Get Back Chords and Tabs
Get Back Progression
The song is primarily based on a I IV chord progression in A. But because each chord is functioning as a static dominant seventh chord, it’s really a V7 V7 chord progression in two different keys. A7 stems from the D major scale and D7 stems from the G major scale.
Get Back Scales
John Lennon didn’t play major scale patterns during the song. Instead he used a combination of A major and A minor pentatonic scales for the lead fills and solo sections.
Get Back Chords
His rhythm features sixths and seventh chord inversions. During the verse he used the standard 5th and 6th “shuffle rhythm” that is so common in blues, rock and boogie woogie. During the chorus he fills with some A7 and D7 seventh chord inversions.
These are the basic parts, but there are a few other things that complete the song. Watch the video and follow the tabs to see.
Know of other songs that make use of major and minor pentatonic scales in this blues fashion? Leave comments and tell me about them.
Get Back Tabs
A
-|-----------------------------------------------------
-|-----------------------------------------------------
-|-----------------------------------------------------
-|-----------------------------------------------------
-|--7----9-----7---9----7---------9-----7----9---------
-|--5----5-----5---5----5---------5-----5----5---------
Jojo was a man who thought he was a loner
D A
-|-------------------------------------------12------------------------
-|------------------------------10--12b(14)------b(14)12--10------10---
-|-------------------------/11--------------------------------11-------
-|--7------9-------7---9-----------------------------------------------
-|--5------5-------5---5-----------------------------------------------
-|---------------------------------------------------------------------
But he knew it couldn't last
A
-|---------------------------------------------------
-|---------------------------------------------------
-|---------------------------------------------------
-|---------------------------------------------------
-|--7----9--------7---9----7-----9----7----9---------
-|--5----5--------5---5----5-----5----5----5---------
Jojo left his home in Tucson Ari zona
D A
-|------------------------------------------12------------------------
-|-----------------------------10--12b(14)------b(14)12--10------10---
-|------------------------/11--------------------------------11-------
-|--7---------9---7---9-----------------------------------------------
-|--5---------5---5---5-----------------------------------------------
-|--------------------------------------------------------------------
For some Cali fornia grass Get back
A
-|---------------9--9--9--9--9---------------9--9--9--9--9--------
-|---------------8--8--8--8--8---------------8--8--8--8--8--------
-|---------------9--9--9--9--9---------------9--9--9--9--9--------
-|------------7---------------------------7-----------------------
-|------7--9------------------------7--9--------------------------
-|--/9--------------------------/9--------------------------------
Get Back Get Back
D7 A G/A D/A A
-|---------------8--8--8--8--8---------------9--9--9--9--9--------
-|---------------7--7--7--7--7---------------8--8--8--8--8--------
-|---------------7--7--7--7--7---------------9--9--9--9--9--------
-|------------7---------------------------7-----------------------
-|------7--9------------------------7--9--------------------------
-|--/9--------------------------/9--------------------------------
to where you once be long Get back
A
-|---------------9--9--9--9--9---------------9--9--9--9--9--------
-|---------------8--8--8--8--8---------------8--8--8--8--8--------
-|---------------9--9--9--9--9---------------9--9--9--9--9--------
-|------------7---------------------------7-----------------------
-|------7--9------------------------7--9--------------------------
-|--/9--------------------------/9--------------------------------
Get Back Get Back
D7 A
-|---------------8--8--8--8--8---------------9--9--9--9--9--------
-|---------------7--7--7--7--7---------------8--8--8--8--8--------
-|---------------7--7--7--7--7---------------9--9--9--9--9--------
-|------------7---------------------------7-----------------------
-|------7--9------------------------7--9--------------------------
-|--/9--------------------------/9--------------------------------
to where you once be long
Guitar Lead:
A
-|--------------------------------12------------------------------
-|-------10--10--10--12--12b(14)------b(14)12--10-----------------
-|--/11--------------------------------------------11-------------
-|----------------------------------------------------------------
-|----------------------------------------------------------------
-|----------------------------------------------------------------
D A G D
-|---------------------------------------------------------------
-|---------------------------------------------------------------
-|-----------7---------------------------------------------------
-|-----7--9-----10--7--10b(11)-----------------------------------
-|--9------------------------------------------------------------
-|---------------------------------------------------------------
A
-|--------------------------------12------------------------------
-|-------10--10--10--12--12b(14)------b(14)12--10------10---------
-|--/11--------------------------------------------11-------------
-|----------------------------------------------------------------
-|----------------------------------------------------------------
-|----------------------------------------------------------------
D A G D
-|----------------------------------------------------------------
-|--------------------------8--5----------------------------------
-|------------7----------------------5--7b(9)--5-----5------------
-|-----7--10-----10--7--10--------7---------------7---------------
-|--9-------------------------------------------------------------
-|----------------------------------------------------------------
Which parts of the solo are A minor Pentatonic and which are A major pentatonic? Which other songs are examples of this mix? Which is the best way to overlap these scales on the fretboard – the similar 5th position or different positions? Or a bit of both? Thank you.
Most of the solo phrases start in A major pentatonic and then end in A minor pentatonic. You’ll have to match things up with the pentatonic scale patterns I teach in my guitar theory book and DVDs. Also, to learn more about this major/minor blues mix listen to my free Guitar Music Theory Lessons podcast episode 10 (number 2 on the list).