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Songs for the Campfire Diploma

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Over 100 practice songs for the first 6 chords

In this appendix you will find all the practice examples from the campfire diploma and other well-known songs from commercially available songbooks. So that this guitar course can continue to be made available free of charge and can be printed cheaply as a book, we have omitted songs with copyright from the Wikibooks. Nevertheless, the compilation should show you that you can put together a full-length program with just 6 chords and a handful of strumming patterns.

All 200 suggestions are available within two months. Suggestions with copyright often include the chord progressions next to the YouTube search link. You have to look up the lyrics and melody in the songbook. Some of the chord suggestions and the accompaniment (strumming patterns) have been considerably simplified.

These songs are a good place to start playing the guitar.

Only the following major and minor chords are accepted as simple chords:

A D G C Em Am E

Any additions such as 7 or slash chords (bass notes that are under a fraction bar) can be ignored for the time being. Example: Instead of G7 you play G, and instead of D/F# you play D.

If a song is too low for you, or the sound example on YouTube is higher than the chords given here, you can use a capo.

Song Examples:

D major chord and 4/4 strumming pattern

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(1) Chord changes from D to A and 4/4-strumming patterns

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  • Play a chord for one bar
  • A '-' means play the chord for another bar
  • (!!!) means easy song for practicing.
  1. He's got the whole world (!!!)
  2. Rock My Soul
    more examples
  3. YT   Achey breaky heart (Billy Ray Cyrus)
  4. YT   Bruttosozialprodukt (Geier Sturzflug)
    A - D -
  5. YT   Polly Wolly Doodle
  6. YT   Eisgekühlter Bommerlunder (Tote Hosen)
    D - - A , A - - D (!!!)
  7. YT   Jambalaya (Hank Williams)
  8. YT   Kreuzberger Nächte sind lang (Gebrüder Blattschuss)
    D - - A , A - - D
  9. YT   Lord of the Dance (T+M: Sidney Carter 1963)
    D D A A | D D A D | D D D A | D D A D
  10. YT   Das Lummerlandlied (Augsburger Puppenkiste) D- A--- D-
  11. YT   Mendocino (Sir Douglas Quintet) D - - -, A - - -, - - D -
  12. YT   Roadrunners (The Modern Lovers)
  13. YT   Tulsa Time (Don Williams)


Clipboard

To do:
find more public domain examples


Tip:

Try singing the songs Jambalaya and Tulsa Time at the same time. Everyone plays the same chords, but everyone sings something different.

(2) Chord changes from G to D and Railway and Western Pattern

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  1. When the Saints Go Marching In
  2. Sloop John B • YT   Sloop John B.
    More examples
  3. YT   Milorad (Edith Piaf) (Chorus)
  4. YT   Follow Me (Uncle Kracker)
    D (G A) D (G D)
  5. YT   Down On The Corner (CCR)
    D - A D (2x) G - D -; D - A D | G D A D (2x)
  6. YT   Rock Around the Clock (Bill Haley)
    Intro:D - - - Verse; D - - - G - D - A G D - (Blues scheme in D)
  7. YT   Rockin All Over The World (Status Quo)
    D D G G D A D D
  8. YT   Still Haven't Found What I'm looking for (U2)
    //: D - - - G - D - :// //: A G D - :// (3/4-Takt)
  9. YT   This Land Is Your Land
    (D) G - D -, A - D -, G - D -, A - D -
  10. YT   Walk of Life (Dire Straits) (Original: Capo 2. Fred)
    The change of G-A or A-G can wait until lesson 7.
  11. YT   Hound Dog (Elvis Presley / Big Mama Thornton)
    D - - - G - D - A G D - (Blues scheme in D)
  12. YT   The First Cut Is The Deepest (Sheryl Crow)
    D A G A

