LESSON #603
​"Let us be lovers, we'll marry
our fortunes together...

Click to watch free video lesson

My friends – new lesson today where I’ll teach you to play America by Simon and Garfunkel, from their 1968 album Bookends. This is an amazingly fun song to play, though it is quite a lot to chew on when it comes to the chord shapes & progressions needed.

In my tutorial, I’ll walk you through everything — showing the easiest way to make your way through the song, along with several tips for adding flair & flourish throughout.

• 0:00 Lesson Overview
• 1:51 Rhythm & Strumming
• 3:36 Main Walkdown: Basics
• 6:13 Main Walkdown: Fills
• 10:09 Verse 1 & 3
• 13:38 Verse 2 & 4
• 15:39 Bridge
• 18:23 Outro
• 20:24 Farewell & Final Tips

Don't miss all my additional practice materials for this lesson — step by step notes, a vocal melody deep-dive, a zoomed playthrough, a link to a recommended lyric sheet, and more.

Get all this on my America lesson page »​
​

Techniques Used in This Song

For additional help with the tips & techniques used in this song, here's a quick list of the tutorials to help you along the way:

• Strumming Patterns in 6/8 Time
• 7 Simpler Ways to Play F Major
• Wrapping Your Thumb to play F Major
• Major Key Guide: Key of C Major
• Bass Note Strumming
• Strummy Walkdowns in Key of C

​

Looking for More Simon & Garfunkel?

If you're hungry for more lessons teaching Paul Simon (or Simon & Garfunkel), here's the tutorials I've made:

• Mrs. Robinson
• Kodachrome
• 59th Street Bridge Song
• Sound of Silence
• Grab & Go Fingerstyle ft. Graceland

​

Sunday Fun at Formula 1

Yesterday I had an absolute blast at the United States GP here in Austin, TX. I've been a bit obsessed with F1 the last few years, and seeing these cars sweep through these corners in person was a true delight. In that spirit, I'll share this lead guitar lesson teaching the main riff heard in the F1 theme song:

​

And this lesson from Turnpike Troubadours, who played just after the race. This is the #1 band I've wanted to see the past few years – so this was a cherry on top of an amazing day. Thanks to a good friend I got to sit dead center, which was a huge relief considering I'd walked over 18,000 steps when they hit the stage.

​

​

Thanks & Enjoy!

Hard to believe October is almost halfway over! I'm cooking up a few lessons at the moment, as always – and can't wait to share them with you all soon. Until then ✌️

David

Browse all my lessons at songnotes.net