Guitar lesson for

Don't Think Twice, It's All Right

by Bob Dylan • Lesson #301

Video lesson

Strum version (#301)

Timestamps for my strum-only video lesson:

0:00 Lesson overview
2:06 Basic chord shapes
5:48 Basic chord progression & strumming
9:28 Basic playthrough of verse & chorus
11:38 Adv. chord shapes
15:13 Adv. progression & strumming
16:35 Adv. walking bass lines & transitions
19:46 Adv. playthrough of verse & chorus (full strum)
20:53 Adv. playthrough of verse & chorus (w/o a pick)
22:22 Farewell

Fingerstyle version (#303)

Timestamps for my fingerstyle video lesson:

0:00 Lesson overview
2:49 Chord shapes & progression, basic
4:29 Chord shapes & progression, advanced
13:09 Intro riff, v1 (super basic)
15:11 Intro riff, v2 (traditional fingerstyle)
17:46 Intro riff, v3 (Dylan’s exact version)
21:49 Intro riff, v4 (my secret stash version)
24:17 Verse & chorus: general fingerpicking tips
28:18 Verse & chorus: full fingerstyle playthrough
30:49 Farewell

Note, the same 6-page PDF chord sheet (linked below) works for both of video lessons shown above.

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Editor’s notes

Hey friends! Here’s two video lessons I’ve made teaching you how to play the Bob Dylan classic “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right”. My first video teaches a strum-only version, while the second goes deep on fingerstyle & Travis picking technique – which is what Bob uses in his original album version. Both lessons include both beginner-friendly (as much as is possible) variations of the more difficult chords & techniques, while also going deep into advanced topics for those who are interested. I hope you enjoy!

My other lessons for Bob Dylan songs

Looking for other lessons I’ve made for songs by Bob Dylan? Here you go!

Lyrics with chords

Capo 4th fret. See the PDF chord sheet for a print-friendly version of these notes.

INTRO

    | C       | G       | Am  Am/G  | F        |    
    | C       | G       | C         | C        |

VERSE
             C               G              Am         Am (Am/G)
    Well, it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
    F           F             C         G7
    ...If'n you don't know by now
           C               G              Am         Am (Am/G)
    And it ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe
    D7              D7      G   (G6)   G7
    ....It'll never do somehow

CHORUS
                  C       C            C7            C7
        When your rooster crows at the break of dawn
        F                F          D7          D7
        ...Look out your window and.... I'll be gone
        C          G/B         Am    Am/G    F
        You're the reason I'm travel-ing on
            C           G7              C       C
        But don't think twice, it's all right

HARMONICA BREAK
         C   G7   Am  Am/G  F   F   C   C   C   C

    And it [C] ain't no use in [G] turning on your [Am] light babe...
    The [F] light I never [C] know'd [G7]
    And it [C] ain't no use in [G] turning on your [Am] light, babe...
    [D7] I'm on the dark side of the [G] road [G6] [G7]

        But I [C] wish there was something you would... [C7] do or say
        To [F] try and make me change my [D7] mind and stay
        But [C] we never [G/B] did too much [Am] talking anyway [F]
        But [C] don't think [G7] twice, it's all [C] right

    No, it [C] ain't no use in [G] calling out my [Am] name, gal
    [F] like you never done [C] before [G7]
    And it [C] ain't no use in [G] calling out my [Am] name, gal
    [D7] I can't hear you any [G] more [G6] [G7]

        I'm [C] a-thinking and a-wondering, [C7] walking down the road
        I [F] once loved a woman, a [D7] child I'm told
        I [C] give her my [G/B] heart but she [Am] wanted my [F] soul
        But [C] don't think [G7] twice, it's all [C] right

    So [C] long---[G]--- honey [Am], babe
    Where I'm [F] bound, I can't [C] tell [G7]
    [C] Goodbye is [G] too good a [Am] word, babe
    [D7] so I'll just say fare thee [G] well [G6] [G7]

        [C] I ain't saying you treated [C7] me unkind...
        You [F] could have done better but [D7] I don't mind
        [C] You just kinda [G/B] wasted my [Am] precious [F] time
        [C] Don't think [G7] twice, it's all [C] right

Chord shapes (basic)

Looking for the easiest possible chords? Here you go! For the F, I’ve included some alternate versions that don’t require the full 6-string barre.

E ––0–––3–––0–––1–––2–-–0–– –––––0––1–––––
B ––1–––0–––1–––1–––1–-–1–– ––1––1––1–––––
G ––0–––0–––2–––2–––2–-–3–– ––2––2––2––2––
D ––2–––0–––2–––3–––0–-–2–– ––3––3––3––3––
A ––3–––2–––0–––3–––––-–3–– ––3––––––––3––
E ––––––3–––––––1–––––––––– –––––––––––1––
    C   G   Am  F   D7  C7    F (alt voicings)

Looking for more complicated chord voicings? Here’s what I use and recommend. These are in addition to the basic chord voicings shown above. Many of these work great for Travis-style fingerpicking (e.g., the D7/F# and the F voicing I use).

E ––1––        ––0––0––        ––x––x––      ––x––        ––x––
B ––0––        ––1––1––        ––0––0––      ––1––        ––1––
G ––0––        ––2––2––        ––0––0––      ––2––        ––2––
D ––0––        ––2––0––        ––2––3––      ––3––        ––0––
A ––2––        ––x––x––        ––x––x––      ––x––        ––0––
E ––3––        ––3––3––        ––3––3––      ––1––        ––2––
    G7           Am/G            G6 G7         F          D7/F#     

Chord progression (basic)

If you’re learning this song for the first time, I recommend learning the progressions shown here first. This will help familiarize you with the foundation of the song, upon which you can add plenty of complexity if you wish (which I’ll show later). But if all you want is a campfire easy-strum version of the song, this is all you need.

Verse part 1:
| C . . . | G . . . | Am . . . | Am . . . |
| F . . . | F . . . | C  . . . | G  . . . |

Verse part 2:
| C  . . . | G  . . . | Am . . . | Am . . . |
| D7 . . . | D7 . . . | G  . . . | G  . . . |

Chorus:
| C . . . | C . . . | C7 . . . | C7 . . . |
| F . . . | F . . . | D7 . . . | D7 . . . |
| C . . . | G . . . | Am . . . | F  . . . |
| C . . . | G . . . | C  . . . | C  . . . |

Chord progression, slightly more advanced

Same structure as the “easy” version, but with a bit more detail added around bass notes and walking bass lines. I recommend starting with the prior version & getting a grasp of the main foundation, which will make the additional detail shown in this version easier to spot & understand. Whether you strum or play fingerstyle, the progressions shown here will apply.

Verse part 1:
| C . . . | G . . . | Am . . . | Am . Am/G . |
| F . . . | F . . . | C  . . . | G7    . . . |

Verse part 2:
| C     . . . | G     . . . | Am . .  . | Am . Am/G . |
| D7/F# . . . | D7/F# . . . | G  . G6 . | G7    . . . |

Chorus:
| C . . . | C   . . . | C7     . . . | C7    . . . |
| F . . . | F   . . . | D7/F#  . . . | D7/F# . . . |
| C . . . | G/B . . . | Am .  Am/G . | F     . . . |
| C . . . | G7  . . . | C      . . . | C     . . . |

Intro fingerstyle riff

See my PDF for 4 ways to play the intro riff, fingerstyle.

Fingerpicking the verse & chorus

See my PDF for complete tabs on how to play these sections in a Travis picking style.

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