The ULTIMATE Twist And Shout Guitar Lesson (Beatles)

If you want to learn a simple song that can potentially make your audience go crazy, cutting rug on the dance floor all night long… then this post can show you how.

We will be primarily looking at The Beatles’ version of this song. But it has been brought to fame through a number of iconic versions.

So grab your guitar and let’s dive into this “Twist And Shout” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote Twist And Shout?

"Twist and Shout" has an interesting backstory to it. Multiple artists contributed to its fame. The original writers were Phil Medley and Bert Berns (credited as Bert Russell). And, it was first called "Shake It Up, Baby", (a clever title inspired by the twist dance craze which began with the American rock and roll singer and dancer Chubby Checker.)

The song was first recorded by the Top Notes in 1961, and produced by legendary producer Phil Spector. 

However, this version didn’t gain much traction. Bert Berns, unhappy with Spector's production, decided to give the song another chance with a different band.

Enter the Isley Brothers!

In 1962, the Isley Brothers recorded "Twist and Shout" with Bert Berns producing. This version became a hit, reaching number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The Isley Brothers' energetic rendition helped the song gain widespread popularity.

The Isley Brothers’ version is a classic. But the most famous version of "Twist and Shout" was recorded by The Beatles. It was included on their debut album "Please Please Me," released in 1963. The Beatles' version was recorded at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London. The recording took place on February 11, 1963, and was produced by another legendary producer (sometimes called “The Fifth Beatle”) George Martin.  

The Beatles' recording of "Twist and Shout" is renowned for John Lennon's raw and edgy vocal performance. Lennon famously delivered the vocal in one take, despite having a sore throat. This take is legendary for capturing the sheer energy and excitement of the band. The Beatles' version reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. And, the song became an essential part of The Beatles' live performances. It’s now considered one of their signature songs.

The Beatles performed "Twist and Shout" on their iconic appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, which was watched by millions of Americans and helped etch their place in music history in the US. 

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

What is the tuning for Twist And Shout?

The tuning for "Twist And Shout" as recorded by The Beatles is in standard tuning. Those 4 lads from Liverpool kept it 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…

Twist And Shout Chords

If you want to play “Twist And Shout” on guitar then you’ll only need to know 3 chords D, G, and A. Many huge hit songs only use 3 chords. This song is no exception. However, we will use two different variations of the A chord, which I include below. But essentially there are just 3 chords. 

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

The first chord is a D chord. Which can be played very easily in open position from the 4th string down like this:

G is played using all 6 strings and 4 fingers like this:

And, finally, A can be played from the 5th string down like this:

That’s it! Those are all the “Twist And Shout” chords. Now, if you want to spice things up a bit, and perhaps play more of the riffs, bass lines, and solos that do exist in the song. Try taking all these chords and playing them as bar chords. 

D would be played in the 5th position like this:

G would shift to the 3rd position and use all 6 strings like so:

A is played the same as G just moved up a whole step (2 frets) like this:

If you’re not familiar with the exact mechanics of how to play bar chords effortlessly, then these shapes can be tough. I teach a scientific way to play them with (almost) no effort, in my program Bar Chord Boot Camp. Join my email list at the bottom of this page, if you’re interested in finding out more about that. 

Remember I said we were going to include a variation on the A chord? 

Well, it’s A7. All you have to do is remove your pinkie finger from the A bar chord and then bar the string at the 5th fret. This automatically gets you the A7 chord like this:

Now that you know the 3 chords in “Twist And Shout” let’s talk about…

What key is Twist And Shout in?

“Twist And Shout” as recorded by The Beatles is in the key of D major. All the chords fit into the diatonic scale of D major. The D major scale uses the notes D, E, F#, G, A, B, and C#. 

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

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

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

D Major (I)

Notes: D, F#, A

Scale Degrees: 1 (D), 3 (F#), 5 (A)

Function: Tonic – This is the home chord and provides a sense of stability and resolution.

G Major (IV)

Notes: G, B, D

Scale Degrees: 4 (G), 6 (B), 1 (D)

Function: Subdominant – Provides a sense of movement away from the tonic, leading to a contrasting sound that often moves to the dominant chord.

A Major (V)

Notes: A, C#, E

Scale Degrees: 5 (A), 7 (C#), 2 (E)

Function: Dominant – Creates tension that typically resolves back to the tonic chord (D major), giving a sense of closure or completion.

 This is a perfect example of a song that uses the I, IV, and V chords.

Sure, you can learn all this theory, but it doesn’t mean jack-diddley-squat without a good…

Twist And Shout Strumming Pattern And Groove

The main underlying groove for “Twist And Shout” is a driving 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. “Twist And Shout” is a perfect example of this. Playing all the 8th notes as downstrums automatically creates a more driving feel. 

Combine this with some simple bass lines (that come from the scale) and the bar chords learned above and you can create a fun get your audience up on the dancefloor rhythm like this:

Twist And Shout Guitar Lesson (The Isley Brothers)

As mentioned above, The Isley Brothers also have a great version of this song. They play it in a higher key. Here's how:

Conclusion

Bottom line, “Twist And Shout” is a classic. It captures the raw essence of The Beatles' early sound. Using just 3 easy chords and the right energy you too can have your audience cutting rug on the dance floor all night long.

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