Video lesson
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Editorβs notes
Hey friends β hereβs a new lesson where I teach you how to play Willinβ by Little Feat (1972). Half of this song is a rather straightforward key-of-G acoustic classic rock, while the intro & verse utilize chord shapes similar to what you heard in Blackbird to create a distinctive βopenβ sound. Learning these together can be tricky at times, but rewarding!
In my video, I break everything down step by step, in this order:
- 0:00 Lesson overview
- 1:44 Chord shapes needed
- 9:44 Strumming pattern
- 12:01 Intro riff (step by step)
- 18:15 Verse, pre-chorus & chorus
- 26:03 Full playthrough
Lyrics and chords
INTRO (see PDF for strumming guide)
e |βββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|β
B |ββββ12βββββββββββ|ββββ10βββββββββββ|βββββ8βββββββ7βββ|β5βββββββ5βββββββ|β
G |βββββ0βββββββββββ|βββββ0βββββββββββ|βββββ0βββββββ0βββ|β0βββββββ0βββββββ|β
D |βββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|β
A |β10ββββββββββββββ|β9βββββββββββββββ|β7βββββββββββ5βββ|β3βββββββ3βββββββ|β
E |βββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|β
G D/F# Em (D) C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
eβ|βββββ3βββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|βββββ3βββββββββββ|βββββ3βββββββββββ||
Bβ|βββββ0βββββββββββ|β1βββββ3βββββ1βββ|βββββ0βββββββββββ|βββββ0βββββββββββ||
Gβ|βββββ0βββββββββββ|β0βββββ0βββββ0βββ|βββββ0βββββββββββ|βββββ0βββββββββββ||
Dβ|βββββ0βββββββββββ|β2βββββ4βββββ2βββ|βββββ0βββββββββββ|βββββ0βββββββββββ||
Aβ|βββββββββββββββββ|β3βββββ5βββββ3βββ|βββββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ||
Eβ|β3βββββββββββββββ|βββββββββββββββββ|β3βββββββββββββββ|β3βββββββββββββββ||
G C D C G G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
VERSE
G D/F#
I've been warped by the rain.... driven by the snow
Em C
I'm... drunk and dirty........ don't you know?
G C D C G
And I'm still............. willin'
G D/F#
And I was out on the road... late at night
Em C
I see my pretty Alice in... every headlight
G C D C G
Alice.......... Dallas Alice
PRE-CHORUS
C D
And I've been from Tucson to Tucumcari
D G
Tehachapi to Tonapah
G Am7 G/B C
Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made----
C D
Driven the back roads so I wouldn't get weighed----
CHORUS
(no chord) C G/B Am7 G
And if you give me... weed, whites, and wine
D
And you show me a sign
G C D C G
I'll be willin'.......... to be movin'
[ intro riff x2 ]
Well, I've been [G] kicked by the wind... [D/F#] robbed by the sleet
Had my [Em] head stoved in, but I'm [C] still on my feet
And I'm [G] still....[C D* C].... [G] willin'
I [G] smuggled some smokes and folks from [D/F#] Mexico
[Em] Baked by the sun [C] every time I go
To [G] Mexico... [C D* C]... and I'm [G] still...
