Top 12 12-string Songs

Summary

Join Dan from The Spark Music Academy as he counts down his top 12 favorite 12-string guitar songs. Each track is paired with intriguing background details and a short playthrough. The list kicks off with The Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man," a Dylan cover that shaped rock music, and journeys through a variety of iconic songs across decades, concluding with Led Zeppelin's "Over the Hills and Far Away." Interwoven with insights into the creation processes, band dynamics, and cultural impacts, this countdown offers a rich blend of musical history and entertainment.

Highlights

• The Byrds initially refused to record 'Mr. Tambourine Man'—but history was made when they did! 🎶
• Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora's acoustic set inspired MTV's Unplugged series! 🎤
• Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Life by the Drop' is a posthumous tribute to his lifelong friendship. 🌟

Key Takeaways

• 🎸 Discover the magic behind The Byrds' refusal to initially record 'Mr. Tambourine Man.'
• 🎶 Bon Jovi's 'Wanted Dead or Alive' unintentionally spurred the MTV Unplugged series with its acoustic rendition.
• 🎵 'Life by the Drop' by Stevie Ray Vaughan is a tribute to his friendship with songwriter Doyle Brahmall.

Overview

Dive into the world of 12-string guitar songs with Dan from The Spark Music Academy. In this video, Dan shares his personal top 12 list, starting with the transformative 'Mr. Tambourine Man' by The Byrds. This song, although initially resisted by the band, became a cornerstone in the folk rock movement, inspiring others, including Bob Dylan, to embrace electric music.

From the accidental creation of MTV's Unplugged series by Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora's acoustic performance of 'Wanted Dead or Alive' to the poignant storytelling of Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'Life by the Drop,' this countdown explores the powerful narratives and unique histories behind these iconic tracks. Each song is more than just a melody; it's a piece of musical history that transformed genres and inspired countless artists.

Dan's captivating storytelling not only highlights the music but also the friendships, tragedies, and triumphs behind each track. The list is a walk through music history, reflecting the profound influence of the 12-string guitar across rock, folk, and blues. Ending with Led Zeppelin's 'Over the Hills and Far Away,' it's a celebration of innovative music that continues to resonate with audiences today.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction The chapter titled 'Introduction' features Dan from the Spark Music Academy. In the introduction, Dan explains the format of his music videos where he counts down his favorite 12-string songs. He mentions that he provides background information, fun facts about each song, and a little playthrough. The chapter sets the stage for the countdown, starting with the song ranked at number 12.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Number 12: Mr. Tambourine Man - The Byrds The chapter discusses the Byrds' cover of 'Mr. Tambourine Man,' originally written by Bob Dylan and released on his fifth album in 1965. The Byrds initially hesitated to record the song, believing it lacked hit potential. However, after their manager, Jim Dickson, convinced them, they altered the original by removing some lyrics and adding a 12-string guitar lead. Notably, only three out of the five Byrds members performed on this version, with Roger McGuinn on vocals.
• 01:00 - 02:00: Number 11: Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi Chapter Title: Number 11: Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi Summary: This chapter discusses the impact of the song 'Wanted Dead or Alive' by Bon Jovi. The song is credited with launching the unplugged music craze and had a significant influence on rock music, alongside notable changes in the genre by other artists such as the Byrds and Bob Dylan going electric.
• 02:00 - 03:00: Number 10: Life by the Drop - Stevie Ray Vaughan The 1989 MTV Video Music Awards featured a performance by Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora who played 'Life by the Drop' using only acoustic guitars. This inspired MTV to create the unplugged series. The song was written in just one day, reflecting the duo's touring experiences.
• 03:00 - 04:00: Number 9: Tangerine - Led Zeppelin The chapter discusses the significance of Led Zeppelin's song 'Tangerine', titled at number 9. It briefly introduces another song, 'Life by the Drop' by Stevie Ray Vaughn, which was recorded before his passing in 1990 and released posthumously in 1991 on the album 'The Sky is Crying'. The transcript contains a mix of music and applause, presumably from a live setting or broadcast, providing ambiance to the narrative. The narrative hints at people's common assumptions regarding the song's authorship.
• 04:00 - 05:00: Number 8: Breaking the Girl - Red Hot Chili Peppers Chapter 8, titled "Breaking the Girl - Red Hot Chili Peppers", discusses the background of a song written by a friend of the musician, Doyle Bramall. Bramall and his friend were high school buddies who played in bands together in Dallas and Austin. The song "Life by the Drop" reflects on their friendship, showcasing the deep bond between them.
• 05:00 - 06:00: Number 7: Closer to the Heart - Rush The chapter discusses the history of a song initially recorded by The Yardbirds in 1968 at Columbia Studios in New York. The song, titled 'Knowing That I'm Losing You,' was never officially released but was performed live on multiple occasions before the band disbanded. It later reappeared during Led Zeppelin's career as they worked on material for a follow-up album to 'Led Zeppelin II.' In this new iteration, the song featured acoustic guitar, handclaps, and harmonica.
• 06:00 - 07:00: Number 6: Free Fallin' - Tom Petty The chapter titled 'Number 6: Free Fallin' - Tom Petty' discusses the influence of earlier music on Tom Petty's 'Free Fallin'.' It references how the song and similar tunes served as a foundation for Led Zeppelin's 'Led Zeppelin 3' and their subsequent albums. The segment transitions to a music clip and applause before introducing the next entry at number eight.
• 07:00 - 08:00: Number 5: I Stay Away - Alice in Chains In this chapter, the song 'Breaking the Girl' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is discussed. The band recorded the album 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' in a large house in Los Angeles, with Rick Rubin producing. Anthony Kiedis preferred solitude when recording his vocals, so he would often retreat to a second-floor bedroom to sing. The lyrics of the song are about Kiedis's breakup with Carmen Hawk, a model he was dating, and the challenges they faced in their tumultuous relationship.
• 08:00 - 09:00: Number 4: More Than a Feeling - Boston The chapter discusses the song 'Closer to the Heart' by Rush, highlighting that it was the first song by the band to feature a collaborator outside of the band as a songwriter — Peter Talbott, who was a friend of drummer and lyricist Neil Peart. The chapter also includes an anecdote or commentary from Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson.
• 09:00 - 10:00: Number 3: Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd The chapter titled 'Number 3: Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd' focuses on the song 'Wish You Were Here' by Pink Floyd. It includes a 1991 interview quote describing the song as an 'ultimate rush,' explaining how the song's dynamics change over its course and how its energy and positive vibe make it translate better in a live setting than on the record. The song's recognition is highlighted by its induction into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on March 28, 2010.
• 10:00 - 11:00: Number 2: Fade to Black - Metallica Chapter 2, titled 'Fade to Black - Metallica', discusses a transitional moment for Metallica with this track symbolizing darker themes and more complex musical compositions compared to their earlier works. The chapter might delve into how the band evolved its sound and the cultural or personal influences that drove this transformation.
• 11:00 - 12:00: Number 1: Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin The chapter titled 'Number 1: Over the Hills and Far Away - Led Zeppelin' details the early collaboration between musicians Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne. The focus is on the creation of the song 'Free Fallin'', which was one of the initial songs they worked on together for Petty's album 'Full Moon Fever.' According to details from Petty's 'Playback' box set, the development of 'Free Fallin'' was spontaneous, emerging from a simple musical foundation that Lynne encouraged Petty to vocalize over, leading to the song being written and recorded in just two days. It was the first song completed for the album.
• 12:00 - 13:00: Conclusion The conclusion chapter summarizes key points from previous chapters or sections, often focusing on the primary themes and outcomes covered in the text. It generally doesn't introduce new information but reiterates the important takeaways or discusses the implications of the discussion. If applicable, it may mention future directions, reflections, or additional remarks that close the narrative or argument presented. Specific details about the contents like songs or other items from the book's chapters aren't usually given in a general summary template unless specifically requested.

