Lesson 2: Working Class Hero

[MrJohndoyle]

thanks james

[Vargas934]

C'est une blague?

It's a joke?

[FabiolinoBR]

YOU TALK TOO MUCH AND DON'T PLAY NOTHING !!!

[thekishubaby]

u actually did it so patiently...thanks much :)

[lyralov]

thank you so very much for all your knowlege & sharing!! you rock..........

peace & love

[MostAwsomeGuyEver]

bla, bla, bla... go on to the song!!!!

[jamesblackburnlynch]

@MostAwsomeGuyEver, Hmmm...ever hear of "fast forward"?

[Tituslol1]

Great! Your soooo helpfull...it all makes sence now. :]

[Rockahina]

Thnx...very helpful ;)

[lonewolf3737]

hey you're cool...great player...great teacher.Thanks man!

[n19cjb]

I didn't realise that Tony Hawk could play guitar!

[px7px]

And D

[iAmBetterThenUthink]

I love you, man!

[LentoFuoco]

grande, grazie mille

[webventures]

To all those arguing about timing and other silly stuff... James is right on! Music is about the feeling that is put into a song when it is played and sung. Go listen to Tina Dico's version. John Lennon would be proud of her. Heck, he would be proud of anybody playing this song, no matter the timing or the rendition because....he would be glad that people are spreading the message the song conveys! I am just a beginner and my rendition won't sound just like Lennon's. Keep up the good work, James

[webventures]

Thank you so much! This lesson is so clear and easy to grasp! I have always wanted to play this song, and with you help I know I wil be able to now! You are an ACE! :-)

[ntucker88]

you're a very good teacher, thank you

[Lafuma92]

N1 thank u very much i understood all !!

[ChuckNorrisIsGod1]

fucking hippi

[allahhomedog]

hippies rock more than chuck norris

[elem101]

Thanks for the vid, it helped me alot...by the way, i dont mean to be offensive or anything but you slightly resemble Alan Alda

[Zocsma]

Thanks for the video... It's very correct :)

[StJimmy405]

im eleven years old and i can play working class hero

[Itsooz]

Very helpful, but i though there's also a D chord?

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Many people do like to put the D in there. Please, feel free.

[allahhomedog]

where would u put the D chord?

[etg2010]

Hey James. Thanks a lot for this instructional video. I am new to the guitar, been playing for about 8 days, and was trying to learn "Working Class Hero." I happened upon this video by pure chance, and I'm glad I did. I look forawrd to more of your videos when I get more involved in playing the guitar.

[Piratetude]

by the way...firefoxred200 is an idiot, and can't spell for shit.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

It does seem likely...

[Piratetude]

Hey, you are the best instructor I have ever seen on this site. I love this song, and now I know I'll be able to play it with enough practice, thanks to you. You rock!!!!

[groundsgivingway]

Wow, you look and act like the actor Mike White. Ya know Ned Schneebly from School of Rock? Anyway, thanks for the help.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

I've been compared to all white dudes with blonde eyebrows, so why not? At least you didn't say Gene Wilder.

And this means I'm hooked up with Sarah Silverman (at least in the movies), so that's cool.

[t3guzzi]

Sounds wonderful, great lesson !! thx

[guitarrocker9909]

nice tutorial

[firefoxred200]

no offence but

ur not really

gd

have u actually seen wat u made here ???

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Not only have I seen my video, but I've seen the comments of others below. And I've noticed the number of people who have favorited this video. So, while it may not work for you, the evidence is clear that it does work for some.

So, honestly, why should I care about your opinion? I don't. So, no offense taken.

[firefoxred200]

u should care about my opinion so u can improve on it

soo make the video again , and u know wat it might actaually be better than this one :D

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Have you noticed that you haven't actually made any suggestions?

I suspect you think people should care about your opinion more than they do frequently. Don't let it stress you out. The truth is your opinion is just one of 6 billion and, hence, doesn't have much interest to a stranger.

[Galuche1L1U]

Don't reply to him, dude... If he don't understand with this video, he can't play guitar.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

He wasn't complaining that he didn't understand the video, just that it sucked. Still, I enjoyed replying to him because, well, because he was so unable to explain himself. It was funny. To me, anyway.

[cyclopusgrac]

its good :)

[JPGDeathrow]

great fukin lesson finally someone explained it all the right way

[wizardeal]

missing the D chord and the picking technique is a little more complicated, but very nice tutorial

[mYkSiNaToR]

Thanks a lot man! I never thhought I'd be able to play this song and now, as I'm just surfing, I found this. Thanks, thanks, thanks!

[richardwright651]

The chorus is Am G D Am.....

[jamesblackburnlynch]

As you can see from earlier comments, some people like the D and others not so much. Your choice.

[theflonert]

woah you rock, your method is really much better and cooler the others i've found :D

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Thanks. Glad it works for you.

[welcomeparadise]

Thanks you. I intented do this song at my own , but I can´t

:)

Its just that I need this video

[tennikee]

Thank you sooooo much that was a huge help :)

[GUILLOTINEinc]

dude you're like my hero. Please do "Hey Hey, My My" by Neil Young and Crazy Horse.

[Jode111]

Even though i think i've nailed working class hero (see my version), you lesson was very interesting. Very informative for "new" players.

[guitimad]

very interesting lesson. Thank you very much for posting it, i'll practice on it. I like this lesson, you are very didactical....

[LloydR5150]

Awesome lesson, i love this song....thanks so much and keep up the good work.

Vey informative A+

[rootsnattyroots]

I think what you do is great we all learn somewhere and your helping alot of people one day you might get some famous rockstar knocking on ya door saying you learnt me how to play hehe keep doing ya thing coz its good and you deserve some praise for the time u put in ..roots

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Thanks. I hope that does happen.

[mauranius]

Thanks for the explanation, I can now play it a little bit better, but at some points you refer to the "A" chord, isn't it just supposed to be Am? Because you go from Am to G, and the rhythm is supposed to be 7/8 :S I am confused. Nevertheless you did a fine job explaining how to play folk music, (also includes pop music for the people that do not understand it...)

By the way, how do you grab your G-chord? It almost looks like you;re grabbing the G7 chord.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

If I ever refer to the "A chord" I definitely mean A minor. There is no A in this song.

The G is just a G. My index finger isn't fretting anything. It's free.

[mauranius]

okey thanks for clearing that up :)

[sparky0083]

he just kinda walks it in instead of playing a regular G, he changes from Am where his third finger is on the 3rd string... he just moves it down a string and plays a G with that note still in it

[mauranius]

yeh I play my G without a fret as well, but I think i didn't saw it right at that point, since he uses different fingers for the same snares I use :) I didn't saw his index-finger on the A-snare, he uses a different finger for that. so it almost looked like he was grabbing the C-chord ;)

[MonsterMovieas]

ok i wanna thank you fore teaching Working Class Hero! i ahve been looking after it a long time AND i dont even know how to play guitar XDD.. my first song then ^^

KEEP UPP THE GOOD WORK!

~Mort

[ninjapride72]

Thanks, i liked the video lesson.

[ShanePG]

Sorry, but take another listen to the song, in the chorus in the second line there is a "D major" after the G. Also Lennon doesn't sing on the note, his singing is in different rhythm then the guitar and your strumming is way off its up and down half notes. Sorry to rain on your parade but its true.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

I look forward to seeing your version. Post it so we can all see what you mean.

[ShanePG]

Unfortunately, i'm not talented enough to get the singing right, and i'm not about to hypocritically post a video of me trying. If you really want i'll post a video instructing you how play the chorus properly and also show you the correct strumming.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

I don't see why not. Viewers could see both versions and decide which they want to learn.

One need not feel restricted to playing a song "the only way."

You certainly have an odd perspective of the word "hypocritical."

[ShanePG]

Hypocritical as in criticizing you for doing it wrong then posting a video of myself doing it wrong. Not once did i say "the only way" your video is an instructional video, Lennon's way is the "right" way. I would think people would want to learn a song how its played before they try changing it or adding there own style. Theres an enormous difference between playing it differently and taking shortcuts, let alone teaching those short cuts.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

I disagree there. What I'm trying to do is teach people who feel they are "talentless" how to play songs. If I simplify the songs a bit, I don't mind. And based on the number of times this video has been favorited, apparently it works for some people. Not everyone, for sure.

I still say the more lessons available the better. Different people will want different things.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

John Lennon's version is in 7/8. Not a time for beginners. And yet, this is a good song to sing because of the ease of chords and power of the song. If it isn't perfect, I doubt John would be too terribly upset.

