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Editorβs notes
In this lesson, Iβll teach you how to play βWhere Did You Sleep Last Nightβ as covered by Nirvana in their 1994 unplugged album β in which Iβll show you the chords, strumming pattern, licks & riffs to transition the bass notes, and more. This song originally popularized by Lead Belly many decades before β and a lot of what I show will work if you want to play it like he does. I hope you enjoy!
Video timestamps:
- 0:00 Playthrough & greeting
- 1:24 Quick note about tuning
- 1:46 How to play the chords
- 4:38 Timing & strum pattern
- 5:55 Bass note transitions
Tuning FYI
Note, youβll need to tune down 1/2 step if you want to play along with Nirvanaβs version (theyβre using E-flat tuning). I decided to use standard tuning in my video lesson above. Take note of this in case you want to play along with Nirvana.
Chord progression used for entire song
The entire song uses this one progression, played over and over again. Here, I show 6 counts per measure. Notice that the measure with the A-major and G-major is split between those two chords (3 counts each)β¦ every other measure has 6 counts on the chord in question.
| E . . . . . | A . . G . . | B . . . . . | E . . . . . |
Strumming pattern
Youβll want to use this pattern over and overβ¦
Down... up down up down... up down up down... up down up down...
When counted out, it becomes the following (accent the β1β and β4β counts, both of which are downstrums).
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 +
D U D U D U D U
> >
How to play the chords
This song only uses these 4 chords. There are different voicings you could use for each chord below (Iβll get to that), but letβs use these as a starting point. For the A-major, Iβll typically use my index finger to barre the 2nd fret of the D/G/B strings (and not worry about playing the high E-string).
E βββ0βββββββββ3βββββββββ
B βββ0ββββ2ββββ0ββββ4ββββ
G βββ1ββββ2ββββ0ββββ4ββββ
D βββ2ββββ2ββββ0ββββ4ββββ
A βββ2ββββ0ββββ2ββββ2ββββ
E βββ0βββββββββ3βββββββββ
E A G B
For the E, you have some options. It sounds like Nirvana is playing an E5 or E βpower chordβ where the G string isnβt ringingβ¦ this results in a sound that is neither major nor minor. To do this, I recommend letting one of your ringers rest gently upon the G string so that it muffles the sound (mutes the string). You also could get away with playing an E-minor if you like. Or, if you want to be like the famous blues guitarist Lead Belly who first made this song famous, you can use an E7. Itβs up to you.
E βββ0βββ0ββββ0ββββ0βββ
B βββ0βββ0ββββ0ββββ3βββ
G βββ1βββ0ββββxββββ1βββ
D βββ2βββ2ββββ2ββββ2βββ
A βββ2βββ2ββββ2ββββ2βββ
E βββ0βββ0ββββ0ββββ0βββ
E Em E5 E7
If the B gives you issues, you can do a B power-chord (B5) or do an open shape to play B7.
E ββββββββββββ3ββββ
B βββ4ββββββββ0ββββ
G βββ4βββ4ββββ2ββββ
D βββ4βββ4ββββ1ββββ
A βββ2βββ2ββββ2ββββ
E βββββββββββββββββ
B B5 B7
Bass note exercise
If you really want to nail down the melodic, bluesey bass notes to add some flavor βΒ start by studying this tab. Learn these notes, be able to play them in time. From here, add the full strumming when youβre able.
E |ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|β
B |ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|β
G |ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|β
D |ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|β
A |ββββββββ2βββββ|ββ0βββββββββββ|ββ2βββββββββββ|ββββββββββββββ|β
E |ββ0βββββββββββ|ββββββββ3βββββ|ββββββββ2βββββ|ββ0βββββ0βββ3β|β
β’ β¦ β¦ β’ β¦ β¦ β’ β¦ β¦ β’ β¦ β¦ β’ β¦ β¦ β’ β¦ β¦ β’ β¦ β¦ β’ β¦ β¦
E A G B E
Walking up to the A-major chord
The most distinctive bass note run in the song is probably walking up to the A-major chord, via this quick little lick. This is hard to pull off (it happens very quick)β¦ the key is to use your left handβs middle and ring fingers to play the 2nd and 3rd fret of the low-E string and then immediately playing the A-chord.
E |βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B |βββ0ββββββββββββββββββ2ββββββ
G |βββ1ββββββββββββββββββ2ββββββ
D |βββ2ββββββββββββββββββ2ββββββ
A |βββ2ββββββββββββββββββ0ββββββ
E |βββ0βββββββββββ0h2h3βββββββββ
Spicing up the B-major bass note
In Nirvanaβs intro (without singing) and in my video lesson, you can see how I go down to the low-E string to spice up the 2nd half of the measure with the B-major chord. I do this by using my left handβs index finger to play the 2nd fret of the low-E string (while keeping all other fingers in place). Hereβs the rough tab I use. Watch my video lesson for context!
E |βββ3βββ|βββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ0βββ
B |βββ0βββ|βββββββ4βββββββ4βββββ|βββ0βββ
G |βββ0βββ|βββββββ4βββββββ4βββββ|βββ1βββ
D |βββ0βββ|βββββββ4βββββββ4βββββ|βββ2βββ
A |βββ2βββ|ββββ0ββ2βββββββxβββββ|βββ2βββ
E |βββ3βββ|βββββββββββββββ2βββββ|βββ0βββ
G B B E
Lyrics
E A G
My girl, my girl, don't lie to me
B E
Tell me where did you sleep last night
E
In the pines, in the pines
A G
Where the sun don't ever shine
B E
I would shiver the whole night through
(use these same chords for the entire each verse)
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I'm going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
Her husband was a hard working man
Just about a mile from here
His head was found in a driving wheel
But his body never was found
My girl, my girl, don't lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I'm going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, don't lie to me
Tell me where did you sleep last night
In the pines, in the pines
Where the sun don't ever shine
I would shiver the whole night through
My girl, my girl, where will you go?
I'm going where the cold wind blows
In the pines, the pines
The sun don't shine
I'd shiver... the whole night through
Good luck!
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