Chord changes G-C-D and Campfire strumming pattern

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  1. She’ll Be Coming ’Round the Mountain
  2. My Grandmas Going Biking In The Hen House
  3. Oh, Susanna
  4. Banana Boat Song (Day-O)
  5. Oh Marry Don't You Weep
  6. Down by the riverside
  7. Banks of the Ohio
  8. Oh My Darling Clementine
  9. Cotton Fields
    more examples
  10. YT   Down on the Corner (CCR)
    //:(G - D G)2x (C G D G)2x://
  11. YT   Hotel Yorba (White Stripes)
    G C D G
  12. YT   Ich und ein Fass voller Wein (Versengold)
    //:G - D - C D7 G D (4x) G - C - G - D - (2x) C D G -:// 3/4 (Capo=2)
  13. YT   Leaving On A Jet Plane (John Denver) (!!!)
    //: G C G C - G C D D :// (D D C D)
  14. YT   Lord I Lift Your name On High (Rick Founds)
    G C D C (6x) G / C D Em C/ D G C G
  15. YT   Tom Dooly
    G - - D, - - - G

(4) G Em C D

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At first, practice mainly songs with the chord combination G-Em-C-D. Especially prefer those where each chord is held for two bars. After a very short time, the change will become automatic and you can focus more on singing. The chord sequence G-Em-C-D makes the following lesson with the quick chord change easier. The other suggested songs will be for repetition later.

Clipboard

To do:
Find more public domain songs with the chord progression G Em C D (without quick chord change).


  1. Spanish Lady (Irish Folk)
    YT   Spanish Lady
  2. Whiskey in the Jar
    YT   Whiskey in the Jar
  3. YT   His Latest Flame (Elvis Presley) (!!!) © G Em (X-x) C D ...
  4. YT   Love the Lord © G G Em Em; C C D D (Hymn)
    The order of the chords remains the same, but the duration varies.
  5. YT   Stand By Me (Ben E. King) //: G G Em Em; C D G G ://
  6. YT   Let's Twist again (Chubby Checker) //: G G Em Em; C C D D; G G Em Em; C D(7) G G; C C G G; C C D D(7) ://
  7. YT   Hey Hey Baby (Refrain) G G Em Em; C D G G
    The pop formula G D Em C or Em C G D
  8. YT   Someone Like You (Adele)(Original In A = Capo 2. Fret)
  9. YT   Superman (Boyce Avenue)
  10. YT   Under The Bridge (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
  11. YT   When I Come Around (Green Day)
  12. YT   80 Millionen(Max Giesinger) C G D Em
  13. YT   Flash Mich (Mark Forster) easy: Em C G D or (Em G) C G D (original)
  14. YT   Geiles Leben (Glasperlenspiel) Em C G D (Capo = 1)
  15. YT   Namika Lieblingsmensch (Namika) Em C G D
    Compound chord progressions with G Em C D and/or G D Em C
  16. YT   Father and Son (Cat Stevens) © //G D Em C; G Em C D// at the end of the son(C D) G C G C
  17. YT   Let it Be (Beatles) © G D Em C; G D C G // Em D C G; D D C G
  18. YT   Country Roads (John Denver) © //: G G Em Em; D D C G ;// G G D D; Em Em C C; G G D D; C C G G
    other with Em
  19. YT   Das Ist Dein Leben (Philipp Dittberner)
  20. YT   Wir sind groß (Mark Forster) © Em G D C
  21. YT   99 Red Ballons (Nena) D Em G A (Possibly with capo 2nd fret and an add an A between the verses)
  22. YT   Lady in Black (Uriah Heep) © Em---; D D Em Em
  23. YT   Dieser Weg (Xavier Naidoo) © G D Em Em (Original is a semitone lower)
  24. YT   Walking in Memphis (Marc Cohn/Cher) C C D D; G G Em Em (hier die höhere Version von Cher)
  25. YT   Viva La Vida (Coldplay) © (!!!) //: C C D D; G G Em Em :// (instead of Bm in the original just play G)
    Accompaniment suggestion: 4/4 + campfire beat
    1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . | 1 . 2 + . + 4 .
    A - A - A - A - | A - A V - V A -
    :Original
    1 . 2 . 3 . 4 + | . + . + 3 . 4 .
    A - A - A - A V | - V - V A - A -
  26. YT   (Photograph (Ed Sheeran))


