Learning guitar can be an incredibly rewarding journey, and like millions of others picking up the instrument, you’re probably eager to play your favorite songs. Everyone learns at their own pace, and what seems challenging at first can quickly become easier with a bit of practice and the right guidance. Here at guitarplayers.net, we believe in teaching you not just songs, but also the essential techniques and music theory that will make you a well-rounded guitarist. This lesson focuses on a popular and accessible song for beginners: “Hey There Delilah” by the Plain White T’s. You’ll not only learn to play this catchy tune but also develop crucial picking skills and master some common chord changes that will boost your confidence for tackling even more songs.
“Hey There Delilah” is a fantastic choice for beginner guitarists because of its consistent rhythm and relatively straightforward chord progression. This lesson will break down the song section by section, focusing on the chord shapes and picking patterns you need to know. By the end of this guide, you’ll be well on your way to playing this hit song and building a solid foundation for your guitar journey.
Understanding the Song Structure and Key
Before diving into the chords, let’s get a quick overview of the song’s structure and musical key. “Hey There Delilah” is written in the key of D major and uses a 4/4 time signature, meaning there are four beats in each measure. The song follows a typical structure:
- Introduction
- Verse
- Chorus
- Verse
- Chorus
- Bridge
- Verse
- Chorus
- Outro
This structure is quite common in popular music, making it easy to follow and memorize. Understanding this structure will help you learn the song in manageable parts.
Getting Started with the Verse and Introduction Chords
The song begins with a short introduction that uses the same chord progression as the first part of the verse. This progression involves two chords: D5 and F#m.
The original article mentions using a D5 chord, which is a simplified version of the D major chord. For our purposes, and to keep things beginner-friendly, we’ll focus on a simple voicing that captures the essence of the D5. You can play it by focusing on these notes:
- D Note: 3rd fret of the B string
- A Note: 2nd fret of the G string
- Open D string
You can strum these strings or pick them individually as we’ll explore later.
The second chord in this progression is F#m (F sharp minor). This chord might seem a little trickier at first, but with a helpful tip, you’ll get it down quickly. A common way to play F#m in this context is to use a “mini-barre” technique. This involves using your index finger to barre across the first three strings (E, B, G) at the 2nd fret. Then, you can add:
- D Note: 3rd fret of the B string (played by your ring finger is suggested in the original article)
- F# Note: 4th fret of the D string (played by your pinky is suggested in the original article)
This fingering might feel a bit unusual initially, but it’s a valuable technique that you’ll encounter in many songs and even in lead guitar playing.
Hey There Delilah by Plain White T
Hey There Delilah guitar chords – D5 and F#m chord diagrams for beginner guitarists.
Practice Tip: Focus on smoothly transitioning between the D5 and F#m chords. The mini-barre technique can help minimize finger movement, making the changes faster and cleaner. Practice this progression repeatedly until it becomes comfortable. You can listen to the first audio example provided in the original article to hear how this progression should sound.
Exploring the Second Part of the Verse Chords
The second section of the verse introduces a four-measure chord progression: Bm – G – A – Bm – A. Let’s break down each of these chords for beginner guitarists.
-
Bm (B minor): Often a challenging chord for beginners due to barre chords, but for this song’s picking style, we can use a simplified Bm that avoids a full barre. Focus on these notes:
- B Note: 2nd fret of the A string
- D Note: 4th fret of the D string
- F# Note: 4th fret of the G string
- B Note: 3rd fret of the B string
-
G (G major): A fundamental open chord, easily played as:
- Open G string
- Open B string
- Open high E string
- Open D string
- 2nd fret of the A string (index finger)
- 3rd fret of the low E string (middle finger)
-
A (A major): Another essential open chord:
- Open high E string
- Open B string
- 2nd fret of the G string (middle finger)
- 2nd fret of the D string (index finger)
- Open A string
- 5th fret of the low E string (ring finger) (optional, can be muted or not played for simplicity)
-
Bm/A (B minor over A): This is a Bm chord with an A note in the bass. For simplicity and beginner-friendliness, you can think of this as transitioning from Bm to A by simply lifting off fingers to move to the A chord, letting the open A string ring slightly longer.
-
A5 (A power chord): A very simple chord consisting of just two notes – the root and the fifth. For A5:
- Open A string
- 2nd fret of the D string (index finger)
- 2nd fret of the G string (ring finger)
Hey There Delilah by Plain White T
Hey There Delilah guitar chords – Bm, G, A, and Bm/A chord progressions for verse 2.
Practice Tip: The transition to A5 can be slightly tricky. The original lesson suggests using the mini-barre from the earlier chords to easily reach the 5th fret of the B string with your pinky for the A5. This maintains finger positioning for the upcoming D5 chord at the beginning of the next verse section. Practice moving smoothly through the Bm – G – A – Bm – A progression, paying attention to the timing.
Putting the Full Verse Together
Now that you’ve learned both sections of the verse chords, let’s combine them to play through a complete verse. The verse structure is:
- D5 – F#m (x2 measures)
- Bm – G – A – Bm – A (x4 measures)
Practice transitioning between these sections. Listen to the third audio example in the original article to get a feel for the timing and flow of the verse.
