'John, I'm Only Dancing' by Bowie David - Guitar Tutorial

Song lyrics:

Chords: show

Choose a fret

            INTRO: G C9 

G C9 G C9 G C9 G C9 G
Well, Annie's pretty neat, she always eats her meat
C9 G C9 G C9 G C9
Joe is awful strong, bet your life he's putting us on
C C/B Am C
Oh lordy, oh lordy, you know I need some loving
G C9 ..repeated
I'm moving, touch me

CHORUS 1:
Em
John, I'm only dancing
E
She turns me on, but I'm only dancing
F G
She turns me on, don't get me wrong
A
I'm only dancing

G C9 ...repeated

G C9 G C9 G C9 G C9
Oh shadow love was quick and clean, life's a well-thumbed machine
G C9 G C9 G C9 G C9
I saw you watching from the stairs, you're everyone that ever cared
C C/B Am C
Oh lordy, oh lordy, you know I need some loving
G C9 ...repeated
I'm moving, touch me

CHORUS

Outro: A G (with toggle switch)

-----------------------------------------
VERSES: Behind the strumming acoustic there is an electric:
G C Am C G
E----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G--4-4----4-4----4-4----4-4-----5-5-----5------5----4-4----4-4----4-4----4-4-|
D--5-5----5-5----5-5----5-5-4/5-5-5-4/5-5------5----5-5----5-5----5-5----5-5-|
A--4/5----4/5----4/5----4/5----2/3-----2/3---320--3-4/5----4/5----4/5----4/5-|
E--2/3----2/3----2/3----2/3-------------------------2/3----2/3----2/3----2/3-|

CHORUS:
Em E F G
E--7---7-7-12---12---12---12---12---12---12---12----|
B--8---8-9---15В--15В--15В--15В--15В--15В--15В--15В-|
G--9-9-9-9------------------------------------------|
D---------------------------------------------------|
A---------------------------------------------------|
E---------------------------------------------------|

Then another guitar joins and they play two different melodies:
A
E----------------------------------|
B-----------12-14-15-12-12---------|
G---11-12-14-----------------------|
D-14-------------------------------|
A----------------------------------|
E----------------------------------|

A
E-12-------------------------------|
B-----------------17В17-15-14-12---|
G-------------------------------14-|
D----------------------------------|
A----------------------------------|
E----------------------------------|

PRE 2nd CHORUS: 
Just before the second chorus there is a little subtle
background lick just after the words 'touch me':
G
E-330--------------|
B----30------------|
G------4P2P0-4P2P0-|
D------------------|
A------------------|
E------------------|

LAST 2 CHORDS: 
The last two chords of the song are A to G. 
The effect at the end is achieved by using a Les Paul style guitar
and turning the top volume, for the neck pickup, off 
and then whilst holding the G flicking the toggle switch quickly. 
It helps if you stand next to a loud amp aswell, 
because then you get the feedback starting to creep in!

Chords: show

Select fingering

How to play other songs of the artist "Bowie David"?

mft34039

12.24.2024, 20:40

As a guitar professional, I have to say that while this song structure is catchy, it lacks depth in its chord progression for those serious about guitar learning. The reliance on G and C9 throughout the verses can make it feel repetitive and uninspired for intermediate players looking to improve their skills. If you're teaching beginners, sure, it’s a great way to get them comfortable with basic chords. But I'm not convinced it's offering enough challenge or variety for anyone beyond that level. I would suggest incorporating some additional chords or variations to keep things engaging and help players develop their ear for music. Plus, it would make the song more interesting overall. While it's nice and simple for a sing-along, there’s so much more potential for creativity here! More insights like this could really enhance the learning experience for budding guitarists.

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