And I've been from [C] Tucson to [D] Tucumcari
[D] Tehachapi to [G] Tonapah
Driven [G] every kind of [Am7] rig that's [G/B] ever been [C] made----
[C] Driven the back roads so I wouldn't get [D] weighed----
(no chord)
And if you give me... [C] weed, [G/B] whites, [Am7] and [G] wine
And you show me a [D] sign
I'll be [G] willin'... [C D* C]... to be [G] movin' [D] [G]
[...let final chord ring]
Chord shapes
βBlackbirdβ-style chords
e βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B ββ12βββ10ββββ8ββββ7ββββ5βββ <= left ring finger
G βββ0ββββ0ββββ0ββββ0ββββ0βββ
D βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A ββ10ββββ9ββββ7ββββ5ββββ3βββ <= left index finger
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G D/F# Em D C
Normal open chords
e ββ3βββ0βββββββ2βββ2ββββ0ββ e ββββββββββββββ0ββ
B ββ0βββ1βββ3βββ3βββ3ββββ0ββ B ββ0βββ1βββ3βββ1ββ
G ββ0βββ0βββ0βββ2βββ2ββββ0ββ G ββ0βββ0βββ0βββ0ββ
D ββ0βββ2βββ4βββ0βββ0ββββ2ββ D ββ0βββ2βββ0βββ2ββ
A ββ2βββ3βββ5βββββββ0ββββ2ββ A ββ2βββ0βββ2βββ3ββ
E ββ3βββββββββββββββ2ββββ0ββ E ββ3ββββββββββββββ
G C D* D D/F# Em G Am7 G/B C
Strumming patterns
Main pattern I use
I prefer using this pattern as the foundation for the entire song. On the β1β count only pluck the bass note of the chord youβre on, and use full strums for all remaining up & down strums.
[ see PDF for diagram ]
Strumming the split measures
Sometimes, youβll need to βsplitβ a 4-count measure into two 2-count measures, which will use this pattern. This happens at the distinctive sections with the G-Am7-G/B-C walk-ups, in a few other places. For more context, see my βchord progressionβ section below, as well as my video lesson.
[ see PDF for diagram ]
For example, hereβs a section of the song where such strumming is needed. Iβve shown the measures before and after for context (both of which use the βmainβ pattern above).
[ see PDF for diagram ]
Progressions
Intro:
G D/F# Em (D) C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
G C D* C G G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Verse:
"I've been warped by the rain..."
G D/F# Em C
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
"And I'm still..."
G C D* C G G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Pre-Chorus:
"I've been from Tuscon to Tucumcari..."
C D D G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
"Driven every kind of rig..."
G Am7 G/B C C
1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
"Driven the backroads..."
C C D D (let ring, stop strumming)
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1
Chorus:
"Weed, whites, and wine..."
C G/B Am7 <-- single strum (or bass note) only
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 +
"And you show me a sign..."
G G D D
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
"I'll be willin'..."
G C D* C G G
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Intro, step by step
First understand these basic chord shapes. If youβve ever learned Blackbird (The Beatles) or A Case of You (Joni Mitchell), these are the same sort of chords those songs use. The third string (G) will always be left open and unfretted.
[ see PDF, page 4 ]
Then, look at the first half of the progression as follows. Do a single strum of each chord on the 1 count. The only exception is just before the C (fourth measure), thereβs a single count of the D chord being played on the 4-count of the 3rd measure.
[ see PDF, page 4 ]
Next, weβll bring in the second half of the intro as well. This is entirely G, with the exception of the 6th measure β which has a C-major chord sliding up 2 frets to play the D-major variation, before sliding back down.
[ see PDF, page 4 ]
Finally, letβs start to bring in the strumming pattern. Start by strumming the bass note on the β1β count, and then doing a full strum of the chord on the β2β count. I donβt show it here, but if you can, add an βup down upβ on the β+ 4 +β at the end of each measure. Note, certain measures deviate from this pattern, specifically the C-D*-C measure. The most important part is to play something youβre comfortable with and can maintain consistently, even if thatβs a simple βbass DOWN bass DOWNβ on the one-TWO-three-FOUR beats.
[ see PDF, page 4 ]
Related lessons Iβve made
Lesson #265
One is this video showing you 4 tips on getting started with the Beatles classic Blackbird which uses the same chords as the intro to this one.
Lesson #249
Another is this lesson showing you 2-finger chords in the key of C, which is the same exact type of chord this lesson uses. Even though Willinβ and Blackbird are in the key of G, thereβs a lot of overlap here. Joni Mitchellβs βA Case of Youβ is an example of a song using these chords thatsi n the key of C.
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