Hey There Delilah by Plain White T
Hey There Delilah guitar chords – Full verse chord progression for practice.
Practice Tip: Start slowly and focus on clean chord changes. Gradually increase your speed as you become more comfortable. Pay attention to the rhythm – each chord generally lasts for one measure (four beats) except for the A and A5 at the end of the second verse section which get two beats each in the original tab, though in the last verse this changes to four beats each.
Chorus Chords and Bass Movement
The chorus of “Hey There Delilah” features a two-chord progression: D5 – Bm, but with some interesting bass movement that adds depth to the sound. The progression is actually: D5 – D5/A – Bm – Bm/C#. Let’s break this down:
-
D5: As learned before.
-
D5/A (D5 over A): This indicates a D5 chord with an A note in the bass. The easiest way to achieve this is to play the D5 chord and then incorporate the open A string as the bass note.
-
Bm: As learned before.
-
Bm/C# (B minor over C sharp): This is a Bm chord with a C# note in the bass. To play this, you can keep the Bm chord shape and shift your thumb to play the C# note on the 4th fret of the A string (though for beginners, focusing on just the Bm chord is perfectly acceptable).
Hey There Delilah by Plain White T
Hey There Delilah guitar chords – Chorus progression with D5, Bm, and bass variations.
Practice Tip: The bass movement in the chorus adds a subtle but important element to the song. Try to incorporate the D5/A by letting the open A string ring out after playing the D5. For the Bm/C#, beginners can focus on just the Bm chord to simplify learning, or attempt adding the C# bass note if comfortable. This two-measure progression repeats four times in the chorus.
Navigating the Bridge Section
The bridge of “Hey There Delilah” provides a slight change of pace and uses a chord progression that builds nicely: G – D5 – Bm – D5/C#.
- G: As learned before.
- D5: As learned before.
- Bm: As learned before.
- D5/C# (D5 over C sharp): Similar to Bm/C#, this implies a D5 chord with a C# bass note. You can achieve this by playing the D5 chord and then playing the C# note on the 4th fret of the A string (again, optional for beginners).
Hey There Delilah by Plain White T
Hey There Delilah guitar chords – Bridge chord progression with walking bass line examples.
Practice Tip: The bridge progression is relatively straightforward. Focus on smooth transitions between the chords, especially the G to D5 change. The bass movement continues in the bridge, so try to incorporate the D5/C# if you are comfortable with bass note changes.
The Slightly Different Third Verse
The third verse of “Hey There Delilah” has a slight variation in its structure. Instead of following the standard verse progression, it loops a section for a bit before resolving back to the verse ending. The chord chart in the original article clearly outlines this variation.
Hey There Delilah by Plain White T
Hey There Delilah guitar chords – Verse 3 variation with looped section explained in chord diagram.
Practice Tip: Pay close attention to the chord chart for the third verse. The loop involves the chords Bm – Bm/A – G – A repeated a few times before resolving to the standard verse ending of Bm – A – A5. Practice this looped section slowly to get the timing right. Also note that in this verse, the final A and A5 chords are held for four beats each, unlike the earlier verses.
Final Chorus and Outro
The final chorus is extended and repeated multiple times while the vocals sing “ohs” and “whoas.” The chord progression remains the same as the regular chorus: D5 – D5/A – Bm – Bm/C#. The original lesson also mentions an optional string mute technique that the guitarist sometimes adds on the last half of the fourth beat of the first measure (D5/A). This is an advanced technique and completely optional for beginners.
Hey There Delilah by Plain White T
Hey There Delilah guitar chords – Extended final chorus and string mute technique example.
The song concludes on a simple open D chord.
Hey There Delilah by Plain White T
Hey There Delilah guitar chords – Final D chord to end the song.
Practice Tip: For the final chorus, focus on maintaining a steady rhythm as you repeat the chorus progression. Don’t worry about the string mute technique just yet – concentrate on getting the chord changes smooth and consistent. End the song confidently with a clear D major chord.
Conclusion: Keep Practicing and Exploring
Congratulations! You’ve now learned the chords to play “Hey There Delilah” on guitar. This lesson covered a lot, from basic chord shapes to slightly more complex progressions and techniques like the mini-barre and bass movement. Remember that learning guitar takes time and practice. Be patient with yourself, and don’t get discouraged if you don’t master everything immediately.
The techniques you’ve learned in this lesson, such as smooth chord changes and consistent picking, are fundamental skills that will be valuable as you continue to explore the guitar. “Hey There Delilah” is just the beginning. Keep practicing, explore more songs, and most importantly, have fun with your guitar journey!
About the Song:
“Hey There Delilah” is the Plain White T’s most famous song, reaching #1 in the US charts in 2007. This acoustic-driven pop song, initially released in 2005, showcases the band’s power pop roots, which formed in the Chicago suburbs. The Plain White T’s have toured extensively, including multiple appearances on the Warped Tour, solidifying their place in the pop-punk scene.
