You Keep Me Hanging On by The Supremes Guitar Lesson

A riff from a classic Motown song - You Keep Me Hangin' On by The Supremes.
The guitar may not sound tremendously difficult ... and it's not ... but like most of the Motown guitar work it's totally appropriate, inventive and catchy without distracting from the singer's performance.
Joe Messina (of the so-called Funk Brothers) was the guitarist on most of the early Motown hits. I had the great fortune to play with him one night in Detroit many years ago. (He played jazz harmonica that night!!) And though I was by far the worst jazz "cat" in the room, I remember him as very encouraging and nice to me. Probably the best guitarist I know from Detroit and perhaps the best I know period!

[@worldofparker]

I love that morse code guitar sound at the start, I heard a guitarist in the UK describe it as 'telegraphing'.

[@MarkZabel]

Interesting description!

[@charlesperry6093]

The spot you said to make the transition that always makes any song great

[@agurobe]

This is a amazing rift that is catchy and it sound's unlike anything else at the time.Very good.

[@MarkZabel]

Yes, great lick! Joe Messina was/is a great unknown player.

[@budandbean1]

Another nice one Mark, thanks for the video! Love me some Mo-town...

[@MarkZabel]

+Buddy Martin Thanks Buddy! I love it too ... my roots!

[@karldavies4841]

Superb tutorial, great Teacher. Thank You.

[@MarkZabel]

My pleasure Karl. Thanks for watching!

[@letthatsinkin7879]

Well done. Thank you for this!

[@MarkZabel]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@andyg1245]

I was just reading about this song. Morse Code inspired. Thanks for the lesson!

[@MarkZabel]

You bet! Thanks for watching.

[@pierrevivies3158]

Merci beaucoup! Very clear!

[@MarkZabel]

Great, thanks!

[@charlesperry6093]

Thank you so very much!

[@MarkZabel]

You're welcome!

[@jjpugs]

Great lesson, great narrative. Thanks!

[@MarkZabel]

You're welcome. Thanks for listening and for the kind comment!

[@GoodNiteUSA]

THANK YOU!!! Always wondered how to do this. Keep up the GREAT work!

[@MarkZabel]

+GoodNiteUSA Thanks! Glad you liked it.

[@tjdelaney101]

lol unbelievable Mark . . . I just thought about playing this just today after hearing it in a store. And who else but you, the best online teacher out there, actually has a video about a song nobody really pays too much attention anymore. But I've been playing guitar now for all of 6 months (January 6th), and I love finding out about all this stuff (Stones, Motown, Hendrix...and up to Petty, Neil Schon, etc). Thank you.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks a ton Tom. I'm always grateful to receive such kind feedback. Please let me know what suggestions you have that you'd like to hear.

[@frankkramer9064]

Great Lesson Mark,, I have to learn this one for an R/B Project .. I know it in the Rock Version but this is still fun also .. Thank you for doing the work for us !

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Frank!

[@hectormoran-ve7xr]

Good job!! Thanks for keeping it real and to the point not like others that try to teach ..

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks!

[@scootmcgoot570]

Excellent job bud! Thanks for this video. Playing it at rehearsal in 30min

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks Steve. Good luck at the rehearsal ... I think it's past now. Hope you kicked some "strings"!!

[@pjokivuo]

Very good, many thanks!

[@MarkZabel]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@gunnerdee84]

Thanks again Mark...Go Tigers!

[@MarkZabel]

You bet, any time. Yeah go Tigers!! (The ghost of Al Kaline thanks you too!)

[@JoeServo]

That's awesome!

[@MarkZabel]

+JoeDeceiver Thanks Joe!

[@davemorton7988]

Please do the vanilla fudge version as there is none on the tube. i would love it if you would.Thank you Mark. from the playincanadian

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks for the suggestion Dave!

[@Daytripper51]

Thank You.....Thank You.....Thank You, Mark!!! Detroit,huh?? Cleveland here....Were you ever at the Eastown Theater in it's day???

[@MarkZabel]

+brpbrpbrpbrp I hung out a lot at the Punch and Judy Theater (movies), but never made it to the Eastown Theater. I understand you can still go there, but it's closed and in a terrible state of disrepair.

[@kwik2hear915]

Good job.

[@MarkZabel]

Thanks!

[@tonyb3098]

Great lesson, great tune. But it begs the question: will you do the Vanilla Fudge version? LOL, take care.Tony

[@MarkZabel]

+Tony B Ha! That would be a hoot ... and about 2 hours long!! VF were awesome and more influential than people give them credit for. (Prog Rock, Proto-metal like Deep Purple) Thanks for listening!!

[@charlesperry6093]

That's a lot like I'll be around by The spinners it is I think

[@MarkZabel]

Yes, very much like that.

[@feariguodala]

There is a good video on here from a few years back. Holland Dozier and Holland talking about this song. Really cool that the idea came from Walter Winchell's telegraph opening. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXWnf3iPlLaKesU

[@MarkZabel]

+J D Very cool. I had no idea. Nice link.

[@magicofsoulandmowtown6604]

Thank you for the insight but it may be worth considering reducing the narrative, as it become distracting at time.

[@MarkZabel]

Okay, thanks for the feedback!

[@agurobe]

His story about Joe in the room with the other musicians?

[@vanderneut]

No complaints here! Great video, including the narrative :-) Thanks so much -- this super helped!

[@gingeambre7764]

PLEASE TABS

[@ajlapiana]

you should cover the song first then explain what you did Thanks though it still helps

[@MarkZabel]

Isn't that what I did? Played a demo of what I was going to teach, then taught it. Help me out here with what you mean.