Chordplay - The Chords Of Peter Green

Hey everyone! Here's the next episode of Chordplay with The Chords Of Peter Green. The late-great blues-rock guitar pioneer and legend Peter Green sadly passed away in 2020, and his musical output from the earliest incarnation of Fleetwood Mac (as a founding member) blazed a trail and influenced seemingly everyone around him, including players such as Gary Moore, Billy Gibbons, Carlos Santana, and legions of others.
Peter Green was a guitar legend of massive importance/influence and this lesson reveals a few of his slick chord-based tricks and rhythm guitar secrets, including plenty of tasty blues-rock ideas, along with some of his dreamy and mellow chord work, not to mention his direct hard rock/metal influence with rhythm guitar as well.
The chord-based ideas shared in this episode include early Fleetwood Mac fan favorites such as 'Oh Well (Pt.1),' 'My Heart Beat Like A Hammer,' 'Long Grey Mare,' 'Rollin' Man,' 'Albatross,' and 'The Green Manalishi' - to name a few.
If you're a Peter Green or early Fleetwood Mac fan, a blues-rock guitarist searching for some new tricks to stuff up your sleeve, or maybe a player looking for some new ideas borrowed from a complete legend of the guitar, look no further - this is the episode you've been searching for! Give this episode a view, leave some comments/feedback, and please subscribe to Late Night Lessons - THANK YOU!
Become a Patreon supporter of Late Night Lessons for only $5 (or more) each month and gain access to PDF notation/tab files of these lessons. Thank you!
www.patreon.com/latenightlessons

[@Paul-D]

This is a fantastic introduction to Peter Green, of course not to forget Danny Kirwan. A guitar duo like no other.

[@renecents]

Lovely to see Peter Green remembered. Thank you, David. If I may, you said Peter sold his Les Paul and Gary Moore later acquired it: Peter sold it directly to Gary-he encouraged him to buy it. Gary later sold it after losing a SGTB’s lawsuit and reportedly having to pay one-million dollars in compensation. Interestingly, it was also Gary Moore’s Still Got The Blues tour which reignited Peter’s passion to play live again: Gary introduced Peter at his London Hammersmith gig-Peter didn’t play but he got a standing ovation-and went out and bought a guitar the next day: according to Gary, anyway. Just in case that was interesting. Great day to all. 🤞🤞

[@bedevija777]

And now guitar is in Kirk Hammets hands...Still playing.

[@Jahnink]

Great story.

[@jonsvenson7056]

Green Manalishi with the Two Pronged Crown is a masterpiece. Sure, the JP version is fine but Peter’s version is a heart wrenching song. Great guitarist.

[@leirbagguitbox6477]

At 16 yrs old, I was fed up with Fleetwood Mac ( Stevie & Lindsey era ) cause my dad use too play it in his car religiously. I got into punk around that time and this English Punk band called The Rezillos had a song called “ Somebody’s getting there head kicked in tonight “ I checked the linear notes and I found out it was a cover by Fleetwood Mac . I was puzzled and yet amused to find out more about this song . Then I stumbled into the beginning of early Peter Greens Fleetwood Mac era and till this day , I still can’t enough of their early stuff . Listen to the Live in Boston Tea Party , Joe Walsh and Clapton joins in !

[@crimfan]

The studio version of the Buckingham/Nicks era Mac defined soft rock and that was my introduction to them, like most people. I'm amazed at how hard they rocked live in concert, though. Check out this live version of Stevie's "Sisters of the Moon" for an example: kzbin.info/www/bejne/boercqqseZmVhqs.

[@cravertom]

Finally! Thank you! peter Green is the 6 string master of masters...silenty he is the player all greats look to as the measuring stick..his feel and tone is unmatched...

[@stevemora7845]

Oh Well is such a killer riff, so catchy but brilliant. There will never be another like Peter Green. 🔥😪🙏🎸

[@rv6205]

did peter write oh well ?

[@clive3100]

@@rv6205 ... Yep. ... Seem to recall Mick Fleetwood mentioning in a book that Peter initially wrote it for a Christian play,. He then chose to release it as a single, where Mick bet him it wouldn't chart but lost his money. ... Unfiortunately with PG's "Oh Well', it was kept from being #1 by a TV cartoon kid's TV show, (The Archies) single called 'Sugar-sugar' .

