O My Soul | Big Star | Guitar Lesson

An incredible song by one of my favourite ever bands...
Full transcription/tab on Patreon: www.patreon.com/anyonecanplayguitar
00:00 Hi
00:55 Play-through
Bit about Big Star 03:34
Intro/verse 05:09
B section 11:53
Bridge 16:34
Solo 19:02
Gear 23:22
Bye 25:22
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[@kevinhellon4348]

It’s wonderful that you are introducing Big Star to newer listeners. So many excellent bands are on the verge of being forgotten.

[@andrewjamesrichard]

Wow, Wilco, REM, Jayhawks: now I know where they got it from! A bit embarrassed to be so late to this party (40 years?) but grateful nonetheless

[@reidhowland]

@@andrewjamesrichard You nailed it. This is power-pop canon. Ground zero. They only made three records, go get all of them and thank Adrian later.

[@kiaora12]

O My Soul is an Alex Chilton guitar tour de force. The guitar lines perfectly encapsulate all of his influences from 50s Rock and Roll, 60’s pop, R&B and Surf and created something unique and recognizable and what would later become known as Power Pop. Thanks for the lesson!

[@acpg]

yes, totally agree, nicely said

[@ShlomirBareket]

Alex Chilton is one of the all-time great whiteboy Americana guitarists, totally under rated. I was fortunate to see him live in the mid 90s, his innate understating of American guitars styles, soul, blues, country and fusing them with modern pop like the Velvet Underground and Byrds and even the Beatles and inventive use of chords and riffs, utterly superb!

[@brunel23]

Adrian's channel is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get. Pressed the like button before I hit play on this video! Can't wait to learn it!

[@thehumblecrab6487]

This is my favorite Big Star song because it wields their secret weapon (Memphis soul) so relentlessly. It's the perfect, strange, complicated blend of soul, funk and pop. It's crazy catchy in the weirdest of ways. For me they will always be the greatest of the power pop bands because of songs like this and Chilton's unique take on playing the guitar. It's interesting that so many of the power-pop bands that followed in their wake failed to embrace their weirdness. They ran with the "September Gurls" template as opposed to songs like this one. Songs like this are what really made this band legends IMHO. Radio City is a great, all over the place album. It's a classic for sure. The Ocean Club '77 Alex Chilton live album is another gem that's a great showcase of his guitar playing. The strat in quack mode was a great choice for this lesson. Perfect Chilton tone. Great dissection of a ripping number.

[@dswcnn]

I listened to this song while walking my dogs this morning and wondered what it would be like to play. I get home and boom, here it is. Thank you, sir!

[@AdamDHirsch]

This is amazing. I think Radio City is the best Strat album of all time... it's the reason I even bought a Strat. Thank you for really digging into one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite bands.

[@daftdoggo7662]

This is some elite playing and teaching, best song, from the best album of all time, from the best band of all time. Truly some big dawg shit you’re on

[@mikebaron4264]

Adrian has a knack for picking the coolest songs to teach! I love it!

[@jourdanredden3190]

This song is even more remarkable when you consider Chilton had been playing guitar inside of 5 years when he wrote it.

[@reidhowland]

And this is trio Big Star - live, he played that unreal arrangement while singing the goddamn thing.

[@jezmez68]

Yeah, I don't know what people in the 70s were learning. When the Box Tops toured with the Beach Boys, it is said that their guitar player showed Chilton some things. The chords on this are atypical to me, but I was pretty much brought up as dumb metal/punk dude, so the structures are foreign. Fun as hell to play this, though, and get my fingers to create new muscle memory.

[@GildedEntries]

This song became my personal Ode to Joy. Thank you, I also place Big Star in my revolving list of best and favorite bands. This is the song that made me fall in love with a Strat set at pickup position 2. You more than do the song justice.

[@acpg]

Thank-you - yes that position 2 Strat sound is utterly magical on this track

[@SyntagmaStation]

I don’t believe this. Adrian, you are reading my mind or something with the song choices you make. Sometimes I just can’t believe some of the lost, forgotten, or obscure magical songs you choose to do that are among my favorites and I have no clue how to play them or even get started learning them (e.g. Amazona by Roxy Music). NO ONE ELSE does what this channel does. Just unbelievable. This is THE premier guitar channel on KZbin, and I repeat earlier comments I’ve made that you are THE coolest guy on KZbin. I’m heading to the patreon page. It’s way overdue. I’ve just gotten too much from you over time to not chip in.

