Guitar Lesson - Alison by Elvis Costello

A hauntingly, simple introduction to what I've always thought to be one of the best pop/rock songs. This intro is great and easy to learn and play! Also, listen to the guitarist's fills in the rest of the song. That's how to play in a band - don't just "do your thing." Play what's right for the song and what enhances it.
Enjoy!

[@michaelmerrullo2043]

Started playing this one yesterday for morning coffee session. And there you are 😃. Nice!

[@MarkZabel]

Awesome!

[@ROCKINGMAN]

This is one of my favourite songs by Elvis Costello after seeing him do it on the Johnathan Ross show actually playing Elvis Presley's guitar. Saw Elvis Costello yesterday in the street a real nice guy.

[@MarkZabel]

Cool!

[@johnbland3642]

that guy playing the guitar is john mcfee of the doobie bros. tasty player!

[@ROCKINGMAN]

@@johnbland3642 He certainly sounds great!

[@NeilOratz]

one of the best lessons ever out of thousands on youtube

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Neil. You made my day brother!

[@KP11520]

I appreciate all the supporting details as the more I hear them, the more it will all become connected. Thanks for this lesson and for showing the way they should all be!

[@theunwantedcritic]

Thank you! For 40 years I was trying to figure out how to describe this song. He never steps on the singer has a guitarist. But he is a singer! Usually only piano players have this kind of disassociation

[@MarkZabel]

My pleasure Ernest!

[@bobhickman4976]

The guitar player on the song is John Mcfee and the other musicians on that record were members of the band Clover. The only member of the band not on this album was Huey Lewis.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks!

[@telegrampam]

That is indeed correct Sir..! And what a guitar player!

[@Ystadcop]

Amazing. This is the kind of shit that after over 50 years I JUST CAN'T PLAY! I'm working on it, thanks so much for posting.

[@MarkZabel]

Thank you, and best of luck. This sort of R&B playing is my absolute favorite music to play in a group. I love the sound and simplicity and freedom of "playing harmony without playing chords." I have a playlist of a bunch of other R&B guitar lessons if you're interested in checking them out. Not all the songs are as beautiful as Allison of course!

[@mrlafayette1964]

lots of yt lessons for this but you're the first to do the intro right.Thanks and I'm learning it tonight.Enjoy all your lessons too

[@MarkZabel]

Awesome! Thanks for the feedback. Hope this helped you get it down.

[@radgator1]

This is great, thanks. Any chance you can do a video with all the jazzy guitar parts that play throughout the song? I know that would be a lot of work but if you ever felt motivated it would be fantastic.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks. I've done a lot of videos that cover these sorts of fills, but usually through songs. I could do a video or two on the technique(s) of putting these sorts of jazzy fills into R&B songs. Covering exactly how its done in a particular song might not be all that helpful. I'll put some thought into it. It's a great suggestion. Here's a quick link to some of those other lessons. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH64oKSbaq-dsNU

[@KeithJDean-wg8kn]

It’s Jim McFee of the Doobie bros

[@ThatOtherMikeyGuy]

Thanks for this. More or less worked it out but you filled in a couple of important details.

[@MarkZabel]

+Michael Moran You're welcome. I'm glad it helped a bit. That's what it's all about! Thanks for listening!

[@JamieMarshallMusician]

And that guitarist is John McFee at the time in the band "Clover" with Huey Lewis

[@MarkZabel]

Yep, thanks.

[@JamieMarshallMusician]

Mark Zabel - just running through the opening using Amazing Slow Downer

[@MarkZabel]

@@JamieMarshallMusician Do you mean KZbin's slower speeds? Yes. It's incredible what's available today. When I think of how many records I screwed up by repeatedly lifting the needle ... so many tools today.

[@mvb5592]

I really enjoy your videos, Mark. In Alison, the first chord of the intro sounds like an E/B (played at the 7th fret) to me rather than a B chord.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Mike! The beginning sounds to me like it's centered around B. The keyboard is playing something like a Bsus4 going to B while the bass plays a B. The keys sound like they're going (if on guitar) -------------------- --- 5 --- 4 4 --- --- 4 --- 4 4 --- --- 4 --- 4 4 --- -------------------- -------------------- At least that's how I hear it today.

[@attygarland6909]

Nice job, but if you watch Elvis' left hand fingers while he plays the tune, it appears he uses his thumb a lot (presumably to hold down the 6th string) ..

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks. Elvis didn't play it though. It was John McFee on guitar. So who knows how John held his hands in the studio that day? I don't hold much stock in trying to mimic other players down to the way their hands work. We all have different hands, and it's important to develop our own way of doing things. And music is primarily an aural not visual experience.

[@violetdeluxe]

Nice Job great signature intro!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks!

[@beachcomberbob3496]

Have to second the comment about you making a video playing the whole thing - all of the riffs. I'm a 'monkey see, monkey do' kind of person, and would love to see how you play it all.

[@MarkZabel]

Hi. I guess I could do that. I'll put it on the list to do it all verbatim rather than showing the method. I might just post a cover then though, as a lesson would be incredibly long.

[@1001casey]

Thanks, nice job. I hear him sliding into the 2nd note (Db) from the B on the 12th fret.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Casey! Sounds right.

[@theodoreman]

Awesome! Thanks!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Ted. Glad you liked it!

[@ziblot1235]

Good job. Better than the other one, which does a good job with the chords, but Im more interested in what you are doing.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks!

[@steveclose9330]

Nice one it would be great if you could look at the rest of the lead work on this one please!

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks! I'll put it on the list of ideas!

[@44Celt]

Great!! been looking for this for years ;}

[@MarkZabel]

Awesome! Glad I could help.

[@TheBigAngry]

Always enjoy your vids except my pet peeve arose today lol. Clearly the song is in E, can we refer to the chords as G#minor and C# Minor. I notice you didn't call it Gb Minor. Thanks :)

[@MarkZabel]

You're right ... I didn't notice that! Thanks. I wonder why I didn't say C# minor (and G#m also, but it's just so natural to think 'C#m' in E). Sorry about that ... and thanks for pointing it out. But frankly, I have no idea why on that day I thought "Abm" and "Dbm". I don't think I was on any meds! :) LOL.

[@TheBigAngry]

It's all good. I enjoy your vids. Nice playing.

[@mikecf1]

Great job. Thanks.

[@MarkZabel]

You're welcome. Thanks for listening!

[@billcarr4210]

Thanks, bro!

[@MarkZabel]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@Terryomalleyonline]

Very good....great video

[@MarkZabel]

+Terry O'Malley Thanks! Glad you liked it!

[@MrSDFD18]

Thank you. Great video. However, the key of E major does not have an A flat or a D flat.

[@MarkZabel]

Yeah, G# and C#. I get it. Key of Fb I guess.

[@MrSDFD18]

@@MarkZabel lol. Yes! Fb, the cousin of B#.

[@davidk2468]

Yes!! In key of E, those chords are called G# and C#, respectively. Generally, you either have all sharps or all flats. E is a key with sharps, so the relative chords are named with sharps. Just sayin'

[@geralddegroot1549]

"That guy" is John McFee

[@MarkZabel]

Gerald deGroot Thanks. Did some digging, but didn't find the name. Good to know.

[@geralddegroot1549]

He was in the Doobie Brothers for years.

[@remylago3989]

Where's the rest of the song?

[@GILLISH]

Be nice to go over all the git licks and show how there played

[@antoniosantorini9355]

3 minutes into the video before you show us that one intro

[@MarkZabel]

Okay. Here's something you might not know if you're impatient. You can actually click forward in videos on KZbin to skip forward!! I know, it's amazing right!! Glad I could help.