Songs Worth Learning - 23
There are certain songs that I think every guitar player should try to learn. Either they have cool guitar parts, or they will expand your playing skills, or they will introduce you to a style of music you may not have played before. I am going to recommend songs in several styles of music and explain why I think they should be added to your “play list.” Obviously, these are my choices, and no doubt, some will disagree with my choices. But each song has something good to offer so I think they are worth learning.
This will eventually be a huge list so I am going to post them one song at a time in no particular order. Take your time and enjoy each one.
Soul Man - Sam & Dave
Some guitar players have an instantly recognizable style of playing. Steve Cropper is one of those players. As a member of STAX record label house band, he added his distinctive style to many soul and R&B hits. The song Soul Man was written by Isaac Hayes and Dave Pratter during the turmoil of the civil rights moment in the 1960s as a story about rising above one’s present conditions. It reached #2 on the Billboard 100 charts. Soul Man opens with Cropper playing cool two string riffs followed by some infectious fast treble string chord playing. Cropper even gets brief recognition on the record when Sam Moore shouts “Play it Steve.” before a short guitar fill. Cropper also played on the Blues Brothers version from the movie of the same name.
