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Author Topic: What was the first song you learned how to play?  (Read 13625 times)

ataylor

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What was the first song you learned how to play?
« on: February 21, 2012, 09:29:03 PM »
The "first guitar" thread got me thinking about this.

The first song I tried to learn how to play was either "Fire and Rain" or "Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor. We grew up with JT (and Disney) on family trips, and my dad had a songbook with notes and chords. I couldn't figure out how to play either for the life of me so I gave up.

I was really into Oasis at the time, so I tried "Wonderwall" instead. Much easier. I still have a soft spot in my heart for that song, although these days I play it more like Ryan Adams does. Even Noel Gallagher admitted Ryan's version is better... :)

Just for fun, here's a link to a version I recorded for my wife a few years ago for Valentine's Day. I play it much better now than I did 12 years ago! It kind of borrows from both the Oasis and the Ryan Adams version. Just me, my Taylor, and a little reverb. :)

http://soundcloud.com/ataylor1983/wonderwall
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Jannie

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2012, 11:20:39 PM »
A cowboy song, The Streets of Laredo, I have no idea why other than I was taking lessons and maybe the instructor chose it.
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darylcrisp

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2012, 11:23:15 PM »
Dust in the Wind, by Kansas.

I grew up on this band and loved that song-it was one of the reasons i wanted to learn to play guitar. My teacher was a very cool and excellent teacher and on day one we simply jumped into it.
With that song i learned to read tabs and use both hands.
Now it took me a long time to get it down and moving, but it came eventually.
d
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Tammany Tiger

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #3 on: February 21, 2012, 11:39:53 PM »
Quote from: ataylor on February 21, 2012, 09:29:03 PM
The "first guitar" thread got me thinking about this.

The first song I tried to learn how to play was either "Fire and Rain" or "Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor. We grew up with JT (and Disney) on family trips, and my dad had a songbook with notes and chords. I couldn't figure out how to play either for the life of me so I gave up.

I was really into Oasis at the time, so I tried "Wonderwall" instead. Much easier. I still have a soft spot in my heart for that song, although these days I play it more like Ryan Adams does. Even Noel Gallagher admitted Ryan's version is better... :)

Just for fun, here's a link to a version I recorded for my wife a few years ago for Valentine's Day. I play it much better now than I did 12 years ago! It kind of borrows from both the Oasis and the Ryan Adams version. Just me, my Taylor, and a little reverb. :)

http://soundcloud.com/ataylor1983/wonderwall

Just lovely. Great job!
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Tammany Tiger

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #4 on: February 21, 2012, 11:42:13 PM »
Take It Easy.

It's the anthem of a generation, after all.
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bloosman1

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2012, 01:07:02 AM »
Peter Gunn, then House of the Rising Sun.
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Igniten

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2012, 01:58:02 AM »
Tom Dooley ;D

I really hate that song now
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Steve

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2012, 03:05:03 AM »
Helpless - Neil Young
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Sa

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2012, 05:03:35 AM »
My first song was "Hey Joe" but that was on bass. Later my first on acoustic was Peaceful Easy Feelin'. Still love that song! It does give me that feelin'
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S MS Picker

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2012, 06:31:04 AM »
"Please Be With Me" from Duane Allman"Anthology".Written by Scott Boyer of Cowboy I believe.
Steve
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cigarfan

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2012, 07:02:08 AM »
Was a long time ago but I think it was Teach Your Children by Crosby Stills Nash Young.
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gdeleo

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #11 on: February 22, 2012, 09:01:21 AM »
My first song was brown eyed girl.  Still play it for my grand children.  They love to dance to it.  Although I am not much of a singer, my wife sometimes likes to sing it while I play.
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Gutch

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #12 on: February 22, 2012, 09:27:49 AM »
I wanna say it was 'Take It Easy'.  There were the obligatory Mel Bay standards like 'Frankie and Johnny' and such, but The Eagles tune was the first real song...
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markallen

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #13 on: February 22, 2012, 09:52:56 AM »
Red River Valley. It was either the two chord version or the MUCH harder three chord version. I had just turned 45 years old and purchased a nice guitar on Craigslist. Sat on the edge of the bed every evening for a week trying to make my fingers bend and contort in ways they never had done before in my lifetime. Became so frustrated I thought for sure that nice guitar was going to fly out a window. Funny thing is, even after all the frustration including putting the guitar away for a couple months at a time, it kept calling back to me that first year and finally I broke down and let it become part of my life. Now almost 10 years later, I'm very thankful for this benevolent taskmaster being part of my life.
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Roseadi

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Re: What was the first song you learned how to play?
« Reply #14 on: February 22, 2012, 10:35:58 AM »
Probably like most kids of the early 60's. it was House of the Rising Sun. Very easy to learn and play badly! Then I started learning PPM tunes and the world of finger picking opened up.
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