[@arloward9860]

The thelonious monk of rhythm guitar, Tom Waits on Alex Chilton

[@jon.wilson]

This is my favorite Big Star song, so cool sounding

[@thejamnasium6447]

said it before and I'll say it again - but you consistently pick the best songs to do lessons to

[@BigRollBand]

Yes! Thank you for introducing me to Big Star!

[@twobrokenthumbs]

I haven't even watched the video yet. I saw "O my soul" then saw what channel it was on. OMG!

[@Clockeman]

GIVE ME BACK MY RECORD COLLECTION!!! It's so great to have a guit teacher with the same musical taste...kinda bizarre too

[@elvers9877]

So weird! I recently re-watched the Nothing Can Hurt Doc and have been on a Radio City jag for weeks now. I can’t stop playing Back of a Car at the moment. This was never my fave track from RC but ended up trying to figure it out just yesterday…. Man I need a Strat. And a Vox.

[@JKFlaker]

I looked for a long time for a lesson on this- never really found one except for one video of someone just playing along with no explanation. Thanks for teaching my favorite Big Star tune 👍🏼

[@jourdanredden3190]

Such a rad song. Amazing album opener and killer guitar track. So stoked you did this. Cheers from Memphis!

[@ST-xg3gy]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! My favorite band of all time!!

[@chrishughes2729]

Wow this is great. I'd take this as spreading the good word about Big Star rather than worry about demystifying the music. Your September Gurls lesson put me onto them and made me invest in a vinyl copy of Radio City....and now this. Its my Friday night sorted (I don't get out much!) This is proving great fun to learn, thank you.

[@meadish]

I firmly believe anyone who learns this song will level up, and if they also take the time to analyze what notes are used during each chord, they'll level up again.

[@theREALChadsexinton]

I never travel far without a little big star

[@boomerdell]

Adrian, you rock! Great song, GREAT lesson, all very nicely done.

[@andychase7693]

Thanks for showcasing a(nother) Big Star song! I've always been impressed by how on point the guitar work on #1 Record and Radio City was. I especially liked the ringing clarity of the way the acoustic guitars were recorded. I was a misplaced midwestern teenager in the early '70's, utterly unaware that Big Star was making magic only 150 miles away in Memphis while I attended high school in Arkansas. Unfortunately, I was late to the Big Star party, only becoming aware of them in the '90's when "alternative rockers" name-checked them regularly. Chris Bell tragically became a member of the "27 club" when he died in a car crash in '78. Even though everyone mentions Alex Chilton, (with the Replacements going as far as naming a song after him) I think Chris Bell was the unsung hero of the band. He even contributed uncredited vocals to Radio City after he quit the band in frustration after Chilton became the de facto "leader" of Big Star. When we see all the sorry "cookie cutter pop" that filled the radio in the mid '70's, it's horrid that magnificent pop rock like Big Star couldn't get played at the time. Keep it coming, Adrian!

[@markfason9880]

Cheers Adrian! Thanks for breaking this down. The complexity of this song has always been incredibly intimidating to my weekend warrior guitar skills. You made it really digestible. What an amazing song. Keep up the great work!

[@reidhowland]

This is a song I have wanted to cover for, like, 25 years but no way was I going to sit down and plow through all that. This is definitely a service to guitar playing Big Star fans (which is all of us, right?). Back of a Car deserves this treatment as well...

[@subpowersun9511]

One of my favourite bands too!

[@simdawg7230]

Great Lesson Adrian , keep the Big Star coming👍

[@deathmaybeyoursantaclaus]

Great choice Adrian! I tried to figure this out by ear last year, now I can see how far off I was 😅

[@furrysharker]

Nice! I had the pleasure of meeting and seeing Jody Stephens play live at a small pub in London several years back. He's super nice and personable.

