Acoustic Hits Spotify Playlist

Although the recording may sound like a 12-string, its chorus-y tones actually come from Kerry and fellow guitarist Rich Williams playing standard- and Nashville-tuned acoustics at once. When Noel Gallagher jotted down the four chords that make up Wonderwall, little did he know that every beginner acoustic guitarist for the rest of time would start out strumming his song. The recorded version of the song itself, which appeared first on Young’s classic ’72 album Harvest, comes from a live performance at UCLA’s Royce Hall. An uncharacteristic ballad amongst the reggae icon’s catalogue, Redemption Song is also something of an anomaly amongst Bob Marley songs as it features no musicians other than Bob himself on guitar and vocals. But pernickety instrument choices aside it’s hard to think of a brighter, more open and whole-hearted strumalong than this 1991 seemingly shiny-happy crossover from a band better known for their darker side.

Nick Drake – Pink Moon

Freddie’s performance here is vulnerable, hurt and hopeful all at once – and then there’s the guitar work. Brian May’s playing is nothing short of majestic, the perfect accompaniment to a perfect vocal. The success of Yesterday had a profound musical impact on The Beatles, who would soon begin experimenting with different sounds, instruments and varying configurations of the band.

Arguably, the studio recording is trumped by the Unplugged version, but either way it’s one of old Slowhand’s best. Throw in a positively biblical Rick Rubin arrangement and you’re looking at a career-defining performance from a then 70-year-old Cash. When it first appeared, it was widely assumed that the lyrics concerning a “poor boy” who arrives in New York City were about Bob Dylan. While Simon has gone on record as saying that the song is largely autobiographical, Dylan seemed to prefer the first explanation, as he covered The Boxer on his 1970 album, Self-Portrait.

On 1968’s the White Album, George Harrison, penning such beauts as While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Piggies and Savoy Truffle, was giving John Lennon and Paul McCartney a serious run for their money. A year later, on Abbey Road, he damn near left them in the dust with gems like Something and the eternal ode to warm-weather optimism, Here Comes The Sun. Lyrically, McCartney wrote music for events in the UK Blackbird as a response to the growing civil rights tensions in the United States. “‘You were only waiting for this moment to arise’ was about, you know, the black people’s struggle in the southern states, and I was using the symbolism of a blackbird,” McCartney said.

In this case, Young composed the song after witnessing the drug addiction of his Crazy Horse bandmate Danny Whitten. And while its mandolin origins drive the song’s chords, melody, and reason for being, all the rhythm and life comes from the blustery swept-in acoustic work providing a brilliant rhythmic counterpoint to the precise picking elsewhere. So if you’re a new player looking for ammo or simply a lover of music in its purest form, join us for a deep dive into the 40 best acoustic songs of all time. Harrison wrote the song in his friend Eric Clapton’s garden while playing hooky from attending Apple meetings. Breezy, sweet but not saccharine, and loaded with melodies, the track features multiple time signatures (4/4/, 7/8 and 11/8) and several different acoustic applications by Harrison, including one capoed at the 7th fret (resulting in the key of A major). Considering the tragic circumstances surrounding this song, it’s hard to understand how Eric ever played it to anybody at all, never mind recorded and toured it.

Stevie Ray Vaughan – Life By The Drop

Finally, producer George Martin suggested that McCartney perform the song solo on an Epiphone Texan steel-string acoustic. Afterwards, Martin convinced a reluctant McCartney to allow him to add a string quartet as backing. A solo acoustic-folk performance by Paul McCartney, with the Beatle gently plucking a moveable, two-finger pattern on a Martin D-28 that was inspired by Bouree In E Minor by Bach. The only other sounds on the track are McCartney keeping time by tapping his feet, and some soothing bird chirps that came courtesy of a sound effects collection. Needle And The Damage Done can be counted as a major cornerstone in the great lineage of touching acoustic songs written about the perils of heroin abuse.

• Yes, it probably is, and aside from its prose-worthy lyrics, Bob’s Celtic-rooted strumathon is notable for a chord progression that we’d be quite happy to hear looped round until the end of time.
• Sweary John, angry John, Dylan-channeling, three-chords and an acoustic John, is the best version of Lennon post-Beatles, if you ask us (which you didn’t, but there you have it).
• So while it’s probably possible to count the members of the Mr Big fan club on a horse’s foot, and this much derided classic represents one-hit-wondership at its most genre-defining and bafflingly wonderful, it remains the perfect pick-up and play campfire classic.
• Although the tune was written by Doyle Bramhall and Barbara Logan, Stevie’s heartfelt vocals and soulful embellishments make this ode to a life spent in the shadow of the bottle very much his own.

Performed by the original artists but presented in a whole new light, these pop hits have been stripped back to their bare, beautiful essence—evocative vocals and absorbing melodies—without losing any of their impact. Some of the most evocative tales are told with little more than the voice and a piano or acoustic guitar. Today’s best singer-songwriter fare—whether emotive and pop-leaning or rustic and folky—doesn’t need heavy production and layers of instrumentation to make an impact. Neil Young chalks up his biggest hit to the result of a back injury. Unable to stand for long periods of time and finding his electric guitars too heavy, Young found it easier to play acoustics while seated – Heart Of Gold is one of several gentle acoustic songs he wrote in 1971.

Recorded after a period of personal tragedy, Clapton’s Unplugged album ended up being one of the most successful of his career. Apparently, sometime Stones ivory tinkler Ian Stewart refused to record the piano part because of his dislike of minor chords. Yes, it probably is, and aside from its prose-worthy lyrics, Bob’s Celtic-rooted strumathon is notable for a chord progression that we’d be quite happy to hear looped round until the end of time. Forget Madonna’s ill-advised cover (in fact, we apologise for reminding you of it) – Don McLean’s original take on his acoustic opus will stand for all time as the definitive recording of it.

May You Never is the sound of a tough man with a bruised heart, which is about as complete a description of John Martyn as we can summon. A rare acoustic cut from the Strat icon, Life By The Drop sees SRV don a 12-string for a shimmering blues shuffle. American Pie’s lyrics have been analysed in all manner of quarters, but predictably, the best explanation of the song’s meaning came from McLean himself. “It means I don’t ever have to work again if I don’t want to,” he’s said to have quipped. It’s impossible to untangle the enigma of Nick Drake’s life from the music of the man, but Pink Moon bears its mythic resonances lightly. ’ additions to our all-acoustic 40 that – well – we just couldn’t resist.