaround (music) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnaround_(music)) first. > > Blue Moon > Heart and Soul > Free as a Bird I must apologize for my suggestions! My “home base” for the turnaround changes is in C as opposed to G and I misread your sequence to be a key change from C Am Dm G (I-vi-ii-V). So those tunes I mentioned would fit better with G-Em-Am-D. However, I did see [http://www.guitarnoise.com/forums//viewtopic.php?f=8&t=47816](http://www.guitarnoise.com/forums//viewtopic.php?f=8&t=47816) which may help some. And the Wiki article I thought I had linked to is at [Turnaround (music) - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnaround_(music)#Typical_turnarounds) ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/6 "2011-02-16T14:33:31Z")
Thanks all. Just want to note that choices needn’t be limited to the classic G Em C D progression, just that those chords be the only chords in the song. A song that might have a G C D verse or a G D C D verse, then with the Em appearing in the chorus would work. Really anything with those chords no matter what order. If “Octopus’s Garden” is in G (I’m not near an instrument right now), that might be perfect. I’m almost certain he knows that one. **Zeldar** , your wiki link is great- it’s just one click away from [this one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/50s_progression), which is the mother load. Keep the suggestions coming- they’re very much appreciated! ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/7 "2011-02-16T15:13:13Z")
With or Without You by U2 is really similar, except it goes G D Em C. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/8 "2011-02-16T18:38:24Z")
**Brown Eyed Girl** -Van Morrison **Willin’** -Little Feat, perhaps a bit obscure for him, and you might not like some of the lyrics. **Wish You Were Here** , does add an Am, but only once, and it’s an easy transition from the C chord. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/9 "2011-02-16T18:41:25Z")
Tom Petty’s Free Fallin’ is simple to play and follows that progression. Problem is, you’ll need a capo on, I think, the second fret. It’s been awhile. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/10 "2011-02-16T18:47:50Z")
Indigo Girls’ “Joking” is that 4 chord progression throughout the entire song played at a frenetic strum pattern. Very easy (actually, all the rhythm guitar stuff written by Amy Ray is easy chords). ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/11 "2011-02-16T19:44:03Z")
Dylan has a lot of great songs with simple chord structures. You can play “Mr. Tambourine Man”, “Blowin’ In The Wind”, and “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” with those four chords. I don’t know what key they’re in on his records, but hey… that’s what capos are for… really, I would introduce the young man to the capo ASAP, as it will greatly increase the number of songs he can play along to while staying in the key of G. ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Chews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Monkey\_Chews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Chews)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/12 "2011-02-17T00:53:36Z")
[Joey](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdpTcvSn8HQ) by Concrete Blonde which is G Em C D all the way through, with a slight change of order at the end of the chorus. Also **The Ship Song** by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. ---
**Author:** ![theoldman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b782af/32.png) [@theoldman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theoldman)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/13 "2011-02-17T01:35:43Z")
off the top of my head these dylan songs use those particular chords: License to Kill Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright (put the capo on 6) Abandoned Love Boots of Spanish Leather Girl From the North Country possibly It Ain’t Me Babe and When the Ship Comes In (but those may have a Bm) song from other artists that come to mind: Redemption Song - Bob Marley Lodi - CCR Handle With Care - Travelling Wilburys. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd (though there’s an Am) ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/14 "2011-02-17T01:40:27Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > Dylan has a lot of great songs … “Love Minus Zero/No Limit” Love that one. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/15 "2011-02-17T02:17:38Z")
Thanks everybody! His mom cancelled this week’s lesson so I have another week to figure it out. As soon as I picked up the guitar I realized “Octopus’s Garden” isn’t in G. There’s got to be some Monkees songs, right? He loves The Monkees. “I’m a Believer” is almost all G C D and would be great- but he’s not quite ready for the F Chord in the chorus. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/16 "2011-02-17T02:31:42Z")
Yeah, “Octopus” is in E. I know it’s a piano-based song, but “Crocodile Rock” is in G, and it follows G-Em-C-D in the verses and in the “La, la la la la…” part. The only time it changes is the “pre-chorus”, I guess you’d call it, the “Crocodile rockin’ was something shockin’…” part. ---
**Author:** ![JXJohns](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jxjohns/32/469_2.png) [@JXJohns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JXJohns)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/17 "2011-02-17T02:36:12Z")
Hootie and the Blowfish: Let Her Cry Hannah Jane Eagles: Already Gone Peaceful Easy Feeling ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/18 "2011-02-17T03:03:40Z")
Steve Earle’s Guitar Town and Tom Ames’ Prayer. CCR: Who’ll Stop the Rain ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/19 "2011-02-17T03:12:48Z")
> [@JXJohns](#): > > Peaceful Easy Feeling A7 in the chorus. ---
**Author:** ![kevlaw](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kevlaw/32/2281_2.png) [@kevlaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevlaw)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2011, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576/20 "2011-02-17T03:14:30Z")
Bob dylan’s Billy from the pat garret soundtrack. It’s my favourite warm up song. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/g-em-c-d-greatest-hits/571576.md?page=2)