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Editorβs notes
In this lesson, Iβll teach you how to play βLA Freewayβ by Guy Clark. In this lesson, I focus primarily on the fingerpicking riff heard in the intro and verse of the song. Iβll explain the chord shapes needed and show you how to practice this song, step by step, to be able to play it fully. I hope this is helpful!
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Playthrough & greeting
- 1:53 capo 2nd fret
- 2:06 Simple strum-along version
- 2:35 Riff overview
- 5:37 Riff, step 1 (chords only)
- 6:12 Riff, step 2 (melody notes)
- 10:35 Riff, step 3 (bass notes)
- 11:39 Riff, step 4 (filler notes)
- 12:17 Some practice advice
Capo 2nd fret
To play along with Guy Clark (and my video lesson), youβll need a capo on the 2nd fret.
Chord progressions
From a high level, the song looks like this. Three chords are all youβll need βΒ assuming we suppose that D, D7, and D7/F# are all the same thing. If you want a strum-along version, use these progressions and youβre good to go.
Intro/Verse/Outro
G . . . G . . . C . . . C . . .
G . . . G . . . D7 . . . D7 . . .
Pre-Chorus
G . . . D7 . . .
Chorus
C . . . D . . . G . . . C . . .
G . . . G . . . D . . . D . . .
Chord shapes (simple)
If you want easy, simple-as-possible versions of the chords, use these shapes. These will let you strum along with the song without any problem. Note, Iβll cover the more advanced chord voicings (used for the riff further down on this page).
E βββ3βββ0βββ2βββ2ββββ
B βββ3βββ1βββ3βββ1ββββ
G βββ0βββ0βββ2βββ2ββββ
D βββ0βββ2βββ0βββ0ββββ
A βββ2βββ3ββββββββββββ
E βββ3ββββββββββββββββ
G C D D7
Lyrics w/ chords
G
...Pack up all your dishes
C
...Make note of all good wishes
G
...Say goodbye to the landlord for me
D7
...That son of a bitch has always bored me
G
...Throw out them LA papers
C
...And that moldy box of vanilla wafers
G
...Adios to all this concrete
D7 G D7
...Gonna get me some dirt road back street
C D
If I can just get off of this LA freeway
G C
Without getting killed or caught
G
I'd be..... down that road in a cloud of smoke
D
For some land that I ain't bought bought bought
And it's... here's to you old skinny Dennis
Only one I think I will miss
I can hear that old bass singing
Sweet and low like a gift you're bringin'
Play it for me just one more time now
Got to give it all we can now
I believe everything your saying
Just keep on, keep on playing
[chorus]
And you put the pink card in the mailbox
Leave the key in the old front door lock
They will find it likely as not
I'm sure there's somethin' we have forgot
Oh Susanna, don't you cry, babe
Love's a gift that's surely handmade
We've got something to believe in
Don't ya' think it's time we're leavin'
[chorus x2]
Pack up all your dishes
Make note of all good wishes
Say goodbye to the landlord for me
That son of a bitch has always bored me
[repeat instrumental verse as desired, end]
Chord shapes used in the riff
If you want play any semblance of the riff heard in the intro and verse, youβll want to play these chords as follows. The reason why: so your hands are in the appropriate position to play the melodic notes you will need to add as per the riff. See my video lesson for reference.
E ββββββββ
B βββ3ββββ <-- left pinky finger
G βββ0ββββ
D βββ0ββββ
A βββ2ββββ <-- left middle finger
E βββ3ββββ <-- left ring finger
G
E βββ3ββββ <-- left pinky finger
B βββ1ββββ <-- left index finger
G βββ0ββββ
D βββ2ββββ <-- left middle finger
A βββ3ββββ <-- left ring finger
E ββββββββ
C
E ββββββββ
B βββ1ββββ <-- left index finger
G βββ2ββββ <-- left ring finger
D βββ0ββββ
A βββ0ββββ
E βββ2ββββ <-- left middle finger
D7/F#
Learning the intro & verse riff
1. Understand the structure
First, understand the timing of things. Youβll be on each chord for two measures (i.e., 8 counts). Understand that the following is the core structure βΒ or βskeletonβ, if you willΒ β of this riff. All the flourish weβll add later is the muscle and skin, etc. Such a weird metaphor, but hey.
E ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
B ||ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ1ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G ||ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D ||ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
A ||ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E ||ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
B -|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ1ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
G -|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
D -|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
A -|ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
E -|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
G D7/F#
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
2. Add the melody notes
Using the chord shapes above as a starting point, next work on the main melody notes. Keep your left hand in the chord-shape positions. See my video for reference here.
E ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββ3βββ3βββββββββ3βββ3βββ2β0ββββββ|β
B ||ββββ3βββ3βββββββββ1β0ββββββββββββββ|ββββ1βββ1ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G ||ββββ0βββ0βββββββββββββββ2βββ0ββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
A ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E ||ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββββββ||
B -|ββββ3βββ3βββββββββ1β0ββββββββββββββ|ββββββ1β0β1β0βββββββ3βββ1βββ0ββββββ||
G -|ββββ0βββ0βββββββββββββββ2βββ0ββββββ|ββββββββββββββ2βββββββββββββββ2β0ββ||
D -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
A -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
E -|ββ3ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
G D7/F#
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
3. Add the repeating bass note of each chord
If you want to get extra fancy, can you alternate the bass note for each chord (e.g., jump from the 6th string to 5 string, repeating over and over⦠this is tough but sounds great).
E ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββ3βββ3βββββββββ3βββ3βββ2β0ββββββ|β
B ||ββββ3βββ3βββββββββ1β0ββββββββββββββ|ββββ1βββ1ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G ||ββββ0βββ0βββββββββββββββ2βββ0ββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
A ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3ββββ|β
E ||ββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3ββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββββββ||
B -|ββββ3βββ3βββββββββ1β0ββββββββββββββ|ββββββ1β0β1β0βββββββ3βββ1βββ0ββββββ||
G -|ββββ0βββ0βββββββββββββββ2βββ0ββββββ|ββββββββββββββ2βββββββββββββββ2β0ββ||
D -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
A -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
E -|ββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3ββββ|ββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2ββββ||
G D7/F#
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
4. Add filler notes
Finally, insert additional filler notes where you can, if you wish. Basically, the idea is to always be playing something β to create a nice and full sound.
E ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββ3βββ3βββββββββ3βββ3βββ2β0βββ0ββ|β
B ||ββββ3βββ3βββββββββ1β0ββββββββββββββ|ββββ1βββ1βββ1βββ1βββ1βββ1ββββββββββ|β
G ||ββββ0βββ0βββ0βββ0βββββββ2βββ0βββ0ββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
D ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
A ||βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3ββββ|β
E ||ββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3ββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
G C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
E -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββββ0ββββββββββββββββββ||
B -|ββββ3βββ3βββββββββ1β0ββββββββββββββ|ββββββ1β0β1β0βββββββ3βββ1βββ0ββββββ||
G -|ββββ0βββ0βββ0βββ0βββββββ2βββ0βββ0ββ|ββββ2βββββββββ2βββββββββββββββ2β0ββ||
D -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
A -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ||
E -|ββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3βββ3ββββ|ββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2ββββ||
G D7/F#
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Good luck!
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