A well known song due to it being used as the theme tune for Cheers ~ a very popular sitcom in its day.
This version is in the key of G, but if you use a capo it can be played like this for a number of alternative keys.
Here is a video lesson, with the tab below:
Intro / bridge
It's important to ensure you play this in time, over two bars of 4/4 time. The G chord is actually only a two finger version. You need a finger available to play the hammer-on on the 4th string. I use my ring finger and pinky to form the chord. You could use your middle and ring fingers.
G
-3-
-0-
-0-
-0-
-X-
-3-
Play a single strum on the G chord and then hammer-on the 4th string, open to fret 2. An open third string completes the little 'fill'. Complete the section with one or two strums on D dominant 11 ~ which is simply a single finger across the top 5 strings, at the 5th fret. Here's tab for this section.
--3-------------5--5--
-----------------5--5--
-------------0--5--5--
------0h2------5--5--
-----------------5--5--
--3-------------5--5--
Verse
There are a lot of D chords for which I prefer to use an F#/D. This is still using exactly the same notes, as F# is the major third in a D chord, however it places th F# on the 6th string instead of the 1st - which I sometimes prefer. Note the 'fill' I play during the 11th and 12th bars, with the Am chord.
Chord chart:
| G / / / | F#/D / / / | G / / / | D / Dsus4 D |
| G / / / | F#/D / / / | G / / / | D / Dsus4 D |
| Am / / / | E / / / | Am / / / | Am / / / |
| D / / / | D / / / |
Tab for the Am 'fill':
--0--0--0--2--3---
--1--3--1--1--1---
--2--2--2--2--2---
--2--2--2--2--2---
--0--0--0--0--0---
--x--x--x---x--x---
Chorus
The melody (vocal line) hits an E note over the F chord. This is fine, insofar as it will work musically if the vocalist sings an E over the F chord, however it can be tricky to 'hit' the correct note and I therefore suggest an FMaj7 chord, as this incorporates and E note. Watch the above video to help guide you on the timing for the 'stabs' (4th & 8th bars).
Chord chart:
| G / / / | Fmaj7 / / / | C / / / | F#/D / G Am |
| G / / / | Fmaj7 / / / | C / / / | F#/D / G Am |
| F#/D / / / | C9 / / / | F#/D / / / | C9 / / / |
| F#/D / / / | C / Am / | Intro/bridge
G
-3-
-3-
-0-
-0-
-2-
-3-
Fmaj7
-0-
-1-
-2-
-3-
-3-
-X-
C
-0-
-1-
-0-
-2-
-3-
-3-
F#/D
-x- (or 3 for an F#/Dadd4)
-3-
-2-
-0-
-0-
-2-
Am
-0-
-1-
-2-
-2-
-0-
-X- (or 0)
C9
-x-
-3-
-0-
-2-
-3-
-x-
This is a fun song that goes down well with anyone who used to watch the TV series, Cheers. Personally, my favourite version is by Foy Vance:
This version is in the key of G, but if you use a capo it can be played like this for a number of alternative keys.
Here is a video lesson, with the tab below:
Intro / bridge
It's important to ensure you play this in time, over two bars of 4/4 time. The G chord is actually only a two finger version. You need a finger available to play the hammer-on on the 4th string. I use my ring finger and pinky to form the chord. You could use your middle and ring fingers.
G
-3-
-0-
-0-
-0-
-X-
-3-
Play a single strum on the G chord and then hammer-on the 4th string, open to fret 2. An open third string completes the little 'fill'. Complete the section with one or two strums on D dominant 11 ~ which is simply a single finger across the top 5 strings, at the 5th fret. Here's tab for this section.
--3-------------5--5--
-----------------5--5--
-------------0--5--5--
------0h2------5--5--
-----------------5--5--
--3-------------5--5--
Verse
There are a lot of D chords for which I prefer to use an F#/D. This is still using exactly the same notes, as F# is the major third in a D chord, however it places th F# on the 6th string instead of the 1st - which I sometimes prefer. Note the 'fill' I play during the 11th and 12th bars, with the Am chord.
Chord chart:
| G / / / | F#/D / / / | G / / / | D / Dsus4 D |
| G / / / | F#/D / / / | G / / / | D / Dsus4 D |
| Am / / / | E / / / | Am / / / | Am / / / |
| D / / / | D / / / |
Tab for the Am 'fill':
--0--0--0--2--3---
--1--3--1--1--1---
--2--2--2--2--2---
--2--2--2--2--2---
--0--0--0--0--0---
--x--x--x---x--x---
Chorus
The melody (vocal line) hits an E note over the F chord. This is fine, insofar as it will work musically if the vocalist sings an E over the F chord, however it can be tricky to 'hit' the correct note and I therefore suggest an FMaj7 chord, as this incorporates and E note. Watch the above video to help guide you on the timing for the 'stabs' (4th & 8th bars).
Chord chart:
| G / / / | Fmaj7 / / / | C / / / | F#/D / G Am |
| G / / / | Fmaj7 / / / | C / / / | F#/D / G Am |
| F#/D / / / | C9 / / / | F#/D / / / | C9 / / / |
| F#/D / / / | C / Am / | Intro/bridge
G
-3-
-3-
-0-
-0-
-2-
-3-
Fmaj7
-0-
-1-
-2-
-3-
-3-
-X-
C
-0-
-1-
-0-
-2-
-3-
-3-
F#/D
-x- (or 3 for an F#/Dadd4)
-3-
-2-
-0-
-0-
-2-
Am
-0-
-1-
-2-
-2-
-0-
-X- (or 0)
C9
-x-
-3-
-0-
-2-
-3-
-x-
This is a fun song that goes down well with anyone who used to watch the TV series, Cheers. Personally, my favourite version is by Foy Vance: