Monday morning question
So occasionally, when I'm in a pub or whatnot, someone hands me a guitar and insists I give them a tune.

Without fail, I get a mental block and can't choose a suitable song for the audience.

What songs do people, in general, know the words to?
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 11 May 2009, 7:54, 33 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Sound of Silence
by S&G, also Cecelia.
Nightswimming/Everybody hurts/Losing my Religion - REM.
Throw your arms around me/River Runs Dry/Holy Grail - Hunters&Collectors
Distant Sun/Better be home soon/Pineapple Head - Crowded House
(Poppet some assembly required., Mon 11 May 2009, 8:04, Reply)

Lots.
And lots and lots.

But I can't play the guitar, so it's not much use.
(Psyche finishes work at the end of June! Yay!!!, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:14, Reply)

^^^
this for me too.
(Poppet some assembly required., Mon 11 May 2009, 8:19, Reply)

Wonderwall - Oasis
Everyone knows it and can sing along. Can't think of any others that can easily be played on the accoustic.
(Potty Jag har smör i min rumpspringa, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:20, Reply)

You're completely right, of course
but I fear I may have an embolism if ever forced to play that song again.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:22, Reply)

if someone plays that on the guitar they deserve to have their fingers broken
ditto anything else by Oasis. Better to sit in silence if you ask me.

I find that because I don't know most of the utter shite that people ask for when making requests they assume that I'm shit on the guitar.

So I play something like Classical Gas and they shut up and go away.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:25, Reply)

I've learned a few technical pieces
but just can't seem to get the singing and playing right. I'm fine with strumming and basic picking and stuff, but anything which takes more concentration on the fretboard leaves me tongue-tied.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:34, Reply)

This simply means I'm a competent yet unaccomplished guitarist, of course.

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:51, Reply)

I entirely agree
I hate that cunting song. But it was the only one I could think of that people would know instantly in a pub. THe accoustic bit of Innuendo by Queen is much better.
(Potty Jag har smör i min rumpspringa, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:44, Reply)

I'd bum Brian May
for that piece of music. It gives me shivers.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:45, Reply)

The one time I've performed live
I did bass guitar and backing vocals to it. The central instrumental section seemed to get extended by at least 10 minutes of improv.... it sounded good but I was so high at the time it probably sounded awful. And put me off performing.
(Potty Jag har smör i min rumpspringa, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:48, Reply)

Daydream believer - the Monkees
everyone knows that
( The Light in Chains don't touch the Pope's boner, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:20, Reply)

Ah good call.
I suppose I could also include songs with lots of "doo doo doo's" and sing-a-long choruses too...
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:25, Reply)

Argh
I mean no offense, but I utterly hate people playing acoustic guitars in public places, or at parties. It strikes me as arrogant, and kills any chance for conversation in the room.

Just one of my irrational hates.
( Labia Majora You keep on talking but it makes no sense at all, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:38, Reply)

I hear you
and if I'm honest I don't do it if the place is packed.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 11 May 2009, 8:41, Reply)

Anything
by the Beatles. Everybody knows ALL of them. You can't lose.
Especially things like Let it Be - where most of it is the same line over and over again so even drunk people can get it.

They're also piss easy to play as well, because contrary to what non-musicians think, the Beatles were not "musical" geniuses, just great at writing extremely catchy songs. The actual chords regularly fall outside your classic combinations (C, D, G, etc).

Not Beatles but also can't go wrong (at least on the chorus) - American Pie.
(The Apeface Cherub is not a cunty-uber-cunt, Mon 11 May 2009, 9:03, Reply)

Hey Joe
piss-easy to play and known by most/all I would think
( Monty Boyce, My cheese game is strong, Mon 11 May 2009, 9:31, Reply)

Hell yeah
I used to love playing that in our band.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 11 May 2009, 9:41, Reply)

Accompany yourself with a kazoo...
...do-doody doo doo!
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Mon 11 May 2009, 12:14, Reply)

Hmmm...
I'm not one of these people who'll whip out a guitar and force my singing on people, normally.

But if the opportunity presents itself I'll play Ring Of Fire by Johnny Cash or White Wedding by Billy Idol.
( Cawl, Mon 11 May 2009, 9:44, Reply)

How are your sporks?

(Bazongaloid, Mon 11 May 2009, 9:51, Reply)

My sporks
Are shining with magnificence this morning.
And yours?
( Cawl, Mon 11 May 2009, 9:52, Reply)

Tenacious D
Fuck her hard.

Should go down well in a pub.
(MrOli is ugly, but in the morning you will be sober, Mon 11 May 2009, 9:49, Reply)

How about...
...'send the buggers back'?
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Mon 11 May 2009, 9:52, Reply)

I was singing this in the car this morning and I defy anyone not to know the words.
Do a deer a female deer
Ray a drop of golden sun
Me a name I call myself
Far a long long way to run
So a needle pulling thread
La a note to rhyme with doe
Te a drink with jam and bread
Which will bring me back to do.
( girlinthehole, Mon 11 May 2009, 9:56, Reply)

At T in the Park last year....
The favourites were:

Redemption song (obviously!)
Dirty Old Town - Pogues
Death of a Clown - The Kinks
Have You Ever Seen the Rain - CCR
Maggie May - Rod Stewart
Like a Rolling Stone - Bob Dylan (although it's that long nobody really knows how to play it 100% correct)

Erm.. those were the obvious ones, then we have certain bands popular within our group such as The Clash (me!), The Killers/Oasis (not me!) etc etc
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Mon 11 May 2009, 10:09, Reply)

Caledonia
by Dougie Maclean. Lyrics:

I don't know if you can see
The changes that have come over me
In these last few days I've been afraid
That I might drift away
So I've been telling old stories, singing songs
That make me think about where I came from
And that's the reason why I seem
So far away today

Oh, but let me tell you that I love you
That I think about you all the time
Caledonia you're calling me
And now I'm going home
If I should become a stranger
You know that it would make me more than sad
Caledonia's been everything
I've ever had

Now I have moved and I've kept on moving
Proved the points that I needed proving
Lost the friends that I needed losing
Found others on the way
I have kissed the ladies and left them crying
Stolen dreams, yes there's no denying
I have traveled hard with coattails flying
Somewhere in the wind

(Chorus)
Now I'm sitting here before the fire
The empty room, the forest choir
The flames that could not get any higher
They've withered now they've gone
But I'm steady thinking my way is clear
And I know what I will do tomorrow
When the hands are shaken and the kisses flow
Then I will disappear

... not bad for a 27-year old song.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Mon 11 May 2009, 10:48, Reply)

Mostly Beatles
A lot of early 70s and early 80s too.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:14, Reply)

Kinks
Lola
Dedicated follower of fashion
Sunny afternoon
Or perhaps a little Otis Redding - Dock of the bay.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Mon 11 May 2009, 11:45, Reply)

Sunny afternoon and Waterloo sunset
are two of my favouritest songs.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Mon 11 May 2009, 12:50, Reply)

My 'turn' is....
...'Dont' dream it's over' - Crowded House and 'For Lovers' Pete Doherty.
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Mon 11 May 2009, 12:17, Reply)

oh and...
...Oblivious - Aztec Camera. Good singalong chorus and you can join in the 'oooh' 'aaaah' bit.

(Ask yer dad)
(Tugnut Ex of this parish, Mon 11 May 2009, 12:18, Reply)

Man of Constant Sorrow
I've never actually heard anyone play it in a pub, but I would have liked it if they had. Me and my family and my Fella know the words and would sing along, if that helps. (We'd even do the high backing vocals).
( warmfuzzies Isn't here, Mon 11 May 2009, 19:57, Reply)