Tip:

Not all songs can be played in one lesson. The rest are for later repetitions of the teaching material; for latecomers who have missed a lesson so that the others don't get bored, and as a break filler when some of the upcoming lessons become too strenuous and you want to play something that will be easy again.

(5) Quick Chord Change

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Two chords in one bar

Songs that have a chord progression other than G Em C D are only intended for repetition later. So don't practise them today in this lesson.

  1. I like the flowers (!!!)
  2. Guantanamera
  3. Kumbayah my Lord
  4. La Bamba
  5. YT   Breakfast at Tiffanys (deep blue something) Strophe //: D (G A) :// D Refrain //:D (A G):// und vielleicht noch ein D für die Pausen
  6. YT   (Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame (Elvis Presley) (G Em) 7x C D ...
  7. YT   Stay (just a little bit longer) // (G Em) (C D) // C D
  8. YT   Twist and Shout (Beatles) //: D (G A) ://
  9. YT   When you say nothing at all (Ronan Keating) (G D)(C D) 4x C D (G D)(C D) D
    Ref: (G D)(C D)2x (G D) C D - - (C D) C D (G D)(C D)
  10. YT   All Summer Long (Kid Rock) (D C) G
  11. YT   Sweet Home Alabama (D C) G
  12. YT   Hang on Sloopy (The McCoys) (G C) (D C)
  13. YT   Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival) //:G (D C) G G ://
Tip:

Put together a small medley of songs in G major and always play "Stay (just a little bit longer)" in between. For each "one more song" in the medley, the first verse and the chorus are enough.

(6) Chord changes C-Am

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  1. 500 Miles (Hedy West) (Folksong)
  2. Tom Dooley(Folksong)
  3. The Wild Rover (Irish Folk)
  4. Acres Of Clams
  5. The Raggle Taggle Gypsies
  6. YT   Into the Night (Santana feat. Chad Kroeger) //: Am C G D ://
  7. YT   Knockin' on Heaven's Door (Guns N'Roses, Bob Dylan u.a.m.) //: G D Am Am | G D C C ://
  8. YT   It never rains in southern California (Albert Hammond) mostly Am D G G in the chorus once Am D G Em (Original: Capo 2nd fret)
  9. YT   Riptide (Vance Joy) Am G C C (The intermediate section is simply left out until the F major chord)
  10. YT   What's Up (4 Non Blondes) G G Am Am C C G G (Original: Capo 2nd fret)
  11. YT   Stumblin' in (Chris Norman, Suzi Quatro) Am D G Em

(7) Jump between Em-D and Am-G

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In this lesson, the leap Em-D and Am-G are practiced and repeated, as well as songs with irregular and long chord sequences and songs that were skipped in previous lessons.

