Born Under A Bad Sign Guitar Lesson (Albert King, Eric Clapton)

Here’s a timeless staple of the blues.

In fact, I think every blues guitar player should know how to play at least one version of it. This gem has been covered by many great artists. 

But the first version was released by one of the kings of the blues, Mr. Albert King.

Below we’ll dive into the song’s history, and how to play a few classic versions.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Born Under A Bad Sign” guitar lesson.

Who wrote Born Under A Bad Sign?

"Born Under a Bad Sign" was written by Booker T. Jones and William Bell. Booker T. Jones, a multi-instrumentalist and leader of the band Booker T. & the M.G.'s, composed the music. William Bell, a renowned soul singer and songwriter, wrote the lyrics.

The song's lyrics describe a man who believes his life has been plagued by bad luck since birth. The phrase "born under a bad sign" suggests astrological misfortune, and being born into the blues. 

The song was first recorded by Albert King at the Stax Records studio in Memphis, Tennessee. It was released as a single in 1967 and also appeared on King’s album of the same name, "Born Under a Bad Sign," which was released the same year.

The recording featured Booker T. & the M.G.'s as the backing band, with additional horns provided by the Memphis Horns. Steve Cropper (guitar), Donald "Duck" Dunn (bass), and Al Jackson Jr. (drums) were part of the session, delivering an iconic and influential performance.

The song helped establish Albert King as a major figure in blues and significantly boosted his career. The track became one of King's signature songs and a staple in his live performances.

Born Under a Bad Sign" has been covered by numerous artists across different genres, including notable versions by Cream, Jimi Hendrix, Paul Rodgers, and Etta James. Each rendition has brought something unique, further etching the song's status as a blues standard.

What Key Is Born Under A Bad Sign?

Albert King’s version is recorded in the key of C#. While Eric Clapton’s version with Cream is in the key of G. 

Both are in major keys, but they are based on dominant 7th sharp nine chords. Which is a common sound in the blues. This blends the tonalities of major and minor. But again, Albert King is in C# major, and Eric Clapton with Cream is in G major.

Born Under A Bad Sign Chords

Let’s take a look at the chords first from Albert King’s iconic version. There are only 3 chords you’ll need to know C#7, G#7, and F#7. Let’s take a look at a few ways you could play these chords on the fretboard.

C#7 is played similarly to a standard position open C chord. But we’ll add our pinkie finger on the 3rd string like this:

G#7 can be played as a bar chord with a root note on the 6th string like this:

And finally, F#7 can be played the same way as G#7 just moved two frets down like this:

Let’s take a look at how these chords relate to each other in a blues in the key of C#:

C#7 (C# dominant seventh)

Notes: C#, E#, G#, B

Role: This is the tonic chord (I7) in the key of C#. It functions as the home base and provides a strong sense of resolution.

F#7 (F# dominant seventh)

Notes: F#, A#, C#, E

Role: This is the subdominant chord (IV7) in the key of C#. It provides a sense of movement away from the tonic and adds tension that eventually resolves back to C#7.

G#7 (G# dominant seventh)

Notes: G#, B#, D#, F#

Role: This is the dominant chord (V7) in the key of C#. It creates the strongest tension, which seeks resolution back to the tonic (C#7).

The song’s main structure follows an 8-bar blues chord progression. An 8-bar blues chord progression is a variation of the traditional 12-bar blues structure, condensing the form into 8 measures (or bars). 

This progression can be found in various blues, jazz, and rock songs. 

“Born Under A Bad Sign” begins with just 4 bars of the I chord like this:

| C#7 | C#7 | C#7 | C#7 |

Then it concludes with a standard blues turnaround progression. A blues turnaround chord progression is a series of chords played at the end of a blues progression (typically in the last two or 4 bars in a 12-bar blues). This progression leads back to the top of the form. The turnaround creates a sense of anticipation and sets up the return to the tonic chord (I) for the next verse or chorus. This is exactly what happens in the following progression:

| G#7 | F#7 | C#7 | C#7 |

So the main progression is:

| C#7 | C#7 | C#7 | C#7 |

| G#7 | F#7 | C#7 | C#7 |

Then of course, don’t for get the legendary minor key riff that goes on top like this:

This riff comes right out of the blues scale. 

If you need help learning your blues scales anywhere on the neck. So you can create your own epic riffs like this, download my free blues scale guide right here:

Cream Born Under A Bad Sign Guitar Lesson

Cream's version of "Born Under a Bad Sign" is one of the notable covers of this classic blues. The song has a blues and rock appeal so it makes sense that a rock supergroup like Cream would pick it up.

Cream was Eric Clapton (guitar, vocals), Jack Bruce (bass, vocals), and Ginger Baker (drums), and they included "Born Under a Bad Sign" on their 1968 album "Wheels of Fire". 

Cream was known for blending blues, rock, and psychedelic music, and their cover of "Born Under a Bad Sign" showcases their blues influences. Cream was heavily influenced by American blues music. Eric Clapton, in particular, was a fan of Albert King and his style of guitar playing. Covering "Born Under a Bad Sign" was a way for Cream to pay homage to the blues genre and one of its greats.

Their version stays relatively faithful to the original but adds their signature power-trio style. They changed the key to the key of G.  

Eric Clapton's searing lead guitar, combined with Jack Bruce's killer bass lines and Ginger Baker's powerhouse drumming, gave the song a harder, more rock-oriented edge compared to Albert King's original.

Cream's "Wheels of Fire" album reached number three on the UK Albums Chart and number one on the US Billboard 200, bringing significant attention to their rendition of "Born Under a Bad Sign."

Conclusion:

There you have it!

"Born Under a Bad Sign" stands as a timeless staple of the blues. Albert King's original version, backed by Booker T. & the M.G.'s and the Memphis Horns, showcased his unique guitar style and established the song as a blues classic.

Then it went on to become a lasting part of blues history.

Have fun playing it on guitar, and remember a huge key to mastering this bluesy style is to know your blues scales anywhere on the neck.

So to help you do that fast, get your hot little hands on my free blues scale guide right here:

Jon MacLennan