Top 12 12-string Songs Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 hey this is Dan from the spark Music Academy and on today's spark music video I'm going to be counting down my top 12 12 string songs now if you're new to my videos I like to give a little bit of background information and some fun facts on the song and then give you a little playthrough so let's dive right in alright coming in at number 12 we
• 00:30 - 01:00 have the Byrds cover of mr. Tambourine Man now Bob Dylan wrote mr. Tambourine Man which was originally released on his fifth album bringing it all back home in 1965 it was the Byrds manager Jim Dickson who brought the demo and asked them to record it now the group refused at first because they thought it didn't have any hit potential when the birds did record it they took some lyrics out and added a 12 string guitar lead only three of the five members of the Byrds performed on the song roger McGuinn sang
• 01:00 - 01:30 lead and played lead guitar gene Clark and David Crosby did the vocal harmonies now this song changed the face of rock music they launched the Byrds and convinced Dylan to go electric and started the folk rock movement [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] alright at number 11 we have wanted dead or alive by Bon Jovi this was the song that kicked off the unplugged craze at
• 01:30 - 02:00 the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora performed this with just their acoustic guitars giving the network the idea for the unplugged series it was written in a single day with the pair explaining how easily it came as it was about their actual touring experience [Music]
• 02:00 - 02:30 [Music] [Applause] [Music] alright at number 10 we have life by the drop by Stevie Ray Vaughn Vaughn recorded this song before his death in 1990 and it was released in 1991 on his posthumous album the sky is crying although most people assume he wrote the
• 02:30 - 03:00 song it was actually written by a childhood friend of his named Doyle Bramall Vaughn and Brahma were high school buddies who played in bands together in Dallas and Austin and the song life by the drop is about his friendship with Vaughn [Music] alright at number nine we have led zeppelin's tangerine tangerine is a song that dates back to Paige's time as lead
• 03:00 - 03:30 guitarist with The Yardbirds in April 1968 The Yardbirds recorded demos for several songs at Columbia studios in New York one of the songs that came out of these sessions was called knowing that I'm losing you although the song never got an official release the band would play it live on several occasions before the group disbanded the song would resurface everal years into Led Zeppelin's career while the band was developing material for a follow-up album to Led Zeppelin - accompanied only by acoustic guitar handclaps and harmonica the pair finished an updated
• 03:30 - 04:00 version of the song as well as many other tunes that served as the basis for Led Zeppelin 3 and later albums [Music] [Applause] [Music] all right at number eight we have
• 04:00 - 04:30 breaking the girl by the Red Hot Chili Peppers the Chili Peppers recorded the album blood sugar sex Magik at a huge house in los angeles with rick rubin producing anthony kiedis like to be alone when he recorded his vocals so he retreated to a bedroom on the second floor to sing his parts Kiedis has explained that he wrote the lyrics about carmen hawk a model he dated the song describes their tumultuous breakup as he severed the relationship thus breaking the girl [Laughter]
• 04:30 - 05:00 [Laughter] [Music] all right and at number seven closer to the heart by Rush it was the first rush song to feature a non-member as a songwriter in Peter Talbott a friend of drummer and lyricist Neil Peart Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson would describe it
• 05:00 - 05:30 as the ultimate rush song explaining in a 1991 interview there was a feeling that the song had changed a bit it opens up into a bit more of a ham towards the end it probably translates better live visually than it does on the record but there is an energy to it and it's a very positive song it was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on March 28 2010 [Music] [Applause] [Music]
• 05:30 - 06:00 alright at number six we have free fallin by Tom Petty when Tom Petty decided to take a break from the Heartbreakers and record a solo record he enlisted the help of producer Jeff limb famous for his work in elo the two
• 06:00 - 06:30 worked on what would become full moon fever with freefall and being one of the songs that emerged early in their collaboration according to liner notes in Petty's playback box set he and Jeff were playing some elaborate stuff on the keyboard that started with just three simple chords Lyn suggested that Tom stop all the hard stuff and just sing some words over those three chords penny and Lyn wrote and recorded free fallin in just two days it was the first tune completed for full moon fever [Music]
