Songs for the Acoustic jam?

[Flip G]

I've repeatedly been told, "Just some AC/DC."

 

[RetiredUnit1]

Desperado, Thank You (led zep), Behind blue eyes, Space Oddity is a blast to sing with a whole group, Free Fallin, Rocket man.... I could go on, lol....

 

[Flat6Driver]

BBE and SO, RM are great to sing and play but I can't recall them being easy to *follow*.for folks without a good ear or knowing the songs. We did play FF.

 

[drmordo]

Louisiana 1927 is a song that I have recently been obsessed with, and it is simple enough that most decent players could keep up.

This is my favorite version (warning: tasty Tele content)

 

[Sparky2]

Stuck In The Middle With You, by Stealer's Wheel. Key of D.

Jambalaya by Hank Williams. (Only two chords)

Your Cheating Heart, by Hank Williams.

I Walk The Line, by Johnny Cash.

 

[Sparky2]

Louisiana 1927 is a song that I have recently been obsessed with, and it is simple enough that most decent players could keep up.

This is my favorite version (warning: tasty Tele content)

I really liked that.

 

[Harry Styron]

Stuck In The Middle With You, by Stealer's Wheel. Key of D.

Jambalaya by Hank Williams. (Only two chords)

Your Cheating Heart, by Hank Williams.

I Walk The Line, by Johnny Cash.

I agree with Sparky if you’ve got older folks. Heartaches by the Number is another classic country song that a lot of people know and like to sing.

I was at an assisted living center recently and received requests for Red River Valley and Tennessee Waltz from some 85+ plus ladies (though they weren’t really jamming).

 

[Chud]

Southern Cross is good for getting people singing

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

You Never Even Call Me By My Name David Allen Coe
Into the Mystic, Van Morrison is cool on acoustic.

My gig buddy Buddy sings both of those. Fun tunes.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I usually keep it to a merciful four chords max, mostly perky tunes, e.g:

Ai Ai Ay
Big Boss Man
Going Down the Road Feeling Bad
Hey, Good Lookin'
Is Anybody Going to San Antone
Little Red Rooster
Midnight Shift
No Expectations
Season of the Witch
Smokestack Lightning
You Never Can Tell
You Win Again

. . . and sometimes a fast medley: La Bamba/Sloopy/Twist and Shout/Louie Louie/Wild Thing/Angel of the Morning/Good Lovin'/La Bamba

 

[Mike Eskimo]

NOT Wagon Wheel

 

[Blrfl]

Bears by Steven Fromholz, without the capo.

 

[Tmcqtele65]

Any/all of the early stuff by Tom Petty. Almost any one of them can be the original 3-1/2 minutes or as long as you like.

 

[elihu]

I usually keep it to a merciful four chords max, mostly perky tunes, e.g:

Ai Ai Ay
Big Boss Man
Going Down the Road Feeling Bad
Hey, Good Lookin'
Is Anybody Going to San Antone
Little Red Rooster
Midnight Shift
No Expectations
Season of the Witch
Smokestack Lightning
You Never Can Tell
You Win Again

. . . and sometimes a fast medley: La Bamba/Sloopy/Twist and Shout/Louie Louie/Wild Thing/Angel of the Morning/Good Lovin'/La Bamba

Yeah, if I'm playing with more mature players the set list changes...

Cotton Fields
Old Time Religion
She Thinks I Still Care
Jambalaya/Hey Good Lookin'/So Lonesome I Could Cry
Rolling In My Sweet Baby's Arms
Lost Highway

 

[3rdworlder]

Well, I bought my first guitar just because of two songs. One of them was "Lyin' Eyes" (Eagles) and "Teach Your Children" (Crosby, Stills & Nash). Decades after I am still sure anything by the Eagles, America or CSN will do if you're playing an acoustic.
Other than those one newer song that ALWAYS work with me here is "Runaway Train" (Soul Asylum).

 

[danielreid27]

Sweet home Alabama, Country Roads, Sing me back home, I'm 18.
Long cool woman. to love somebody, good time charlie, copperhead rd.
mercury blues, chattahoochie, hey good lookin'. well it's 40 below.
only the lonely, 8 days a week. summertime blues, tequila sunrise.
take it easy, 6 days on the rd, eastbound & down. garden party,..
honky tonk women, listen to the music, mama don't let your babies,
whiskey river,jambayla, rednecks white sox & blue....La Grange !
shackles & chains, rank stranger, the joker,who do u love.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

NOT Wagon Wheel

God, no. Just shoot me now!

Actually, there's a certain trance aspect. Though I refuse to sing along ("Rock me, Mama, like a wagon wheel, rock me, Mama, anyway you feel"?! Puh-leez!), it's good for noodling over because it plays itself.

 

[Tricone]

"Will the Circle Be Unbroken"/ various artists

"I Never Cared for You"/Willie Nelson

"Come Away With Me"/Norah Jones

"The Joker"/The Steve Miller Band

"Sunday Morning Coming Down"/Johnny Cash

 

[loudboy]

Any/all of the early stuff by Tom Petty. Almost any one of them can be the original 3-1/2 minutes or as long as you like.

I was at a jam party, mainly guys who were sort of yacht rock/smooth jazzers, all VERY accomplished players.

I suggest we do "Listen To Her Heart" and started it off. Not a single one of them knew it, or could even follow along.

To the OP: "Helpless" by CSNY is a good one, 3 chords, and a great chorus to harmonize on. Also, "Willin'."

 

[Stringbanger]

Believe it or not, I played this one at a campfire jam two weeks ago, and it got the most applause out of any other song played:



Okay, it’s a pop song, but it went over big,
it has a nice upbeat tempo, only four chords, and people can sing along.