[@davidt9841]

Always have loved Peter Green's phrasing and note choices as, apparently, many others have, as well. Bewildering that, outside of those in the guitar universe, he's not as well-known as many of his contemporaries. Killer writer, too!

[@markroylance1584]

I've been watching all the early Fleetwood Mac stuff on KZbin and after more than 50 years of enjoying them they still blow me away...except now I've really only realised how brilliant Danny Kirwan was....his vibrato was just as good as Greeny's ! It's in the same class as Koss'...

[@jakelabete7412]

I'm so glad you picked 'Rolling Man'. The studio version is an all time blues masterpiece. And then the double time solo ending on a high A - pure magic. BB said that Peter Green gave him chills.

[@mgiliberto]

One of my all-time favorites. Had the good fortune to see them multiple times from 1968 to 1970 in Boston, including the recorded live album/CD. Peter was stretching out on a slow blues one night and the audience was dead silent, mesmerized by his playing. Thanks for focusing on him.

[@Duke_de_Plata]

I appreciate your videos man. You are really good at making these and there is something about your style of minimal editing, smooth transitions from talking into playing that makes the video more personal and enjoyable. It reminds me of jamming in my buddies garage talking to his dad about all these different guitarists and songs that I probably never would have known about. RIP Peter Green and RIP Tom, If it wasn't for him I would have never picked up a guitar in the first place.

[@MatthewJohnCrittenden]

Excellent. I saw Peter at the Byron Bay Bluesfest in 2010 (I think), he still had the magic and I'm glad he had a successful revival before sadly passing on. Legendary guitarist.

[@larryk3408]

'The Green God', a truly loveable soul who gave it all for the music.

[@neodog1]

"The Biggest Thing Since Colossus" Peter Green with Otis Spann was my introduction to Peter Green. Check out the album it really is brilliant. Thanks again for another great video!🎸👍👍👍

[@-jeffk3339]

Thank you David - well done, very inspiring lesson.

[@ORION2180]

Awesome video. Peter Green was a gem of a guitarist, much admired by his contemporaries. The younger guitar fans should waste no time to check out Peter's work. How about some Alvin Lee?!

[@nicolasmaurin182]

Love Going Down! Awesome musician. Really underrated

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

10:47 Reminds me of the riff Brian May plays on... So I went to find that name of the song I was hearing in my head that has a riff that starts out almost exactly like this.. Instead I am now Listening to the entire _Queen II_ album. One of my favorite albums of all time! I'll have to come back and edit this comment when I find the song in a few albums or so. lols Edit (a couple of hours later): _Keep Yourself Alive_ is the title. 😉😅

[@Dad-Gad]

Greatest Peter Green performance imo is " Got A Good Mind To Give Up Living " absolutely mindblowing.

[@jwheeler7890]

I definitely agree 👍

[@shemsuhornephilim7702]

Add the fact that green and the band were dosed with Owsley acid etc and that makes that epic solo more bewildering as there were times where Peter and Danny were mentioning that they were so high they didn't know how to play. Etc

[@stevebaskerville6752]

Please, please, please do a “Soloing Secrets of Peter Green”! It would complement this chordplay exploration so well.

[@oker59]

Not to bad a selection of Peter Green songs. I grew up discovering my father's John Mayall albums. He had everythrough the acoustic albums and Jazz/blues Fusion albusm - except A Hard Road. But he had some John Mayall compilations albums which had a good handfull of Peter Green songs. My favorite John Mayall with Peter Green song I'd note real quick is "Someday after awhile you'll be sorry." I later discovered that Peter Green was the founder of fleetwood Mac through the John Mayall live albums with Mick Taylor. There's a quick snipet interview with John Mayall where the interviewer mentions that Peter Green left to form Fleetwood Mac. My jaw was on the ground!

[@Bronson-Apollo]

"But I love Albatross... I could listen to that for hours" I've spent the last two years Listening/ Livin' this era of Mac .. Truly Inspiring!!

[@davebeck359]

Peter Green exhibits a connection between his head, hands , his fingerscand a higher power. Peters spirituality was an important part of his gift. Hiis love of the Delta and Chicago blues helped him expand the blues sound adding some rock which led to a new generation of guitarist following Peters expansion on the blues. Many feel that one needs to be black to play the blues due to their struggles. Peter beinfg of Jewish heridige had some of the same struggles ascthe American black in Europe being born acyear after WWII, he was vullied and led a young life of not belonging the feelbof beingvan outsider left him with pain and his personal demons. Great job playing Peters music and giving some history of the egoless Green God. Luckly we are left with plenty of Peters musicctobenjoy and be passed on still influencing the blues. A great vocalist, guitarist and amazing writer of somebof the best music ofvthe late 60's.

[@jaqueslagerweij6882]

Could you do a type o negative one? I just love your lessen

[@stevehornshaw4478]

Wooa Superb. Huge thnx Just love your playing and presenting style❤

[@NANA-mr2vp]

Just a superb look at the works of Green. Peter and Mac are iconic in the rock/blues world.

[@F-Phrygian]

Yet another one of our iconic guitarist who have passed but left us with his clever craftiness on the instrument. A true pioneer in the musical brotherhood we all share. Thanks David for all your efforts we appreciate it🏆

[@TuesdayAt5]

Lots of material from which to pull inspiration... Peter Green's playing on the song Jumping At Shadows is some of the finest blues phrasing that has ever been played.

[@easter_sunday]

Oh man! I've been waiting on this one for awhile!!

[@Jahnink]

Good stuff. I lIke the way you break it down and explain it. I can tweak my versions much better now. Thanks.

[@stratman9449]

oh well was one of the reasons i started to play guitar....and it was one of my first riffs too....back in 1969/70........oh well..... yes...and the music fleetwodd made with Peter Green was a completely different kettle of fish to that of the later years.......

[@Ciro_Fogliatta]

Great!! Congratulations!!

[@jimmuller]

Great video. I have all the Peter Green CD's incl the Blue Horizon box set. Probably my favorite song is Slabo Day although Snowy White may have played on that one along with Peter. It would be great to see a Late Nite Lesson on Snowy White.

[@NoLegalPlunder]

The Rockets do a mighty fine cover of Oh Well. They were a great band.

[@NoLegalPlunder]

Which reminds me, it was the great Jimmy McCarty, of Cactus fame, who was in the Rockets. Dave should do an episode on Jimmy McCarty.

[@edgarsnake2857]

We waited to hear who could possibly replace Clapton and were overjoyed and astonished when 'A Hard Road' came out. Thanks for breaking down these Peter Green classics.

[@wayneeldridge5916]

My favorite guitarist of all time, we all have our problems but in the end he became a legend. RIP Peter " Green " Greenbaum.

[@esteban1487]

In the late 70s there was a local band in Detroit called The Rockets who covered Oh Well and it got a lot of air play.

[@tiberiusgracchus7328]

Yes, they played it a lot on the radio in Detroit, I never understood why because it could not hold a candle to the original. Sadly, not many people knew much about Green's FM. Used to enjoy playing the Green Manalishi for fans of the Stevie Nicks FM , watching their jaws drop to the floor.

[@esteban1487]

@tiberiusgracchus7328 They played it a lot because it was live and had a lot of energy and it sounded good. Comparisons in music are pretty useless. Like saying who is a better guitarist. Who cares, really?

[@johnsanchez3607]

Awesome riffages!! Thank you will research further!

[@zeus-bx9xw]

Dave this lesson to me is GOLD

[@tallpaul1020]

What a fantastic lesson!!!! Especially following the " playing with feel" lesson. Oh Well, Green Manalishi etc. Just absolute classics. Thx Dave keep up the great work 🎸🤘🎸👍

[@crimfan]

The great Peter Green!

[@stratpack9591]

Great video David👍 Peter will always be an absolute legend. Albatross was actually a No1 hit in the UK and round Europe back in the day. What beautiful playing on that track🥺

[@chrishartz2397]

Great video…thank you..

[@gazpali]

grat video. thanks for putting this up.

