The Swampiest Born On The Bayou Guitar Lesson (CCR)

If you’re looking to unleash the swampy bluesy guitar sound you hear on CCR’s iconic recording of “Born On The Bayou”... then this mighty guitar lesson can show you how.

From the guitar chords (of which there are only 3)... to the classic riffs and backbeat groove, we’re going to leave no stone unturned.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Born On The Bayou” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Born On The Bayou?

"Born on the Bayou" is a classic song by Creedence Clearwater Revival, written by the band's lead singer and songwriter, John Fogerty. It was released on their 1969 album Bayou Country. The song has a Southern swamp-rock style, typical of Creedence Clearwater Revival's music. It's set in the bayous of Louisiana and draws on the imagery and mystique of the Southern landscape. The lyrics tell the story of a man who reminisces about his life growing up in the bayou and his longing for that simpler, more primal existence. It captures the essence of the region’s culture and the natural beauty of the swampy environment. “Born On The Bayou” was recorded at the RCA Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. This was during a period when the band was exploring a Southern rock sound, and the recording captures that swampy vibe with its prominent guitar riff and John Fogerty's distinctive vocal style.

The song’s style, along with others on the Bayou Country album, helped define the swamp rock genre. John Fogerty’s inspiration for the song came from his own experiences and imagination. Despite being from El Cerrito, California, he vividly portrayed the bayou lifestyle, which he had never lived but was fascinated by. 

If you’re trying to play this iconic song on guitar you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Born On The Bayou?

While many classic CCR guitar parts were created with John Fogerty tuning his guitar down a whole step, the tuning for "Born On The Bayou" as recorded by CCR is in standard tuning.  

Standard tuning 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)

Let’s next take a look at the…

Born On The Bayou Chords

If you want to play “Born On The Bayou” on guitar you’ll only need to know 3 chords E7, D, and A. Many of CCR’s most iconic songs only use 3 chords. Fogerty has a masterful way of shaping fun and exciting songs and riffs all around just simple chord progressions. This song is no exception. However, we will use two different variations of the E7 chord, a high shape and a low shape. But essentially there are just 3 chords. 

Let’s take a look at a few ways these chords can be played on guitar.

The chord for the iconic intro riff is an E7 chord played in 5th position. This chord looks like a simple open position C chord, with an added pinkie note, and played higher up the neck like this:

That will be our high shape for E7. Then we have another variation we’ll use in the verse and during the solo that appears in open position like this:

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

Finally, we have the A chord which is also played in open position from the 5th string down like this:

These are the 3 “Born On The Bayou” chords. 

Now that you know the chords let’s talk about…

What key is Born On The Bayou in?

“Born On The Bayou” as recorded by CCR is in the key of E major. All the chords have specific relationships to each other based on the E major scale. The E major scale uses the notes E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, and D#. 

Let's explore how these chords relate to the key and the scale:

In the key of E major, the diatonic chords are:

• I (E major): E - G# - B
• ii (F# minor): F# - A - C#
• iii (G# minor): G# - B - D#
• IV (A major): A - C# - E
• V (B major): B - D# - F#
• vi (C# minor): C# - E - G#
• vii° (D# diminished): D# - F# - A

While the E7 and D chords are technically not in the E major scale. We still say the song is in the key of E major because E is home. This is the key’s gravitational center. 

E7 (I7 chord)

Function: The E7 chord is the tonic (I) chord in the key of E major. It consists of E - G# - B - D.

Role: As the tonic chord, it provides resolution and stability in the key. But because it is a dominant 7th this borrows from blues vocabulary.

A (IV chord)

Function: The A major chord is the subdominant (IV) chord in the key of E major. It consists of A - C# - E.

Role: It creates movement away from the tonic and sets up a resolution back to it, often creating a feeling of anticipation.

D (bVII chord)

Function: The D major chord is not diatonic to E major; it’s considered a borrowed chord or modal interchange chord from the parallel E minor key. In the context of E major, it functions as a bVII chord.

This dips into the bluesy sound of blending both major and minor scales. Again, a staple of blues style.

You can know all this theory but it doesn’t mean jack-diddley-squat without a good…

Born On The Bayou Strumming Pattern

The main underlying groove for “Born On The Bayou” is a swampy 8th-note rock feel. Strumming 8th notes on guitar means dividing each beat of a 4/4 time signature into 2 parts.

To properly strum 8th notes, you need to understand how to count them within each measure. In a 4/4 time signature, each measure has four beats. When subdividing each beat into 8th notes, each beat is divided into two equal parts, giving us a total of eight 8th notes per measure. 

To count 8th notes, you typically use the following syllables:

1 & 2 & 3 & 4 &

Here’s the breakdown: 

1: The downbeat (first 8th note)

&: The second 8th note

When counting out loud, it sounds like:

"One and, Two and, Three and, Four and"

When strumming 8th notes, your hand should move in a consistent up-and-down motion most of the time. However, when playing rock guitar, often this rule is broken, and they are played as all downstrums. When you play all the 8th notes as downstrums this automatically creates a more driving feel.

Combine this with some simple palm muting and you can create a funky feel just like the record. Here is a simple example of how a strum in this style might go: 

Conclusion

To wrap it up, “Born On The Bayou” is a timeless classic. Capturing the raw essence of the Southern swamp-rock style. From the powerful opening guitar riff to the 3 chords, to the backbeat groove, practicing this on guitar can help guitarists of all levels improve.

Keep it up, and if you want to learn songs way faster, better understand the fretboard, and not waste years spinning your wheels with guitar, grab my free fretboard guide here right now: 

Jon MacLennan