Video lesson
My beginner lesson, focusing on chords and strumming:
For an intermediate lesson showing some of the runs and fills, see this:
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Editorβs notes
In my first lesson, I show you how to play the basics of βMrs. Robinsonβ by Simon and Garfunkel. Iβll be using no capo and will focus primarily on the chords and strumming patterns youβll need to play the song. This lesson includes chord charts, tablature, strumming pattern diagrams, and the progressions youβll need for each section. If youβre looking for some of the more advanced riffs, runs, and fills this song uses β look for my other lesson where I break those down in detail.
In my second lesson, Iβll show you how to play some of the fills, riffs, and runs for this song. This is a slightly more intermediate lesson, following up on my beginner-friendly lesson that shows the basic chords and strumming patterns needed to play this song. In this lesson, Iβll be playing without a capo ββ and will show you how to play the (1) intro/filler riff; (2) a verse melody riff; (3) the verse walkdown from C to A minor; and (4) the chorus walkdown from C to D to G.
Timestamps for my second lesson:
- 0:00 Lesson overview
- 3:05 Intro & Filler Riff
- 7:06 Verse Melody Riff
- 9:13 Verse Walkdown (C to Am)
- 11:04 Chorus Walkdown (C to D to G)
My guitar cover of the entire song
Lyrics with chords
E E7
Dee, dee dee-dee... dee dee, dee-dee dee dee, dee-dee dee
A A7
Doo, doo doo-doo... doo doo, doo-doo doo...
D G C G/B Am
...Dee-dee dee-dee, dee dee, dee dee... dee-dee, dee-dee dee
E D7
.........................
G Em
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
G Em C D
Jesus loves you more than you will know... whoa whoa whoa
G Em
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
G Em C Am
Heaven holds a place for those who pray... hey hey hey
E
Hey hey hey...
E E7
We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files
A A7
We'd like to help you learn to help yourself
D G C G/B Am
...Look around you all you see are sympathetic eyes
E D7
...Stroll around the grounds until you feel at home
G Em
And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
G Em C D
Jesus loves you more than you will know... whoa whoa whoa
G Em
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
G Em C Am
Heaven holds a place for those who pray... hey hey hey
E
Hey hey hey...
E E7
...Hide it in the hiding place where no one ever goes
A A7
...Put it in your pantry with your cupcakes
D G C G/B Am
...It's a little secret, just the Robinson's affair
E D7
...Most of all you've got to hide it from the kids
G Em
Koo koo kachoo, Mrs. Robinson
G Em C D
Jesus loves you more than you will know... whoa whoa whoa
G Em
God bless you please, Mrs. Robinson
G Em C Am
Heaven holds a place for those who pray... hey hey hey
E
Hey hey hey...
E E7
...Sitting on a sofa on a Sunday afternoon
A A7
...Going to the candidates' debate
D G C G/B Am
...Laugh about it, shout about it, when you've got to choose
E D7
...Every way you look at this you lose
G Em
Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio
G Em C D
Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you... woo woo woo
G Em
What's that you say, Mrs. Robinson
G Em C Am
Joltin' Joe has left and gone away... hey hey hey
E
Hey hey hey...
Chords needed
E ββββ0βββ0βββ3βββ0βββ0βββββββ0βββ2βββ2βββ0βββ0ββββ
B ββββ0βββ3βββ0βββ0βββ1βββ0βββ1βββ3βββ1βββ2βββ2ββββ
G ββββ1βββ1βββ0βββ0βββ0βββ0βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ0ββββ
D ββββ2βββ2βββ0βββ2βββ2βββ0βββ2βββ0βββ0βββ2βββ2ββββ
A ββββ2βββ2βββ2βββ2βββ3βββ2βββ0βββββββββββ0βββ0ββββ
E ββββ0βββ0βββ3βββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E E7 G Em C G/B Am D D7 A A7
Chord progressions
Intro & filler riff:
E / / / ...played w/ bass-line riff
Verse:
"We'd like to know a little bit about you for our files..."
E / / E7 / A / A7 /
D G C Am / E / D7 /
Chorus:
"And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson..."
G Em G Em C / D /
G Em G Em C / Am / --> intro w/ riff
Strumming pattern
Thereβs some flexibility with how you strum, though I think the most important thing is to accent the 2nd (and possibly 4th) beat of every four-beat measure. You might start with practicing down-strums only, on the 2nd and 4th beats:
β β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Once you have that, you can add to it by adding some additional strums (played not quite as loud) on these other beats. Again, make sure the 2nd and 4th beats are where most of your accent is.
> >
β β β β β β
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 +
Intro and fill riff
Repeat this as desired (usually two or four times is what I do). If you prefer, you can strum the E-chord for the full duration of this 8-count section, while accenting the bass-line melody notes. Or you can play a straight E chord and ignore the melody notes βΒ itβs up to you.
E βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G βββ1βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D βββ2ββββββββββββββ0βββββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A βββ2βββββ0ββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 +
Other riffs and fills
Verse melody
If you want to emulate the vocal melody with your guitar while staying in the open E and open A positions, focus on these notes. You can strum along if youβre able to do so (though thatβs a bit trickier).
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ0ββββββ
B βββ3ββ3ββ2β2βββ0β0ββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ3ββββββ
G βββ1ββββββββββββββββ2β2βββ1β2β1βββββββββ|βββ1ββββββ
D βββ2βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ/4ββ2ββ|βββ2ββββββ
A βββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ2ββββββ
E βββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ0ββββββ
E E7
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ0ββββββ
B βββ2βββ2ββ0ββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ2ββββββ
G βββ2ββββββββββββββ2ββ2βββββ2ββ2ββββ0ββββ|βββ0ββββββ
D βββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ2ββββββ
A βββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|βββ0ββββββ
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|ββββββββββ
A A7
Verse walkdown
βLook around you all you see are sympathetic eyesβ¦β
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββ1ββββββ0ββββββ3~~~~~~~~~~~ββββ3βββ1βββββββββββ
G βββββ0ββββββ0ββββββ2βββββββββββββββββββ2βββββββββββ
D βββββ2ββββββ0ββββββ2βββββββββββββββββββ2βββββββββββ
A βββ3ββββββ2ββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββ0βββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
C G/B Am(sus4) Am
Chrous walkdowns
High level, this:
E ββ(0)βββββββββββββββββββββββ(2)ββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββ1βββββ1βββββ1βββββ1βββββββ3ββββ3βββββ3βββββ3ββββ
G βββ0βββββ0βββββ2βββββ0βββββββ2ββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββ
D βββ2βββββ0βββββ2βββββ2βββββββ0ββββ0βββββ0βββββ0ββββ
A βββ3βββββ2βββββ0ββββββββββββββββββ3βββββ2βββββ0ββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
C C/B Am C/G D D/C D/B D/A
Specifically:
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββ1βββββββ1βββββββ1βββββββ1βββββββββββββββββββββ
G βββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ2βββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββ
D βββββ2βββββββ0βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββββββββββββββββ
A βββ3βββββββ2βββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββ3βββββββββββββββββββββββ
C C/B Am C/G
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββ3βββββββββββββββββββββ
G βββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββ2βββββββββββββββββββββ
D βββ0βββββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββ
A βββββββββββ3βββββββ2βββββββ0βββββββββββββββββββββββ
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
D D/C D/B D/A
Thanks for reading!
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