Three Chord Songs – 10 Essential Songs You Must Know

Three Chord Songs – Three Little Birds – Bob Marley

Bob Marley is known for writing bright, positive songs which lift your mood.

Although his three chord songs are simple, they’re perfect for beginners who want to play music as quickly as possible!

The chords for this song are:

• A.
• D.
• E.

Here’s what those chords look like:

To play this song, here’s what each section looks like:

Here’s the song for context:

Of course, if you find each of these chords difficult, you can also use stepping-stone versions.

Those chords are:

• Asus2.
• Dsus2.
• E7.

Here’s what those chords look like:

Three Chord Songs – La Bamba – Ritchie Valens

‘La Bamba’ originates from mexican folk music however it was made famous by the great Ritchie Valens.

Of all the three chord songs it’s certainly one of the catchiest which makes it a perfect addition to any guitarists repertoire! Here are the chords for this song:

As this is one of the easiest three chord songs in this list, you’ll be pleased to know that the chords are exactly the same all the way through.

Here’s how to play each of those chords together:

• Play C twice.
• Play F twice.
• Play G four times.

The strumming pattern for this song is very similar to the one from ‘Twist and Shout’, so if you want to add a little variety to your strumming you can play the exact same pattern from ‘Twist and Shout’ and it’ll work beautifully.

Listen to the song here:

These chords are tough, any easier ones?

These chords can be tricky for some beginners, so if you’re struggling with these chords you can use these ones instead:

• Cmaj7.
• Fmaj7.
• G6.

Three Chord Songs – Chasing Cars – Snow Patrol

When it comes to three chord songs, ‘Chasing Cars’ by Snow Patrol is simply one of the best.

Gaining fame as one of the most played songs on british radio, it’s simplicity and catchy melody are what make this song one of the greatest three chord songs around.

Here are the chords:

To play this song, all you have to do is this:

• Play the A chord 16 times.
• Play the E chord 16 times.
• Play the D chord 16 times.
• Play the A chord 16 times.

When changing between these chords make sure that you ‘lead’ with your first finger.

Your first finger is the strongest finger, so the more you can use it, the easier the chord changes will be!

Alternatively, you can also use these stepping-stone versions:

Here’s the track:

Although there are some fantastic songs here, there are more loads songs out there to learn.

If you’re stuck for inspiration, check out this epic list from Rolling Stone magazine:

500 Greatest Songs of All Time

Three Chord Songs – Happier – Ed Sheeran

Ed Sheeran is one of the world’s best selling artists. Sheeran has sold over 150 million records and most of his singles have been three chord songs!

Surely, that’s proof that you don’t need to know loads of chords to be a hit singer-songwriter.

‘Happier’ was the 5th and final single off his ‘Divide’ album and is perfect for beginners because:

• The structure is really simple.
• It only uses Am, F and C.
• It’s the perfect song to chill out too if you’re having a bad day!

You can watch Ed Sheeran play this song live here:

Here are the chords:

To play this song, play the chords in this order:

• Am x2.
• F x2.
• C x2.

As always, this song has some tricky moments in, especially that pesky F chord.

If you want to make this song easier, you can swap out any of the chords with the stepping-stone versions.

Those chords are Am7, Fmaj7 and Cmaj7 and you can see those chords here:

Three Chord Songs – Sunday Morning – Maroon 5

Over the past 20 years Maroon 5 have released hit after hit.

• From the album ‘Songs About Jane’ to ‘V’, Maroon 5 have developed a unique sound which combines guitars and electronic synth sounds.
• One of their best three chord songs is ‘Sunday Morning’. It’s perfect to play if you want to kick back and relax with your acoustic guitar.

The chords are:

• Dm.
• G.
• C.

Here’s what those chords look like:

To play this song do the following:

• Play Dm.
• Then G.
• Then C.

As this song is fairly chilled the best way to play this song is to play the chord once and hold it for four beats. That means that each chord would go like this:

1 2 3 4 | 1 2 3 4 | 1 2 3 4 | 1 2 3 4 |

Dm      | G          | C         | C          |

Notice how we hold the C chord for twice as long. If you find these chords tricky, you can try these alternative stepping-stone chords:

To play these chords along with the song, all you have to do is play the same strumming pattern from before. To play along with the song, play these easier chords in this order:

• Dsus2.
• G6.
• Cmaj7.

If you want to download all of the chords we’ve discussed in today’s lesson, download the PDF here:

Three Chord Songs

How do I perfect these three chord songs?

Learning songs is hard, there’s no hiding that.

However, to help you out, here are 5 essential tips that will make your guitar life easier.

Tip #1 – Learn Each Chord First

Even though it may sound obvious, learning each chord first before you play along with the song is the best way to learn music.

If you have a solid foundation of the chords, learning the song will become much easier.

Tip #2 – When Changing Chords Lead With Your First Finger

Changing between chords is hard, it can be really tough to remember where your fingers need to go.

However, the best way to change chords is to lead with your first finger. Your first finger is the strongest out of all your fingers and works as an ‘anchor’ for the rest of the chords to hang on to.

Tip #3 – Squeeze Your Hand Between Each Chord Change

When practicing chords, squeeze your hand after each chord change. This engages your muscle memory and allows you to remember the change at a faster pace.

However, when you do this, make sure that each chord is correct. If you don’t do this, you’ll be teaching your hands to remember the chord incorrectly!

Tip #4 – Learn The Song In Sections

Often, it can be overwhelming to learn the whole song in one go. However, a great way to learn a song is to break it into smaller chunks.

You may want to learn a song in this order:

• Intro chords.
• Intro chord changes.
• Intro strumming pattern.
• Verse chords.
• Verse chord changes.
• Verse strumming pattern.
• Chorus chords.
• Chorus chord changes.
• Chorus strumming pattern.
• Bridge chords.
• Bridge chord changes.
• Bridge strumming pattern.
• Play the whole song!

Notice how we’ve built up each section gradually, by doing this you’re giving yourself little victories. This allows you to divide the song up into more manageable chunks.

Tip #5 – Practice To A Track

When learning songs, it’s so important that you play to the track. Playing to the track is not only fun but also gives you an indicator of how well you’re doing.

For example, you may find your strumming is fine but your chord changes aren’t. Therefore, it makes sense to go away and practice your chords a little more before attempting again.

What next?

If you’ve enjoyed this lesson, you may like some of these other lessons:

• 10 Easy Songs On Guitar
• Guitar Tabs For Beginners: 20 Easy Songs That Sound Great
• What’s The Best Beginner Guitar?
• What’s The Best Beginner Guitar?
• 14 Easy Guitar Chords For Beginners
• Acoustic Guitar Lessons: A 10 Step Program For Rapid Progress
• How To Strum A Guitar
• Learning To Play Guitar – 10 Easy Steps For Beginners
• How To Read Guitar Chords: An Essential Guide