[@bertoneh8438]

Adrian, you have an uncanny knack for picking out songs that I love! Neil Young, Black Sabbath, Cliff Gallup, John Fahey, Davy Graham... I could go on and on and now, probably the greatest power pop band ever, Big Star! Part of my "B-Trinity" playlist of Beatles, Badfinger, & Big Star." Thank you very much!

[@jasonschell356]

This guy is the best. Not only does he nail each song he does, he has amazing taste in music. Where else can you learn country licks and song by X.

[@theaquabatsrule777]

Your work is very appreciated and it's not just content your introducing great bands to begginers

[@alessiomittiga]

This is pure gold!

[@Kimomaru]

Love your videos, thank you for making these!

[@lordofthemound3890]

When I think of the 2nd PU position on a Strat (bridge & middle), the best examples are ‘70s Clapton, and O My Soul. This song is kind of unique for Big Star in that there were very few overdubs. Maybe none. I used to have a live tape of them just before the breakup and Chilton uses this guitar sound throughout. They play O My Soul and it’s virtually identical to the Radio City recording.

[@jonheal1523]

O My Word. Good work Adrian!

[@timmytVA]

Love Big Star. A master class in making a I-IV-V sound sophisticated!

[@teespeck3285]

thank you so much for this! new to the channel and it’s so great! BIG STAR 😊

[@andypearce5537]

You are correct.

[@danielhoffheins2068]

BRILLIANT.

[@petestern3639]

Adrian big star is the best! Love it and your lessons and from the us so I they are. Incredible

[@bennyboo25]

We have the exact same taste in music and every song I want to learn you happen to have a perfect and entertaining lesson made for it, thank you so much Adrian!

[@jtp1138]

Great pic! Learning a lot! Thank you!

[@marktruslow1376]

You are fantastic at this. And you have great taste in music.

[@jamesobrien4773]

We share the same musical tastes! Big Star!!!

[@sheerheartattack6701]

That was awesome!

[@Randy.100]

I had to cut out but " I'll be back ". Adrian, has it going on again. Adrian, I love the new riffs I learn from your videos. Thank you Randy in the Great North Woods of Michigan

[@sagrado5]

Oh la la! I love Big Star! Thank you very much dude!

[@lynntunes]

I love that you said “nerdily”! Ha! Ha!

[@jasonbrown1987]

So good really good thanks

[@GenerationXReunion]

In the video footage of Big Star in the studio (seen in their doc) they are backed by Hiwatt’s.

[@jerryjohnson575]

thank you I am a metal blues player you are helping me into new realms nd sound scapes of the guitar. You are in the top 10 youtube teachers You are an A level teacher, you could of easily played the guitar parts on a David Bowie Album with your creative diverse playing

[@meadish]

I had been hoping, but my heart still jumped an extra beat when I saw the announcement. My endogenous MDMA is now dancing.

[@eddiewest6471]

Cool song. What’s what I love, I discover new songs to learn. Would love to see some Jeff Buckley lessons sometime. Great video!

[@scottsmith3679]

Yes! Thank you, sir.

[@mmccartney6579]

Yay, Adrian!! You hit 200k!!! Yay!!! Cheers, mate!! :)

[@nickclarke9613]

Fantastic! Following the Big Star theme, would love to see some Teenage Fanclub on your channel 🙏

[@asmahism]

Amazing breakdown of one of my top 10 songs. There’s a caveat though, it has to be the “demo” version on the nothing can hurt me comp. You can hear the producer (can’t remember his name, shame). He says “it’s only a demo” and then they proceed to blast out THE perfect version of this song. There’s drum fills in the demo version that are pure musical genius. It’s not as long as the album version and on the album version during the solo you can hear Alex change pickups which is such a cool little bit. But the demo version is a band on fire missing a key member just trying to keep the fire from burning them out while keeping the fire alive. I don’t know. Just go listen to the Nothing Can Hurt Me version of O my Soul. Also listening to you play this not only made me appreciate the already obviously great guitar work but in my head I found myself humming the bass line which is very melodic as well. I tend to ramble about things I love so I apologize. I must say though this was a very well done tutorial for one of the best bands and songs. Thank you for the hard work making this video you smashed it! New suB from me.

[@davidfewtrell3479]

I was at that London gig, it was fantastic!

[@jezmez68]

I was listening to the Bandsplain podcast about Big Star and they quoted Andy, the original bass player, who said when they recorded the first album, Alex was playing a Les Paul Gold Top and Chris was playing an ES-335, both through Fender amps. This is the second album, so who knows, but I always swore listening that they had to be playing Fenders, and especially in that second position. Your strat + Vox sounds perfect, though!

[@rufus_mcdufus]

Magnificent!

[@saxophool]

Some might not know Alex Chilton was like 15 or16 when he sang The Letter with the Box Tops. Sounded 55+ in a good way.

[@bluemeadows40]

thankyou so much.

[@philm25]

I'll add that Alex Chilton's jazz numbers are all very tasteful and worth checking out.

[@wollmo05]

This is just awesome! Never even dared to try and learn this epic piece by Mr. Chilton. You definitely should do more of their songs. One of my all time favourite bands. Just in case you run short of suggestions for further videos (which I know you don't) I would love to throw in some Badfinger or the fantastic stuff Ian McNabb did with The Icicle Works. May be "Starry blue-Eyed wonder"? Anyway, your channel is by far the best guitar teaching source on the net. Thank you!!!

[@doovie101]

I saw Alex Chilton open up for the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

[@Ben_Mdws]

Congrats on hitting 200k subs.

[@acpg]

Cheers Ben!

[@reward813]

Liked as fast as I could click! I once learned this song from a tab but its time to brush up using your lesson!

[@reward813]

Also, I read somewhere that Chilton used a Hiwatt amp on Radio City. Maybe?

[@adda89]

great stuff Adrian. love the powerpop video tutorials. would love it if you did some tutorials on the late 70's and earl 80's stuff from Roky Erickson like "mine mine mind" or "nothing in return".

[@marktruslow1376]

You are great.

[@izzydupuis1700]

I've learned so much from your videos!! i'd love to see you do a Love guitar tutorial! Anything off "Four Sail" would be awesome :)

[@benitocamela3813]

you should make a tutorial of the universal by blur

[@misterspookyman]

Thank you so much! You've covered EVERY SINGLE of my favorite guitarists (mcgeoch, marr, coxon, buck etc)... except one... would you consider doing a tutorial on a SUEDE song... Maybe the Butler era? His stuff is tough to break down... (for me anyway). Wonderful channel through and through!

[@zuider77]

This is a fantastic song and an equally fantastic lesson! You indeed are providing a service to Big Star fans. You cop Alex's tone perfectly. What amp are you using, and how have to got it set? Thanks so much for what you do.

[@meadish]

QUACKUS STRATUUS MAXIMUS I've heard rumours Big Star used Hiwatts as well, but hey, I have no idea if that is true, and no access to a Hiwatt to try it. Either way, the tone you have achieved now is glorious.

[@SSRT_JubyDuby8742]

Interesting stuff, they slipped under my radar, I will definitely check them out, cheers. 😎🎙🎸✅

[@acpg]

Yes, they're nowhere near as well-known as they should be. You should definitely check them out, think you'd like it. There's good documentary on them that came out a while back too.

[@SSRT_JubyDuby8742]

@@acpg I shall scour the Internet for the docu. 👍

[@doctordogtoffee3832]

@@SSRT_JubyDuby8742 It's on KZbin 👍

[@SSRT_JubyDuby8742]

@@doctordogtoffee3832 cheers 👍

[@johnb5482]

"Never traveled so far...Without a little Big Star..."

[@Massimiliano2873]

Hi there and hugs from Sardinia! Always great choices and this time Big Star! Love them. Why don't you do next time something from the mighty Replacements? Hope you like them! Bye Bye, Max

[@GaryPennington]

Great choice! I might have seen them on the same tour, in Leeds. '93 I think... A great show and the guys from The Posies were super-subs.

[@jeanlikkewaan5605]

Your content is truly some of if not the best on youtube. A suggestion,as a south african viewer, is our best local band Fokofpolisiekar. They have a very punky and sometimes cock rock attitude but songs such as 'Antibiotika'' and 'Hemel op die platteland' have some Amazing lead guitar playing by Johnny de Ridder!