[@iannash1027]

A great lesson David - and great classic song choices. Obviously Peter's playing was centred in the blues but those early FM songs show that he was a true rock pioneer - from the crunch of Manalishi to the tenderness of Man Of The World - and his music is still essential for anyone that wants to learn about blues & rock guitar.

[@skaboosh]

Blimey, you sound like the best Peter green tribute player I've heard and you're a general guitar teacher not a peter specialist? Great tone also.... what gear? Brilliant, man!!!

[@Wouter_Vuijk]

Actually, the Long Grey Mare riff is a well known older riff used by Howlin' Wolf on Killing Floor (not sure if he wrote it, though, it could as well be even much older)

[@jamessator5564]

Love these chord play lessons!! I sure learn a lot from you!!

[@mlite84]

Another great episode David. I love the channel man, you do amazing work for guitar and music in general. Hope to see lots more!

[@davechae5890]

👍 great 😃

[@tomatopie34]

The Bob Welch era of Fleetwood Mac gets overlooked, but there's plenty of interesting guitar work to check out. Also some killer riffs on the two albums he made with Paris after leaving FM.

[@mariofabrizi5050]

Yea I agree. He had a hit with Ebony Eyes so got some recognition. Good player

[@klausfritsch4350]

Thanks!

[@daviemcf]

Loved Greeny...what a guitarist and singer. FMacs first single "Black Magic Woman" with B siide Emore James's "The Sun is shining" then you had "I need your love so bad" by Little willie John with B side "Stop messin' round" from first album and also you had "Man of the World" with B side "Somebody's gonna get their head kicked in tonight", all released in UK. Great lesson david..thanks man. 🎸🎸

[@denmar355]

Excellent!! Thanks!

[@davidtemple5934]

Anecdote from 1999 , went on holiday to N'awleans ( sic ) , asked a local blues band in a bar (pub) as a request to play some Peter Green . " Never heard of him , who's that ?" , left the bar and no tip apart from "Don't eat yellow snow " . Americans !!! Huh ! Thanks Dave for restoring that Multiverse inbalance .

[@vincenttomazzolli3940]

Well done, David!

[@dchanson55]

I'm digging that album you mentioned, great stuff, really raw! The "I loved Another Woman" tracks hints at "Black Magic Woman." Many think Santana wrote it but Peter Green did. Thanks!

[@cravertom]

FYI..Peter Green: The Authorized Biography..came out in 2003...a must read.

[@WhiskeyDale]

Kudos for selecting Peter Green

[@jimmeymcgee2840]

Great episode please do late Michael Burks

[@RobJuneau]

I’ve been looking forward to you digging into Peter Green’s stuff since I found your channel, was that in 2019? Anyway, thank you very much, Dave!

[@stevehornshaw4478]

I bought a house that was built on the site of the hospital where Peter Green was. I imagine his vibe around

[@jasonpitts8395]

Peter Green was a beast. 👍

[@markroylance1584]

There's a great track PG did with Mick Green called Chinese White Boy from the early 80s..I think. Worth a listen! Strange vocal effect - bit like Sparky's Magic Piano - but some wonderful blues licks with delicious vibrato. He and Koss never really got the praise they truly deserved in their lifetime.

[@colinmcnab6145]

Greeny was sold for £500,0000 The deal was brokered by Richard Henry a British vintage guitar trader. Pete Harris a British vintage guitar trader and collector was the custodian of the guitar up until its latest sale.

[@davidsmith6976]

Typically ,DB "goes something like that "then proceeds to play it note ,and feel perfectly,Peters right up there with Eric Clapton, long may his legacy continue to inspire blues ,rock guitarists everywhere.

Hey Dave can you do a chords of Lowell George

[@jar4584]

Thank you I love you for this

[@greenmanalishi6963]

You can tell peters influenced by other musicians for example long grey mare was a hank Marvin, albatross was sleep walkin, messin around bb king. His harp playing heavy sonny boy

[@alandoods]

I think you are a great teacher on guitar I can play now with 3fingers lol 😆

[@stratman9449]

and also....you can't beat two guitars in a blues and rock band.....if (and when) the play in harmony together....great stuff....and VERY advanced...but as i said before....the best and original music was made in the late 60s and early 70s....fact.

