Easy Blue Suede Shoes Chords & Guitar Lesson

Behold… one of the first true rock-and-roll songs.

This one is all about coolness, swagger, and the rebellious spirit of rock.

There are only 3 chords you need to know to play it. Below I’m going to break down the guitar style in the original Carl Perkins version, as well as the Elvis Presley version.

So grab your axe, and let’s dive into this “Blue Suede Shoes” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Blue Suede Shoes?

“Blues Suede Shoes” was written by Carl Perkins, a pioneering figure in rock and roll and rockabilly. The inspiration for the tune came about from a casual remark Perkins overheard at a dance in Jackson, Tennessee. 

A young man told his date… 

Don’t Step On My Suede Shoes!

Perkins was struck by the phrase and that was the start of the simple yet evocative message behind the song of: protecting a prized possession—one's blue suede shoes. From there, the tune ended up being crafted around humor, swagger, and the rebellious spirit of early rock and roll. 

“Blue Suede Shoes” was recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, on December 19, 1955, with Perkins backed by his brothers Jay and Clayton, and drummer W.S. "Fluke" Holland. Perkins's fusion of country, blues, and rockabilly rhythms made the track irresistible. 

It was released on January 1, 1956, by Sun Records and quickly became a massive hit. It was one of the first songs to top all three major Billboard charts—pop, R&B, and country—a groundbreaking achievement at the time. The song sold over a million copies, earning Perkins a gold record and establishing him as one of the early stars of rock and roll. 

While Perkins's version was the original hit, Elvis Presley also recorded "Blue Suede Shoes" in 1956 for his self-titled debut album on RCA Records. Presley's version further popularized the song and cemented its status as a rock-and-roll classic.

Interestingly, Presley initially held off releasing his version as a single out of respect for Perkins, who was still riding the wave of his success with the song. 

“Blue Suede Shoes" is often considered one of the first true rock-and-roll songs. Its blend of rhythm & blues, and country elements set the stage for future rockabilly hits. 

The song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1986 and remains a staple of rock-and-roll history. It's also included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.

One other interesting note is…

In 1969, astronaut Buzz Aldrin joked about wearing "blue suede shoes" during the Apollo 11 mission. This song has had an impact all over even in space exploration!

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Blue Suede Shoes?

The tuning for "Blue Suede Shoes”, as recorded by Carl Perkins, and Elvis is standard tuning. Standard tuning for a guitar is spelled out as EADGBE. 

Here are the strings: 

• E (6th string, lowest pitch) 
• A (5th string) 
• D (4th string) 
• G (3rd string) 
• B (2nd string) 
• E (1st string, highest pitch) 

Next, let’s take a look at the…

Blue Suede Shoes Chords

There are only 3 main chords you’ll need to know to play “Blue Suede Shoes” they are A, D, and E. Let’s take a look at a few ways the “Blue Suede Shoes” chords can be played on the fretboard:   

A I play with just one finger in 2nd position like this:

D is played from the 4th string down like so:

Finally, E is played using all 6 strings like this:

If you’ve struggled to understand the fretboard for RHYTHM and LEAD guitar and want to discover the simplest way. Then get your hands on my free fretboard guide PDF right here now:  

All right! Now that you know the "Blue Suede Shoes” chords, let’s next talk about…

What key is Blue Suede Shoes in?

"Blue Suede Shoes" as recorded by Carl Perkins (and Elvis Presley) is in the key of A major. The main scale for the song is the A major scale which uses the notes: A - B - C# - D - E - F# - G#.

If you looked at that scale in the form of intervals it would be:

Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole

Here’s a simple way to play this scale on the fretboard in 4th position:

​​

It’s also important to note that this song is heavily blues-based. This means there is also a lot of influence from the A blues scale as well. If you don’t know how to play the blues scale anywhere on the neck grab my free blues scale PDF guide that shows you how in 5 easy steps here:

Here’s a quick breakdown of how each chord functions in the key:

A Major (The Tonic - I Chord)

• Notes: A - C# - E
• Function: The tonic chord is the home base of the key. It provides a sense of stability and resolution.
• Role: The A major chord is often the starting or ending point in a progression, creating a feeling of rest or completeness.

D Major (The Subdominant - IV Chord)

• Notes: D - F# - A
• Function: The subdominant chord introduces movement away from the tonic. It creates a sense of departure or preparation for returning to the tonic.
• Role: The D major chord can:
• Lead to the dominant (E) for tension (e.g., A → D → E).
• Return directly to the tonic for a softer resolution (e.g., A → D → A).

E Major (The Dominant - V Chord)

• Notes: E - G# - B
• Function: The dominant chord creates tension and a strong pull back to the tonic (A). This is due to the presence of the leading tone (G#) resolving to the tonic note (A) and the perfect fifth (E) resolving to the tonic chord’s root.
• Role: The E major chord is often used to:
• Resolve directly to the tonic for a satisfying cadence (e.g., E → A).
• Lead into a subdominant chord for variation (e.g., E → D → A).

So that’s the theory, but all that info doesn’t mean a thing without a good…

Blue Suede Shoes Groove & Strumming Pattern

The strumming pattern and groove for “Blue Suede Shoes” is a standard 8th note shuffle rhythm.In 4/4 time with a shuffle rhythm, 8th notes divide each beat into two uneven parts, creating a "long-short" effect. 

Counting shuffle 8th notes out loud should follow this swing-like groove:

1 a 2 a 3 a 4 a

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure. The "a" represents the lighter, swung subdivision after each beat.

When counted out loud, it sounds like: 

"One-ah, Two-ah, Three-ah, Four-ah."

This shuffle rhythm gives the music a bouncy, rolling feel. It’s super common in blues, jazz, and rock. This can then be applied to the various chords in the song. For example, here is a “Blues Suede Shoes” style strumming pattern applied over the A chord:

This can also be shifted to other strings as well like this:

Conclusion

Bottom line, “Blues Suede Shoes” is one of the first true rock and roll songs. The chord progressions and patterns come straight out of common blues guitar fundamentals. When you know these fundamentals, learning and playing songs gets so much easier. 

If you’ve struggled with this and want to stop wasting time, get your hands on my free blues scale PDF guide here now: 

Jon MacLennan