What songs do you like to play on 12 string that aren't the obvious (Byrds etc.)

[Mad Kiwi]

The recent thread on 12 string guitars prompted this,

What songs do you like to play on 12 string that aren't the obvious (Byrds etc.)

I like to play "Long Cool Woman" after seeing a guy do it really well on a 12 string on Youtube.

and a fairly obvious one, but great to play and sing is Don Henley "Heart of the Matter".

I have a few more that i'll add when i remember.

 

[SixStringSlinger]

I like to try everything on a 12-string (everything acoustic, anyway; no electric 12-string for me...yet ), particularly if I'm the only guitar.

This also goes for my own music. It's odd, but it's not even necessarily about the music sounding any better on a 12-string. Something about the way a 12-string fills out out the sound can also suggest other parts you might not have heard in your head otherwise.

 

[demon]

Some early Floyd works great on a 12-string. See Emily Play, Lucifer Sam, Astronomy Domine. Works great for Syd Barrett solo stuff too like Opel.

 

[GibbyTwin]

There's lots, but to narrow down to one specifically --> 'My Man' from Eagles' On The Border album. Tune written by Bernie Leadon and works great on 12 string acoustic.

 

[Splodgeness]

Another Eagles song......... "Peaceful Easy Feeling" on my 12 string acoustic.

 

[Stanford Guitar]

All Along the Watchtower....Hendrix version. The backing acoustic track and part of the guitar solo (the slide part) are on a 12 string.

 

[ReverendRevolver]

I like to at least try anything I'd use a chorus pedal on with electric, on a 12.

 

[Si G X]

I don't have a 12 string but if I did the first thing I'd play is 'I Can't Explain' ... when I was a teenager I always wondered why it never sounded right however I played it, it wasn't until years later I found out why.

 

[Telecaster88]

Every time I pick up a 12 string in a guitar shop (I don't own one) I inevitably start playing this song, and crack myself up. Someday I'll have to add one to my arsenal.

 

[stormsedge]

Only everything as I only had a twelve string for >30yrs.

 

[Stanford Guitar]

 

[E5RSY]

"Fairies Wear Boots"...what else???

 

[Larry F]

In the early 70s, a friend of mine had a kick-*** version of 8 Miles High played on a 12-string with fingerpicks. He may have gotten the idea from Leo Kottke, who was an acquaintance. I'll look around.

 

[LGOberean]

I haven't owned a 12-string in decades. Yeah, my answers will vary, depending on whether we're talking electric or acoustic. For the latter category, bear in mind that a lot of the songs recorded and/or performed by Pete Seeger (when he wasn't playing his Seeger banjo), Lead Belly, John Denver and Gordon Lightfoot were done on a 12-string, so quite a few from any one of their respective repertoires would work.

One lesser known song would be "Send Me No Wine" by John Lodge/Moody Blues.

 

[Flaneur]

Something by Willie McTell, in Spanish tuning, fingerpicked with a slide.

'Broke Down Engine Blues' is probably my go-to.

If you don't really like pre-war blues, I'm sure you've heard this one.....

 

[LGOberean]

Ooh, Leo Kottke! As I was posting, @Larry F threw Kottke's name in. I'd forgotten about him. First song that came to mind: his version of Tom T. Hall's song "Pamela Brown."

 

[Twang Deluxe]

Neil Young - Words sounds great on a 12 String

 

[Jim622]

Not so obvious when I have my 12 out, I get around to

 

[nojazzhere]

I use my 12-String Emulator on, among other things, The Plimsouls' A Million Miles Away, Modern English's I Melt With You, The Animals' It's My Life, Paul Revere's Kicks, plus, of course Tambourine Man. Those songs NEVER come together in a set list, so I'd be spending all my time changing guitars and tuning if I used a real 12 string.

 

[Chuckster]

For electric (Ric 330-12), even though he doesn't seem to be playing a 12, it just sounds right:



For acoustic (Martin D-1228), anything from Johnny Marr, but my fave to play: