How to Play Wake Up Little Susie Chords by The Everly Brothers on Guitar
“Wake Up Little Susie” is a classic rock and roll song by the American duo The Everly Brothers, released in 1957. The song tells the story of two teenagers who fall asleep at the movies and wake up late at night, worrying about what their parents and friends will think. The song was a hit, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the country charts, and becoming one of the most influential songs of the early rock era.
Chords
The song is in the key of D major, and uses six basic chords: D, F, G, A, A7, and D7. You can find the chord diagrams and fingerings for these chords on Ultimate Guitar, [Guitar Chords], or [ChordBank].
For the RIFF part D x-x-0-2-3-2 F x-3-3-2-1-1 G x-5-5-4-3-3 A7 x-0-2-0-2-0 (Riff) D F G F D F G F [Verse] D F G F D Wake up little Susie, wake up D F G F D Wake up little Susie, wake up G D G G D G We both been sound asleep, wake up little Susie and weep G D G D G D G The movie's over, it's four o'clock and we're in trouble deep A G A Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie [Chorus] A E A Well, what're we gonna tell your mamma? A E A What're we gonna tell your pa? A E A N.C. What're we gonna tell our friends when they say "ooh la la"? D A7 D Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie [Middle 8] D D7 Well I told your momma that you'd be in by ten G Well now Susie baby looks like we goofed again A G A (N.C.) D F G F D F G F Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie, we gotta go home [Verse] D F G F D Wake up little Susie, wake up D F G F D Wake up little Susie, wake up G D G G D G The movie wasn't so hot, it didn't have much of a plot G D G D G D G We fell asleep, our goose is cooked, our reputation is shot A G A Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie... [Chorus/Outro] A E A Well, what're we gonna tell your mamma? A E A What're we gonna tell your pa? A E A N.C. What're we gonna tell our friends when they say "ooh la la"? D A7 D Wake up little Susie, wake up little Susie A7 D D F G D F G D F G D F G Wake up little Susie (fade)
The Strumming
The song has a fast tempo and a lively rhythm. You can use a simple down-up strumming pattern for each chord, or add some accents and variations to make it more interesting. You can watch some video tutorials on how to strum the song on [YouTube], [Guitar Tricks], or [JamPlay].
The Riff
The song also features a catchy riff that plays at the beginning and between the verses. The riff is based on the notes of the D major scale, and uses some hammer-ons and pull-offs to create a smooth sound. You can find the tablature and notation for the riff on Ultimate Guitar, [Songsterr], or [Guitar Pro].
You can also learn how to play the riff by watching some video lessons on [YouTube], [GuitarLessons365], or [Justin Guitar].
Conclusion
“Wake Up Little Susie” is a fun and easy song to play on guitar. It only requires six basic chords, a simple strumming pattern, and a catchy riff. You can use the resources mentioned in this article to learn how to play the song, or improvise your own version. Have fun and enjoy playing this rock and roll classic!