  1. Hey Ho, Nobody Home
  2. Spancil Hill
  3. Star Of The County Down
  4. Carrickfergus
  5. Jingle Bells
  6. My Bonny 3/4-beat
  7. Ox-Driving Song
  8. Roter Mond (German scout song)
  9. Kling Glöckchen (Christmas song)
  10. The Cockoo
  11. She Moved Through The Fair
  12. The Foggy Dew
  13. YT   COUNTRY ROADS (John Denver) G- Em- D- C G (2x) G- D- Em- C- / G- D- C- G-
  14. YT   Father and Son (Cat Stevens) //G D Em C / G Em C D// oder //G D C Am / G Em Am (C) D// almost always, only at the end of "son" (C D) G C G C
  15. YT   Good Riddance/Time of your Life (Green Day) G G C D (2x) Em D C G - Em G Em G - Em D G
  16. YT   Heroes (David Bowie) D G D G C G Am Em D C G D...
  17. YT   I’M Just More (Wonderwall) Em----/ C G Em D (2x) / Ref: C Em D- (2x)/ Bridge: Em / C G Em D / C G D- Original in A (Capo 2. fret)
  18. YT   Lady in Black (Uriah Heep) Em--- D- Em- (can alternatively be played with Am--- G- Am-.)
  19. YT   Let it Be (Beatles) G D Em C / G D C G // Em D C G / D D C G
  20. YT   Living on a Prayer (Bon Jovi) Em - C D
  21. YT   Numb (Linkin Park) Em C G D (ohne Bridge)
  22. YT   Mad World(Tears for Fears / Gary Jules) //:Em G D A ://
  23. YT   Marry You (Bruno Mars) D - Em - G - D -
  24. YT   99 red balloons (Nena) D Em G A
    Possibly with capo on the 2nd fret; always the same chord sequence, one bar per chord (only between the verses 2x A)
  25. YT   Take it easy (Eagles)
  26. YT   Through Glass (Stone Sour) C D Em -
  27. YT   Über den Wolken (Reinhard Mey) G - Am - D - G - "und dann" C - G - D D7 G - (Pay particular attention to the pauses when singing!)
  28. YT   Westerland (Die Ärzte) {G 6x D -}2x C - Em -; C - D -(7); {G D Em C}3x (without bridge) end: G D Em C; Am D7 C D7; Am D7 C D7 G
  29. YT   What's Up (Four Non Blondes) //:G Am C G:// (Capo=1) (DD 1)
  30. YT   Wind Of Change (Scorpions) Original in C major! Intro: C Am C Am, Em Am Em D G Verse: //:G Am G Am Em D :// Chorus: //: G D Am D:// Em C D Bridge: Em D Em D G Am H7 (possibly Em D until you can play B7)
  31. YT   Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton) G D C D (2x) C D G-D Em C D G | C D G-D Em C D C | D G D C D
  32. YT   Zombie (Cranberries) Em C G D

(8) Campfire-Diploma Completion

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The following songs contain almost all the practice material for the campfire diploma With these songs you leave the beginner status. The songs are not particularly difficult. But they contain all the essential learning content of the campfire diploma. (6 chords G D C Em Am A Lagerfeuerschlag and the quick change of fingering)

  1. Ein Mann der sich Columbus nannt
  2. Hoch auf dem gelben Wagen
  3. Nikolauslieder
Clipboard

To do:
Find Songs in English without copyright ©️


  1. YT   American Pie (Don McLean) ©
    Very demanding and almost impossible to play without a chord sheet.
    (G D) Em Am C Em D -
    (G D) Em Am C Em C D -
    Em Am Em Am
    (C G) Am C D
    (G D) Em C D
    (G D) Em C D (G C) G
    Ref:(G C)(G D)3x
    Em A Em D
    Strophe 2: G Am C Am Em D
    (G D) Em Am C Em A D -
    Em D Em D
    (C G) A C D
    (G D) Em C D Am C
    (G D) Em C D (G C)(G D)
     If you have practiced "When you say nothing at all" before this song, then the chorus is very easy. Practice the chord progression (G-D)-Em and (C-G)-Am or (C-G)-A dozens of times in a row beforehand until you can memorize this chord progression with a quick change of fingering.


Clipboard

To do:
Install a II-V-I-progression (Am-D-G) in 'Let It Go' and 'These Days'


Already playable with tricks

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individual chords must be simplified
  1. YT   Boulevard of broken Dreams (Green Day) © Em G D A (several times) Chorus C G D A (3x) C G B7- (B7 can also be played as a D' without the ring finger, if only the lower 3 strings are struck). On C in the chorus, only perform two downbeats and only play the campfire strumming pattern again on "shadow".
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