• 06:30 - 07:00 all right at number five I stay away by Alice in Chains this one's from Alice in Chains 1994 self-produced EP called Jarah flies this
• 07:00 - 07:30 record was a big deal as it was the first EP in music history to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart it marked a stylistic change from the band's previous records with the emphasis on the acoustic guitar and some huge string arrangements like at the end of this song now the song I stay away was the first time the band had written with new bassist Mike Ennis following the departure of Mike Starr the single reached number 10 on Billboard's mainstream Rock charts and was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best hard rock performance in 1995 despite being one of
• 07:30 - 08:00 the band's highest charting singles I stay away was never played live with original vocalist and lyricist Layne Staley [Music] [Applause] [Music]
• 08:00 - 08:30 you alright number 4 more than a feeling by Boston Tom Schultz recorded most of Boston's debut record including more than a feeling in his Watertown Massachusetts basement studio which was stocked with equipment he bought from his earnings at his job at Polaroid he took a leave of absence to complete the record but went back to work when it was released disco was big so he wasn't sure if his rock record would find an audience however he got very exciting
• 08:30 - 09:00 when co-workers let him know that more than a feeling was playing on the radio after that happened a few times he was confident enough to quit his day job for many years Boston was the best selling debut album in the US with 17 million sales however the record was broken on September 23rd 2008 when the Recording Industry Association of America certified Guns N'Roses debut Appetite for Destruction for 18 million sales
• 09:00 - 09:30 [Music] [Applause] [Music] alright at number three wish you were here by Pink Floyd Roger Waters as said this song was based on a poem he wrote about Syd Barrett's fall from reality this was a rare case of Pink Floyd's primary songwriters Roger Waters and
• 09:30 - 10:00 David Gilmour mutually collaborating on a song they rarely wrote together Gilmour had the opening riff written and was playing in the studio at a fast pace when Roger Waters heard it and asked him to play a little bit slower the song built from there with the pair writing the music for the chorus and the verses together and waters adding the lyrics the song reflected the feeling of the band while they were recording the album the waters felt they were not putting a full effort into the recording process [Music]
• 10:00 - 10:30 [Music] [Applause]
• 10:30 - 11:00 you [Applause] our to number two Metallica's fade to black this is from their sophomore album ride the lightning and Metallica wrote this after their equipment was stolen in early 84 more specifically James Hetfield wrote the lyrics in response to one of his favorite amps being stolen not only was this AMPAS favorite but it was also the first amp he ever owned so
• 11:00 - 11:30 it had a lot of sentimental value to him couple other interesting facts about the tune Metallica was playing this song after 1992 concert in Montreal's Olympic Stadium when James Hetfield was burned badly by stage pyro it was also the last song that jason newsted performed on tour with Metallica before leaving in 2001 he noted that it was his favorite Metallica song and that it had a lot of sentimental value [Music]
• 11:30 - 12:00 [Applause] [Music] all right and finally at number one over the hills and far away by Led Zeppelin this song was originally called many many times and appeared on Led Zeppelin's 1973 album houses of the Holy Jimmy Page and Robert Plant originally constructed the song in 1970 again at
• 12:00 - 12:30 Braun year or small cottage in Wales where they stayed after completing a long North American tour as most Aplin fans know Jimmy Page was a member of The Yardbirds before forming Zeppelin in 1968 this song evolved from The Yardbirds song white summer with the music being inspired by Jimmy Page's Celtic ancestry now here's a special bonus fact four Hobbit fans plants lyrics were inspired by the jro Tolkien book The Hobbit and - the 1915 palm of the same name over the hills and far away describes the adventures the
• 12:30 - 13:00 hobbits embark on [Music]
• 13:00 - 13:30 all right so there it is there's my top 12 12 string songs I'm sure your list might be a little bit different so let me know in the comments below what your top 12 would be and if I missed any on mine and don't forget to check out our website at the spark Music Academy com for all kinds of great offers on online guitar lessons we'll see you next time