• From: Orpington London
  • Registered: 2006-10-22
  • Posts: 390

Topic: Songs for teenage girls to learn

no I'm not a teenage girl

but my daughter is eleven and learning guitar.

its difficult to find songs which seem contemporary. my record collection is new wave, rock classics and singer song writers fromthe 1980s like sheryl crow. lots of singer songwriters but difficult to know which ones have lasted.  I showed her the chords to linger by the cranberries which is a  lovely song. so I wouldn't rule out "classics"

also difficult to find songs with female vocals and strong guitar. yes there are plenty.  I have a stack of songs by singer songwriters in my collection but these are not easy songs to play.  one of the songs we  tried was ONE by U2 because Mary J Blige covered it. it has some fairly easy chords

having a fenale vocal isn't essential but helps. I could teach her Muddy Waters songs. Thats certainly in my vocal range but I don't generally learn soings with high register  tones so I take it that people like to play songs which match their voice.   

any suggestions     


john

johncross21's Website

  • From: Clarion PA
  • Registered: 2008-05-18
  • Posts: 328

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

Maybe something by Heart or Avril Lavigne. Go through the public songbooks and I'm sure you'll find stuff that will interest her

Don't take life too seriously, you're not getting out alive anyway
  • From: Orpington London
  • Registered: 2006-10-22
  • Posts: 390

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

I think Avril Lavigne is a good idea.

I like Heart  (barracudas a great song) but whether her peers will know it I'm not sure

I found this songbook which seems to have been uploaded by an aspiring young female guitarist (I could be wrong.)

http://www.chordie.com/publicbooks.php? … gid=163011

welcome other thoughts

johncross21's Website

4 Reply by tubatooter1940 (edited by tubatooter1940 2009-11-08 13:42:20)

  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

Here is a nice guitar/vocal by Katie Melua.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7-Tb_Fs … p;index=26

She is using a capo to move her up to key of B.
She is using key of G changes, G,C,D.

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

tubatooter1940's Website

  • badeye
  • The Blues Fixer
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  • From: Cape Breton Island, Canada
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 3,381

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

hey tuba  this  is  an  oldie,






http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIFknAdVvNM




badeye

one caper after another
  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

i like melanie.  She had such a different voice.  Brings back memories

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.
  • From: Renfrewshire, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 1,359

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

Avril has loads of songs that sound great on acoustic.

Then there's the whole Disney thing with Hannah Montanna and The Jonas Bros. When I think of the songs I've attempted to play because my daughter was listening to them it makes me shudder.

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

alvee33's Website

  • Registered: 2006-12-11
  • Posts: 82

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

How about Cake Sale's 'Some Surprise'?  It's a lovely song, duet with male and female.  Easy cords as well.  Or how about Ride On?  It's a timeless classic, Christy Moore gets the credit, although he didn't write it.  It was covered by one of the black sisters as well.  Again it's got easy cords.

My ambition far exceeds my ability
  • From: Illinois (USA)
  • Registered: 2009-10-12
  • Posts: 18

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

John... If your daughter likes modern country music, you may want check out some of the tunes by Taylor Swift.  She very popular among the younger folks.  Her latest album is "Fearless" which includes several songs that are pretty easy to play for beginner, e.g. "The Best Day", "Hey Stephen", "White Horse".

Another contemporary female singer/songwriter that I like is Colbie Caillat, but since I haven't tried playing any of her songs on the guitar, I'm not sure how easy they are for beginners.

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  • dino48
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  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

Hi john,I have seen many females singing songs that were done by males,you should br more flexable and try that aproch to some songs she might like. Right now also may be a good time for her too flex her talents towards christmas music.

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • Registered: 2009-10-18
  • Posts: 16

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

ya talyor  swift

we may never pass this way again.
  • From: Liverpool, Merseyside, UK.
  • Registered: 2009-04-19
  • Posts: 28

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

I'm in the same boat with my daughter.

My background is Eric's in Liverpool back in the 70's.  Seen all kinds in there, from Stiff Little Fingers to The Skids.  So I have always had a bit of difficulty 'connecting' with a load of this girly stuff she's into.

Anyway, I made a great big music folder on my laptop for her recently, and a lot of it's actually growing on me.  "Oh the shame Margót, the shame."

One of the songs is fantastic to play and really well arranged.  It's called 'Ugly', and it's by the Sugababes.  It also has a very strong social message as it's about being yourself and everyone being different and bullying being bad etc.  Try it pal (it's on this site as well).  They actually have a decent catalogue of stuff ('About you now' is easy to play as well, and my girl gets on the mic' and sings along to that one when I play it).

Avril Lavigne is a very good live artist I've noticed too.  Try her.

And obviously anything by girls aloud (they've covered Blondie you know?  That'd be worth a punt like, playing some Blondie to her).

*Praying my little lad grows up a Punk Rocker* 

Hahaha.

"And on payday, we'll tear the place down.
With a pint, in our hand's, and a bash 'em out band.
Sure we'll dance, to the sound, of the rain falling down.
In our Northern Industrial Town."
  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

My daughter's a bit younger.  She's into the Disney girls and Taylor Swift.  Google up the Disney network web site and you'll be sure to be assaulted by a whole slew of young brunettes with pale skin and wide mouths belting out this or that song. 

For rockers, Avril Lavigne has been mentioned a lot, but also Alanis Morissette (if you can find a song with lyrics you want your daughter to sing), and if you want to go old, old school nobody comes close to even touching Patsy Cline.  Three chords and the truth songs that could easily be modified to rock or not, as you seem to think would be appropriate.  (Linger as a classic, God I feel old)

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • Registered: 2006-10-31
  • Posts: 50

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

Uhm... "Teenage Girl" seems a bit broad a term to talk about music... What music does she and her friends like?

There is very little music you can't play even as a beginner. If it seems to tough, look for an easier version. Transpose till it is easy-peasy.

P!nk has a few nice ones, even Lady Gaga works on guitar... but again: the music she needs to play is the music she likes to listen too.

Cheers,

Tom

  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

I have a 13 year old student. I just told her to pick three songs, and those would be the ones to work on.

So she did.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
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Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

Kathy Mattea.  Another name to toss in the hat. 

Jerome's plan sounds sensible.  No sense in trying to predict what a teenager will think or want. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: Liverpool, Merseyside, UK.
  • Registered: 2009-04-19
  • Posts: 28

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

By the way...The original subject is aged 11, and not a 'teenager'.

"And on payday, we'll tear the place down.
With a pint, in our hand's, and a bash 'em out band.
Sure we'll dance, to the sound, of the rain falling down.
In our Northern Industrial Town."
  • mrjay
  • Senior Member
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  • Registered: 2007-04-19
  • Posts: 174

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

What about KT Tunstall? She has great groove and a blues influence:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa8zN4ElAFM

Another popular band with the teens is Paramore. Sort of the same style as Avril Lavigne but I find their music much less commercial. The singer (Haley Williams) has a powerful voice. Here's an acoustic version of their song "Pressure" (the original is very different with the full disto & etc...):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCwvc5Pz … ature=fvst

  • From: Georgia
  • Registered: 2007-07-09
  • Posts: 381

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

Choose any song by any artist that she likes and is in her playing capability and capo it for her vocal range. It works for me.

  • Registered: 2009-09-27
  • Posts: 5

Re: Songs for teenage girls to learn

Speaking as a teenage girl,  I suggest asking her what music she wants to play and helping her with that. age and gender say absolutely nothing about taste in music.

I am the Carpenter, goo goo ga joob.