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Editorβs notes
In this video Iβll teach you how to play βBanana Pancakesβ by Jack Johnson - complete with chords, strumming pattern, and intro tab. This is one of my favorite Jack Johnson songs to play, even though it requires quite a bit of practice to get down smoothly! I hope this lesson helps.
Lyrics w/ chords
MAIN RIFF
e βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ5ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ5ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββ
G βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ5ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ4βββ
D ββββββββββββββββββββββββxββ5βββββββββββββββββββββββββββxββ3βββ
A ββββββ5βββββββββββββββββxββ7βββββββββ5βββββββββββββββββxββ5βββ
E ββ/7βββββ7ββ5ββ3ββ0ββ5ββxββ5βββββ/7βββββ7ββ5ββ3ββ0ββ3ββxββ3βββ
Am7 G7
INTRO
riff β Am7 ... riff β G7 ....
(riff) Am7
Well, canβt you see that itβs just raining
(riff) G7 D7
There ainβt no need to go outside... but baby,
VERSE
G7 D7 Am7 C7
You hardly even notice... when I try to show you this
G7 D7 Am7 C7
Song is meant to keep you... from doing what youβre supposed to
G7 D7 Am7 C7
Waking up too early... maybe we could sleep in
G7 D7 Am7 C7
Make you banana pancakes... pretend like itβs the weekend
CHORUS
Am7 (riff) G7
Now... and we could pretend it all the time, yeah
G7 (riff) Am7
...... canβt you see that its just raining
Am7 (riff) G7 D7
...... there ainβt no need to go outside... but just maybe,
Laka ukulele, Mama made a baby
Really donβt mind the breakfast βcause youβre my little lady
Lady, lady love me, βcause I love to lay here lazy
We could close the curtains, pretend like thereβs no world outside
We could pretend it all the time
Canβt you see that itβs just raining
There ainβt no need to go outside
BRIDGE
Am7 G7
Ainβt no need, ainβt no need... Hmmmm, hmmmm mmmm...
Am7 G7
Canβt you see, canβt you see... Rain all day and I donβt mind
Am7 D7
The telephoneβs singing ringing, its too early donβt pick it up
Am7
We donβt need to, weβve got everything we need right here
D7
And everything we need is enough
Bm
Just so easy when the whole world fits inside of your arms
Em D C
Do we really need to pay attention to the alarm
G7 D7 G7 D7
Wake up slow, hmmm mmmm, wake up slow... but baby,
You hardly even notice... when I try to show you this
Song is meant to keep you... from doing what youβre supposed to
Waking up too early... maybe we could sleep in
Make you banana pancakes... pretend like itβs the weekend now
And we could pretend it all the time, yeah
Canβt you see that its just raining
There ainβt no need to go outside
Ainβt no need, ainβt no need
Rain all day and I really, really, really donβt mind
Canβt you see, canβt you see
You gotta wake up slow
Chord progression cheat sheet
The two progressions used for most of the song look like this. Note how in the verse, youβre on each chord for 2 counts. In the chorus and bridge, you stay on each chord for 8 counts.
Verse:
"You hardly even notice..."
G7 D7 Am7 C7
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Chorus and bridge:
"Telephone is ringing singing, it's too early don't pick it up"
"We've got everything we need right here, and everything we need is enough"
Am7 D7
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
"It's so easy when the whole world fits in your arms..."
Bm Em D C
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
"Wake up slow, wake up slow"
G7 D7 G7 D7
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
How to play the chords
Here are how to play the guitar chords used in this song, notably in the bar chord style that Jack Johnson uses. Note, these are tough β especially if your goal is to play the entire song (muscles can get tired). If you donβt know barre chords yet, see the net section. Also - you can omit the β7β note of each of these chords if you want (e.g., turn G7 into a G). Iβm including them here because thatβs how Jack Johnson plays most chords in most songs - but it isnβt truly required in a strict sense.
e ββββ3βββββ5βββββ5βββββ3βββββ7βββββ7βββββ
B ββββ3βββββ7βββββ5βββββ5βββββ7βββββ8βββββ
G ββββ4βββββ5βββββ5βββββ3βββββ7βββββ7βββββ
D ββββ3βββββ7βββββ5βββββ5βββββ7βββββ9βββββ
A ββββ5βββββ5βββββ7βββββ3βββββ9βββββ7βββββ
E ββββ3βββββββββββ5βββββββββββ7βββββββββββ
G7 D7 Am7 C7 Bm7 Em7
If the above chords are giving you trouble (which is okay, theyβre tough) - then use the standard open chords. You can combine these with the main riff and things sound just fine! To be honest, when I play this song complete from end to end, I usually have to use these open chords sometimes just because my hand/wrist muscles get fatigued from dealing with the barre chords.
