How To Play "Hey There Delilah" On The Guitar: 9 Steps - WikiHow Fun

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Terms of UseHow to Play "Hey There Delilah" on the Guitar Explore this Article Steps Steps Other Sections Video Related Articles Expert Interview References Co-authored by Nicolas Adams

Last Updated: May 11, 2023

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This article was co-authored by Nicolas Adams. Nicolas Adams is a 5th generation musician of Serbian Gypsy descent and the lead guitarist of the band Gypsy Tribe. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Nicolas specializes in Rumba Flamenco and Gypsy jazz and playing the guitar, Bouzouki, Balalaika, and piano. This article has been viewed 72,599 times.

"Hey There Delilah" is a song by the Plain White T's. This solo is sung by Tom Higgenson as he strums his guitar. The song predominantly uses basic guitar chords, without a lot of quick changes, so it's quite easy to learn.

Steps

1. 1 Learn the 5 necessary chords to play Hey There Delilah on the guitar. You'll need to know the D chord, B minor (Bm) chord, F sharp minor (F#m) chord, G chord, and A chord.
2. 2 Strum while playing the chords or practice the picking pattern, with your thumb on the bass note and your index and middle finger picking the third and second strings.[1] Advertisement
3. 3 Play the first verse.
   • Use the D chord for "Hey there Delilah, What's it"
   • Switch to the F#m chord for "like in New York City? I'm a"
   • Repeat the D chord for "thousand miles away, But girl"
   • Repeat the F#m chord for "tonight you look so pretty, yes you" and end with the Bm chord for the last word "do"
   • Quickly switch to the G chord for "Time Square can't"
   • Play the A chord for "shine as bright as"
   • Go back to Bm for "you, I swear it's" and finish with the A chord for "true"
   • Repeat this chord progression for the second part of verse 1
4. 4 Alternate between the D chord and Bm chord for the chorus.
   • Play the D chord for "Oh it's what you do to" and switch to the Bm chord for the last word "me"
   • Return to the D chord for "Oh it's what you do to" and with the Bm chord for "me" again
   • The words and chords repeat once
   • Stay on the Bm chord for the last line "What you do to" and finish the chorus with the D chord for the last word "me"
5. 5 Use the same chords as verse 1 for verse 2.
6. 6 Repeat the chorus.
7. 7 Continue with the bridge.
   • Play the G chord for "A thousand miles seems pretty far, But"
   • Switch to the A chord for "they've got planes and trains and cars"
   • Change to the D chord for "I'd walk to you if I had no other" and end with the Bm chord for the last word "way"
   • Repeat these 4 chords: Play the G for "Our friends would all make fun of us, And" and the A chord for "we'll just laugh along because, We" and the D chord for "know that none of them have felt this" and end on the BM chord for "way"
   • Return to the G chord for "Delilah I can promise you, That"
   • Go to the A chord for "by the time that we get through, The"
   • Instead of the D chord, use the Bm chord for "world will never ever be the same, And you're to" and end on the A chord for the last word "blame"
8. 8 Duplicate the chord progression from the previous verses for verse 3.
9. 9 Finish the song by playing the 2 lines of the chorus. Stay on the Bm chord and add "What you do to me" and switch to the D chord for the last word "me." Advertisement

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about playing the guitar, check out our in-depth interview with Nicolas Adams.

References

1. ↑ Nicolas Adams. Professional Musician. Expert Interview
2. http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/p/plain_white_ts/hey_there_delilah_ver3_crd.htm
3. https://www.guitarnoise.com/lessons/hey-there-delilah/

About this article

Co-authored by: Nicolas Adams Professional Guitarist This article was co-authored by Nicolas Adams. Nicolas Adams is a 5th generation musician of Serbian Gypsy descent and the lead guitarist of the band Gypsy Tribe. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Nicolas specializes in Rumba Flamenco and Gypsy jazz and playing the guitar, Bouzouki, Balalaika, and piano. This article has been viewed 72,599 times. 1 votes - 100% Co-authors: 14 Updated: May 11, 2023 Views: 72,599

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 72,599 times.

Reader Success Stories

• 

  Jenna Bosman

  Feb 19, 2021

  "My best friend is totally obsessed with this song and listens to it 24/7! She was feeling really sad and depressed..." more

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Nicolas Adams Professional Guitarist Co-authors: 14 Updated: May 11, 2023 Views: 72,599 100% of readers found this article helpful. 1 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote

Jenna Bosman

Feb 19, 2021

"My best friend is totally obsessed with this song and listens to it 24/7! She was feeling really sad and depressed..." more

S. P.

Mar 4, 2022

"This is a really good tutorial and it is really easy if you know the strumming pattern!" More success stories Hide success stories

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