[@DerEchteBold]

Hey, great pointer there! _Hemel op die Platteland_ is so fantastic, that authentic guitar sound is just perfect, absolutely wonderful! The other song you mentioned is somewhat ok but everything else I listened to really had crap Pop sound, seems this is another band I only like one song of but that one a lot, happens to me all the time nowadays, really strange.

[@jeanlikkewaan5605]

@@DerEchteBold I know what you mean, thats what makes them a bit hard to love,they are technically a bunch of sellouts.But none the less they have inspired many a troubled South African youth.Perhaps you might like the 'Swanesang' album, which was inarguably their peak. Its very raw and political and keeps the pop side to a minimum.

[@DerEchteBold]

@@jeanlikkewaan5605 Ah, they got popular and went all commercial very quickly, that's what it is? Yes, that can happen easily to a good band, it's a pity. I'll look up that album, thanks!

[@muriloduarte959]

Please do a tutorial on sonic youth

[@philm25]

I was taking some guitar lessons a few years ago and was lucky to have an excellent teacher. Part of his routine with his students was to ask them pick a favorite guitarist that they wished they could play like. I told him I wished I could play like Alex Chilton especially as on the song There Will Never Be Another You from the Set album released by BarNone. He was floored and said in his many years of teaching no one had ever picked Alex Chilton. We preceded to get into There Will Never Be Another You which my teacher said was the first jazz song he'd ever learned. I told him I love how Alex's version falls somewhere between Jazz and Rock. I was a bit disappointed that he stuck more with the classic jazz version. So Adrian if you'd ever consider breaking down Alex's version of There Will Never Be Another You from the Set album on BarNone records it would make my day. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYrOapKBramIhK8

[@jierelynrivera3701]

Do

[@backandfour]

What about so songs by the Fannies? One of their best pupils..

[@MannyForReal]

Hsjsnanwnsj, I'm glad I got back into guitar and I'm so glad you made a tutorial for this one

[@bluemeadows40]

i love it, i always ignored big star. i think the band name repelled me. im that presumptious, others you put me on to include. rev horton heat, no one else is teaching the verve or stone roses like you mate. Danny kirwin stuff was beauriful. p,s is patreon free?

[@gabrielmorton8054]

Psychedelic furs lessons in the future?

[@Mark70609]

I love the channel though I’m surprised that Adrian hasn’t Going home by Dinosaur Jr. it’s a great song.

[@elvers9877]

What gig did you see? I met Lx after their gig supporting Tindersticls in a tent in Regents Park. It was surreal.

[@acpg]

Amazing! The gig I saw was at - I think - the Mean Fiddler - basement venue on Charing Cross road, next to the Astoria. Can't remember the year!

[@elvers9877]

@@acpg Crikey. I remember that place. Must have been pretty special in such a small space. Thanks for the lesson dude. It’ll keep me busy for a while. Cheers!

[@jax408]

💃💃💃❤

[@gabrielmorton8054]

Peace and quiet by feet?

[@artcamp7]

you and I have the same music taste

[@teodelfuego]

I like Alex Chilton and managed to see him at the 40 Watt Club in Athens, but I’m not a fan of the jazzy 6th chords in this song for some reason

[@darylfish5686]

is your strat a zero fret? id never noticed that before

[@roughcutguitars]

It's a standard nut, but Fender (and other one-piece necks with inline headstocks) leave a bit of fingerboard wood behind the nut to support it in the slot before the board drops down for the 'scoop' to the headstock - otherwise there's be nothing to hold the nut back from popping off under string tension. Only glue wouldn't be enough at least in the small amount that they use - and even then... Fender and others with this type of construction typically use thinner nuts than makers like Gibson who use the angled-headstock wood to support the nut - that makes it kinda look like a zero fret. HTH.

[@garimh]

A video for September Gurls would be welcome!

[@acpg]

Did it a while back - search my channel and you should find it!

[@garimh]

@@acpg Great! Will do.

[@ianwillars265]

Another great lesson, thanks Adrian. If you do one for The Ballad of El Goodo I'll increase my patreon subscription to £1 million a month!

[@Bodyknowledge77]

That was/is nifty! How about a less on Belly's "Gepetto"?

[@acpg]

Thanks! Don't remember that one - I'll take a listen.