e ββββ3βββββ2βββββ0βββββ0βββββ2βββββ0βββββ
B ββββ0βββββ1βββββ1βββββ1βββββ3βββββ0βββββ
G ββββ0βββββ2βββββ2βββββ0βββββ4βββββ0βββββ
D ββββ0βββββ0βββββ2βββββ2βββββ4βββββ2βββββ
A ββββ2βββββββββββ0βββββ3βββββ2βββββ2βββββ
E ββββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββ
G D7 Am C Bm Em
How to Play the Riff
There is one distinct riff used throughout this song. Here is how you play it. Youβll want to use your ring finger on the lowest E string, and initially slide your finger up to the 7th fret (which is the first proper note of the riff).
e ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D ββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A βββββββ5ββββββββββββββββ
E βββ/7βββββ7ββ5ββ3ββ0ββββ <--- use your left ringer on the first note
To properly transition from this riff into the G7 or Am7 chord, youβll need to add the bass note for the chord to the tail end of the riff. Here is the complete intro tabbed in context, using the core of the riff above.
e -|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ5βββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββββ|β
B -|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ5βββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββββ|β
G -|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ5βββββ|ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ4βββββ|β
D -|βββββββββββββββββββββββββxββ5βββββ|βββββββββββββββββββββββββxββ3βββββ|β
A -|βββββββ5βββββββββββββββββxββ7βββββ|βββββββ5βββββββββββββββββxββ5βββββ|β
E -|βββ/7βββββ7ββ5ββ3ββ0ββ5ββxββ5βββββ|βββ/7βββββ7ββ5ββ3ββ0ββ3ββxββ3βββββ|β
Am7 G7
Secondary riff
e βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ5ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ5ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββ
G βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ5ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ4βββ
D ββββββββββββββββββββββββxββ5βββββββββββββββββββββββββββxββ3βββ
A ββββββ5ββ7ββ5βββββββββββxββ7βββββββββ5βββββββββββββββββxββ5βββ
E ββ/7βββββββββββ7ββ0ββ5ββxββ5βββββ/7βββββ7ββ5ββ3ββ0ββ3ββxββ3βββ
Am7 G7
Occasional verse filler riff
Thereβs a riff I play 0:17 seconds into my video lesson that I want to show the tab for here. It happens during the verse progression (G7-D7-Am7-C7)β¦ where instead of going to the final βC7β chord I do this riff immediately after the Am7. The riff happens under the β*β asterisk shown below.
*
e ββββββ3βββββββ5βββββββ5βββββββββββ
B ββββββ3βββββββ7βββββββ5βββββββββββ Fingering below applies to the final 3 note riff only:
G ββββββ4βββββββ5βββββββ5βββββββββββ
D ββββββ3βββββββ7βββββββ5βββββ5β7βββ <== use left index (5th fret) and left ring (7th fret)
A ββββββ5βββ5βββ5βββββββ7ββ/7βββββββ <== slide with left ring finger
E ββ3βββ3βββββββββββ5βββ5βββββββββββ
G D7 Am7
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Strumming patterns and rhythm
This is the final piece of the puzzle. To play this like Jack Johnson, there are in fact two distinct strumming patterns used in this song: one during the verse, and another during the chorus & bridge. You can of course strum things however you want, but Iβll teach you both of these patterns now.
Verse strum pattern
This strum pattern has a very distinct accented strum on the β2β and β4β counts - which is muted immediately after itβs played. To mute (silence) the strings, use the fleshy part of your right handβs palm to lightly touch all strings - see my video lesson for reference. Another tip: notice how the bass note of each chord is played on the β1β and β3β counts. Again listen to the song and see my video lesson for reference.
Hereβs a simple way to write it (though this doesnβt show some of the intricacies of muting the strings and targeting the bass notes).
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
β β β β β β β β
> > > >
Tabbed out, it would be:
e βββββββββ3βxβββββββββ5βxβββββββββ5βxβββββββββ3βxβββ
B βββββββββ3βxβββββββββ7βxβββββββββ5βxβββββββββ5βxβββ
G βββββββββ4βxβββββββββ5βxβββββββββ5βxβββββββββ3βxβββ
D βββββββββ3βxβββββββββ7βxβββββββββ5βxβββββββββ5βxβββ
A βββββββββ5βxβββ5βββββ5βxβββββββββ7βxβββ3βββββ3βxβββ
E βββ3βββββ3βxβββββββββββββββ5βββββ5βxβββββββββββββββ
G7 D7 Am7 C7
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
β β β β β β β β
> > > >
Chorus & bridge strumming pattern
This one is a bit more constant and less punctuated. You still want to keep the accent on the 2 and 4, but in this case those counts will have a muted downstrum thatβs accented. This is very common for Jack Johnson. See my video lesson for reference!
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
D U x U D U x U D U x U D U x U
> > > >
Good luck!
Thanks for reading! I hope this helped you. Questions? Comments? Requests? Let me know!
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