[ShanePG]

All i did was correct you. This is such a powerful song, any true musician wouldn't fuck with that. I'm not sure you viewers would appreciate being called "talentless".

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Note that I said "who feel they are 'talentless'" which is quite different from what you have heard me say. Still, there are plenty of us out there and we want to play music too.

I'm not sure what a "true" musician is to you, but I just don't agree with your notions at all on this topic. John Lennon himself wouldn't feel constrained to repeat his performance in the exact same way. Bob Dylan is the master of this, but Eric Clapton had success twice with two different "Layla"'s for example.

[ShanePG]

How many different versions of this song have you heard Lennon play? The only other Versions of this song that I've heard are from people like you, turning this masterpiece into a "Simple song".

[jamesblackburnlynch]

I have heard versions by Marianned Faithful, Cyndi Lauper, and Green Day, among the famous. All change it. If they don't, it's just a slavish cover, and not something they would bother releasing. Think of Jimi Hendrix reworking of Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower."

[jamesblackburnlynch]

As for Lennon, how about his covers in the Beatles? Barret Strong's "Money" or The Isley Brother's "Twist and Shout." They are dramatically changed (and not to be more complex).

And then there is the entire "Rock n Roll" album. None are "faithful" covers.

[ShanePG]

Your version isn't a cover, sorry to be so harsh but if you had just played it and said this is my cover thats one thing but thanks to your "teaching" video we have a bunch of people out there now that think they can play the song but can only play a shitty folk version with horrible timing.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

The truth is, you aren't "sorry to be so harsh." If you were, you would say things more politely rather than "shitty folk version with horrible timing."

I still think you should put up your own lesson so people would at least have the opportunity to understand what you are trying to say, no matter how rudely you put it.

[tigercat00]

Thank you very much for giving these guitar lessons. I'm learning how to play using mostly youtube vides, and you're among the best.

[blacksabbath50]

wow thx, i tried figureing it out myself and i saw this lesson and it really helped ^^

[ItsOnlyTosho]

I have absolutley no musical talent and have never learned how to play a song, but seeing this video has got me trying to learn. you are an awesome teacher thank you for inspiring

[jamesblackburnlynch]

I hope it goes well. If this one is tricky, try the first lesson on "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." That one is meant to be the beginner tune.

[theguru700]

can u pls teach me cold - crossfade acoustic

please

[rikimaru517]

you are excelent dude, im learnen with u now keep it goen you should do requests

[jamesblackburnlynch]

I do occassionally. "The Needle and the Damage Done" and "Timeless Melody" were both requests.

[rikimaru517]

would u be able to teach down easter alexa, billy joel?

[kybmaster]

create lesson!!

[Atreides27]

This is one of my favorite songs ever. Thank you so much for helping me out with the strumming and picking. You are amazing.

[hjorgan67]

James - it's cool you take the time to do these videos. I've been playing for about 3 years now. I took this song up for the very reason you say early on - it's good bass strum practice. I thought this song was going to be easy - and it IS easy to make it sound good, but to make it sound like John Lennon does... very hard. Good catch on the 7/8 time - 4/4 is hard enough for me though : ) -- Cheers.

[scanz2k]

thanx for the video man, i think its like you said, do it til it sounds right to you. everything will fall into place, its all about the person who is playing it and how they like it....thanx again, this is a great song, actually i never heard it til green day redid it.

[feileung]

Thanks for the lesson James. I'm curious though, are you sure this song isn't in 3/4 timing? Listening to the original I count it as: 1 2 and 3 and 1 2 and 3 and.....like a waltz. I was having a really hard time singing while I played it until I realized that.

You mentioned a dotted count though, I'm new to guitar (and to playing music) maybe there's something going on here that I just don't understand yet?

What do you think?

[jamesblackburnlynch]

You are the second person to think this, so I think it must work for some better than counting in two's.

I keep counting it naturally in 1 2 3 4 with the bass notes on the 1 and 3. But since it's clear that it's naturally in 3/4 time to others, it may be that this song is in 6/8 and I'm just hearing the 1 and the 4 (which are stressed).

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Basically, I think whatever works for you is the way you should count it. If the way I'm doing it in this video is not helping, then playing it in 3/4 time might work for others too.

Interesting...

