The ULTIMATE Heartbreak Hotel Chords And Guitar Lesson (Elvis Presley)

Did you know millions of songs from the past 100 years of popular American music, use common blues principles? 

The better a musician understands the fundamentals of the blues, the easier and faster they will learn to play their favorite songs – if they want to play popular American music from the past 100 years.

In this post, I want to share with you a tiny “sample” of this. So grab your guitar, tune up and let’s dive into this “Heartbreak Hotel” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Heartbreak Hotel?

"Heartbreak Hotel" was written by Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, and Elvis Presley. Elvis received a co-writing credit although his contributions are often debated. Mae Boren Axton was a schoolteacher and songwriter, while Tommy Durden was a steel guitarist and songwriter.

The song has a haunting backstory.

The lyrics were inspired by a story Durden read in a newspaper about a man who committed suicide by jumping out of a hotel window, leaving behind a note that read, "I walk a lonely street."

Axton and Durden collaborated on the song, with Axton reportedly coming up with the famous line, "Well, since my baby left me," which became the opening of the song. They pitched the song to Elvis Presley, who was still relatively unknown at the time, during a country music show in Nashville. Elvis loved the song and decided to record it.

"Heartbreak Hotel" was recorded on January 10, 1956, at RCA's Nashville studios. This was Elvis's first recording session for RCA Victor, after being signed to the label by music producer Steve Sholes. The session included Elvis on vocals, Chet Atkins on acoustic guitar, Scotty Moore on electric guitar, Bill Black on upright bass, D.J. Fontana on drums, and Floyd Cramer on piano.  

The recording features a distinctive echo effect, which added to the haunting quality of the song. The echo was achieved by RCA engineer Bill Porter, who used a combination of tape delay and reverb. This was groundbreaking at the time and became a signature sound for Elvis's early recordings.

"Heartbreak Hotel" was released on January 27, 1956, and marked a significant turning point in Elvis's career. This track propelled him to national fame and helped etch his status as the "King of Rock and Roll."

"Heartbreak Hotel" became Elvis Presley's first number-one hit on the Billboard pop charts, topping the charts for eight weeks. It also reached number one on the country and rhythm & blues charts, making Elvis one of the first artists to achieve such a crossover success. 

In 1995, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. It was also listed at number 45 on Rolling Stone's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time." 

One other interesting fact is the song's reference to "Lonely Street" became so iconic it inspired various cultural references. For example, there is a "Lonely Street" in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, which is a nod to the song.

Now, if you’re trying to play this iconic song on guitar you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for Heartbreak Hotel?

The tuning for "Heartbreak Hotel'" as recorded by Elvis Presley is in standard tuning. Chet Atkins and Scotty Moore kept things simple.

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…

Heartbreak Hotel Chords

If you want to play "Heartbreak Hotel'" on guitar then you only need to know 3 chords E, A7, and B7. These combined with some simple walking bass lines (again another element from the blues) can help you create your own cool version. 

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

E is a pretty common guitar chord. Here we’ll play it in open position using all 6 strings like this:

A7 is played from the 5th string down. I bar it with my index finger and then add the 3rd fret on the 1st string like this:

B7 is played also from the 5th string down like this:

Now that you know the 3 “Heartbreak Hotel” chords let’s talk about…

What key is Heartbreak Hotel in?

“Heartbreak Hotel” as recorded by Elvis Presley is in the key of E major. However, the song follows a typical blues style which doesn’t fit into traditional western harmony. Here’s what I mean:

In the key of E major, the chords E, A7, and B7 are the primary chords used in a 12-bar blues progression. However, “Heartbreak Hotel” is not a 12-bar blues. It’s actually an 8-bar blues. But the way these chords function is still the same.

Here's how they relate:

1. E Major (I Chord)

Function: The E major chord is the tonic, or the "home" chord, in the key of E major. It is the chord that establishes the key and serves as the starting point and resolution point for the progression.

Notes: E, G#, B

2. A7 (IV7 Chord)

Function: A7 is the dominant seventh chord built on the fourth degree of the E major scale. It introduces tension that leads back to the tonic chord, E. The "7" indicates the addition of a minor seventh (G) to the A major chord, giving it a bluesy feel. Again A dominant seventh does not fit in the key of E major. But an A major chord does. But, this is a common chord move done in blues.

Notes: A, C#, E, G

3. B7 (V7 Chord)

Function: B7 is the dominant seventh chord built on the fifth degree of the E major scale. It has a strong pull back to the tonic (E major) and is often used in the turnaround or final measure of the 12-bar blues progression. The "7" again indicates the addition of a minor seventh (A) to the B major chord.

Notes: B, D#, F#, A

Now that you know the key, let’s talk about the…

Heartbreak Hotel Guitar Solo

If you would like to solo over “Heartbreak Hotel” the best scale to use is the E minor blues scale. If you don’t know how to play this scale anywhere on your fretboard, then get your hands on my free blues scale pdf guide right here:

The E minor blues scale is a versatile and expressive scale. 

The E minor blues scale is built from the following notes:

• E (Root)
• G (Minor 3rd)
• A (Perfect 4th)
• Bb (Diminished 5th or Augmented 4th, also called the "blue note")
• B (Perfect 5th)
• D (Minor 7th)

So, the notes in the E minor blues scale are: E, G, A, Bb, B, D.

The E minor blues scale can be played in many ways on the guitar fretboard. Here’s a common pattern for the scale, starting on the 12th fret:

The guitar solo on “Heartbreak Hotel” uses the notes in this scale extensively. However, Scotty Moore doesn’t just play the scale up and down like most newbies do. Instead, he uses expressive guitar techniques like double-stops, slides, and bends to make it really sing!

Here is an example of how he might do this, in the style of 50s rock and roll riffs.

Heartbreak Hotel Guitar tab

But remember, solos don’t mean anything without a good…

Heartbreak Hotel Strumming Pattern And Groove

The main underlying groove for "Heartbreak Hotel'" is a light, 8th-note swing feel. Strumming 8th notes with a swing feel means dividing each beat of a 4/4 time signature into 2 parts, with a rhythmic twist that gives a "swing" feel. 

To properly strum 8th notes with swing, 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 with a swing feel, each beat is divided into two uneven parts, creating a long-short rhythm pattern. This gives us a total of eight 8th notes per measure.

To count 8th notes with a swing feel, you typically use the following syllables:

1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and

Here’s the rub though (as compared to straight 8th notes)...

The first 8th note is played right on the beat.

But the "and", the second 8th note is played slightly delayed for the swing feel.

When counting out loud with a swing feel, it sounds like:

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

Remember, in swing rhythm, the “and” is slightly delayed compared to the "1" which gives it the characteristic lilt. Here’s an example strumming pattern you could use throughout the entire song:

Conclusion

Mastering the blues is more than just a gateway to playing iconic songs like "Heartbreak Hotel"—it's a foundational skill that unlocks a deeper understanding of countless genres and styles in popular music. “Heartbreak Hotel” is just one tiny “sample”  

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 blues scale guide right here now:  

Jon MacLennan