[@mikemurdock7234]

I love Peter Green, he is my all time favorite guitar player. But these aren't really songs that use the kind of chords that are essential to his rhythm playing. I mean no offense to you with this commnet. What you're doing here with these lessons is great, but I wanted to offer some insight from someone who has spent years studying Peter: I recommend you check out the songs Worried Dream and Fool No More. Find the live version of Worried Dream, and one of the 60s recordings to Fool No More (the one from the 70s on his solo album is in a different key and uses different chords). Worried Dream and Fool No More both use big block chords that were a staple of his rhythm playing. His favorite chords were almost Gospel or Jazzy sounding. These are the kind of chords in the background of Need Your Love So Bad (you can really hear it in the live version on the Shrine 69 album), and Black Magic Woman. Another song you should definitely check out is his 1970 performance of All Over Now/Got A Mind To Give Up Living. It has a chord progression melody similar to Worried Dream. Those are the songs with progressions and chords that he truly loved to play.

[@rodrich1644]

Peter Green was a shining star that burned out too soon.

[@KootenayGuitar]

Another awesome and well deserved subject David! To me, the opening riff in Oh Well sounds like hammer-pull from A-Bb (0-1-0) rather than A-B (0-2-0) , original recording pitch is wonky as per the era…

[@libertywormfarm3819]

Have you featured Gary Richrath? R.I.P

[@jasonpitts8395]

When you played Oh Well slow it sorta sounded like the Black Keys

[@thomasz4981]

Nice Chordplay , but you made the rookie Oh Well mistake. The 7th & 8th notes are an A to A# hammer on. Black Magic Woman & Jumping At Shadows from Live At The Boston Tea Party are a couple to check out.

[@brianwarner308]

the green manalishi was recorded in April 1970...Black Sabbath's first album was already released in February 1970...so its not really fair to say Black Sabbath came later but awesome video and great fucking playing for sure!!!

[@fabghassem]

🍃🎸🍃

[@pumkinbreath]

Listening to this makes me think Kerry used that riff for Cary on

[@dragonfly672]

Actually PG told John mayal that he was better then Eric Clapton and he is one one the blues gods PG RIP my friend your music will live on forever

[@szirmaiimre3461]

Maybe just a little correction concerning Oh Well from a reliable source (or rather "well"), from 8:45 on: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHzaZqKnn6xkjKM

[@benher973]

What pups are in that gibby

[@kjking3087]

dont forget Jeremy SPENCER slide guitar

[@pxstel4358]

you should do a chordplay for the smashing pumpkins

[@mrJimCharles]

Chain in the link lol!!

[@chrischarles1468]

First off great lesson as usual Dave; however, I can hear Beavis and Butthead saying, “ hum he said Moby … Dick!” I think you meant Moby Grape. Also It was probably the most amount of money payed for … a guitar with a cracked headstock! 😮

[@markrobinson8410]

Check out the dave hole version of albatross.

[@gscgold]

If I recall, someone from Metallica owns Jaco's famous Bass guitar. I guess they have an affinity for buying famous instruments.

[@chrisdm8098]

peter green is god

[@shanebrbich5698]

“Greeney” is wasted in the possession of Hammet! A total waste! Never hear her True Tone and grit!

[@mariofabrizi5050]

True I thought the same thing when he said it. Sooo many better players out there could make good use of it

[@derekclacton]

Musically, the blues connection may have been broken but we probably would not have seen the Greeny-Moore Les Paul on stage again if someone else had bought it …

[@rajkomilosevichguera4547]

Nice, but you're not the guy to do the remembering. Way out of your league. Too many elements of your playing missing the essentials of his. Again, nice tho...

[@bizzariebibbi]

You have to chock out The Melvins cover of green manalishi. everyone i show that to that i know dig judas version and everyone agrees, Melvins version is better ...

[@jar4584]

Read the book by Martin Celmins

[@zeus-bx9xw]

Link in the chain... a tough chain to

[@jar4584]

Can you do a soloing secrets for PG, in the future

[@flouisbailey]

$2,000,000 discounted guitar, it was Peter Green not the guitar.