[jamesblackburnlynch]

And now one more thing! I just looked it up and according to wikipedia, "Working Class Hero" is in 7/8 time!! It's two bars of 2 and one of 3. Hmm...I'm glad I didn't try to talk about that in the lesson!

[jonny08p]

thank you this helped me a real lot!! but not to be rude or anything, stick to guitar not vocals!

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Sorry, gotta sing it to teach it.

[wadsworth17]

great! thanks for that you have helped me a lot. Oh yer and all you people who are tryin 2 correct this guy go fuck yourselfs!!

[mauro00013]

thank's dude!

[BOO13BOO13]

Like it! Great working!

[radar1618]

boring,f......g boring man!i felt asleep... play and shut up,pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

[jamesblackburnlynch]

There are plenty of teachers on youtube who just play and don't say a word. My favorite is marcos farhat. Try thim.

And thanks for being so polite. It's a pleasure to hear from people like you.

[Rubbersole325]

I get a feeling the album version is capo'd on the 5th fret starting in Em ??? the guitar sounds capo'd.. dunno if anyone agrees

[rhcp4lf]

yeh thteres a capo used in thiss song

[jamesblackburnlynch]

It seems to me just from the bass notes alone there is no capo on the version on Plastic Ono Band. Are we listening to different versions?

[rhcp4lf]

probablyy heyyy

[bleedlifedry]

Thank you for posting this. Definitely educational.

[geminiabel]

cool

[ShanePG]

your wrong, in the chorus there's a "D"

[jamesblackburnlynch]

As the chords say online, the D does not exist on the album cut. You can play it if you want to.

[ShanePG]

Sorry, but you are wrong. Take another listen, in the chorus in the second line there is a "D major" after the G.

P.s.

Does anyone actually use internet tabs???

[zombella666]

Thanks heaps!

You have really helped me learn this epic song.

LEGEND! :D

[zoojungleface]

Thanks Pal!

[Sarch1980]

You just got a fan1 = me... thanks for being so pedagogical and taking it slow for us newbeginners to keep up!! Im keeping you as a favourite.

[REDHOTUKM]

Thanks Very Much James - very helpfull. I have wanted to learn this for ages and YOU showed me how THANKS

[XXxXxXchazzieXxXxXX]

really helpful !

[virgonomic]

Thanks for taking the time to educate the YouTube community on the guitar technique required to play this song.

[jamesblackburnlynch]

My pleasure.

[astro5mile]

Great vid really helped me alot. Keep up the good work and keep on rocking in the free world.

[crazymusiclover1988]

seriously what the hell was that?? You are a pretty good guitar player and you did help me learn the song, but don't sing ever again man Lennon would probably say the same thing

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Umm...thanks for the "advice."

[ShanePG]

your dumb, If Lennon were alive i dont think he would criticize anyone playing any type of music. but thats just my opinion.

[p09tart08]

boring

keep it short and get to the point man..for god's sake

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Your comment has bored me. I had to read too many words.

[adamalexander89]

Very helpful, Thanks

[Purnin]

Thanks so much. I wanted to give this song a go to annoy my mother who hates sad songs. =) I think with some practise I should be able to pull it off! I'm going to have to check out your other stuff. <3

[jamesblackburnlynch]

I'm glad you like it, but this is NOT a sad song. It's a pissed off song.

[Purnin]

Which is what i tell her. :D

[BeatleUniversity]

Very cool! Please check out my video and leave a review.

Peace and Love.

[jb18724]

your videos are a big help

[ec12087]

sweet song. thanks

[BNDS9]

Great lesson

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Thanks. How about a harmonica lesson?

[BNDS9]

I have actually thought about doing a little lesson on how to play simple melodies, (witch is all I really know my self.)My goal is learn to play blues on the harmonica.:)

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Works for me. I'm not even sure which notes are which on the harmonica. It's clear that blowing in and sucking out are different notes, but it seems like sometimes one is higher than the other and other times lower. There must be a system.

[Drewx2k6]

Thats a cool sounding tune. I totaly get the hammer on thing now. I've seen it on guitar tabs, but haven't tried it. thx :)

[jamesblackburnlynch]

Hammers on are necessary. Pull-offs too. Same basic idea, pluck a string, but this time with your finger fretting a note. Then, pluck the string with the finger that is making the note as you take it off the string. You do it by pulling the string. It's also a necessity.