Easy We Can Work It Out Chords & Guitar Lesson (The Beatles)

Have you ever been at wit's end in a relationship trying to work it out?

Well, maybe you were able to work it out… or maybe you didn’t.

But that’s what this song below is about. 

Grab your guitar, and let’s dive into this “We Can Work It Out” chords and guitar lesson!

Who Wrote We Can Work It Out?

"We Can Work It Out" was co-written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon. It is credited to the Lennon and McCartney partnership. McCartney wrote the A section and Lennon wrote the B section with the lines, "Life is very short".

Apparently McCartney came up with the main idea for the song when experiencing ups and downs in his relationship with Jane Asher. Asher is an English actress, author, and businesswoman. She met Paul McCartney in 1963 when she was just 17 years old. She was interviewing the Beatles for Radio Times and quickly became romantically involved with McCartney.

The song is essentially about the importance of resolving conflicts in a relationship. McCartney's verses carry a hopeful message, urging the listener to work through disagreements. In contrast, Lennon's middle section adds a more reflective and fatalistic perspective, emphasizing the urgency of reconciliation: "Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend." The collaboration highlights their unique dynamic: McCartney’s optimistic outlook versus Lennon’s realist perspective.

"We Can Work It Out" was recorded during a marathon session at Abbey Road Studios in London on October 20, 1965. The Beatles spent about 11 hours on the track, an unusually long time for them at that point in their career. George Martin, the band's producer, played a crucial role in shaping the song.

The song also features a harmonium, played by George Martin. This added a rich, pastoral feel to the track. The use of the instrument was relatively uncommon in pop music at the time and gave the song a unique character. 

It was released as a double A-side single with "Day Tripper" on December 3, 1965, and it quickly reached No. 1 in multiple countries, including the US and UK.

In 1999, it was Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 

Now, you may be wondering…

What is the tuning for We Can Work It Out?

The tuning for "We Can Work It Out”, as recorded by The Beatles is standard tuning. You can see McCartney play it live in this tuning as well. Standard tuning on 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…

We Can Work It Out Chords

To play “We Can Work It Out” on guitar you’ll need to know 7 main chords they are D, Dsus4, C, G, A7 Bm, and F#. The majority of these chords are played in simple folk positions. Let’s take a look at a few ways the “We Can Work It Out” chords can be played on the fretboard:  

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

Dsus4 just changes one note. Simply add your pinkie finger to the 1st string 3rd fret:

C is played from the 5th string down with an added pinkie on the 1st string 3rd fret like this:

G is played using all 6 strings like this:

A7 is played from the 5th string down like so:

Bm is a smaller shape. This one focuses on just the top 4 strings:

Note: later we will add a walking bass with this chord. See video above for a demonstration.

Finally, F# is played using all 6 strings and McCartney uses his fretting hand thumb to play the 6th string:

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 "We Can Work It Out” chords, let’s next talk about…

What key is We Can Work It Out in?

"We Can Work It Out" as recorded by The Beatles is in the key of D major. The primary scale used in the song is the D major scale. The D major scale uses the notes: D, E, F#, G, A, B, and C#.

Here’s a quick look at how these chords all relate in the key of D major.

D (D Major)

• Notes: D, F#, A
• Scale Degrees: 1 (D), 3 (F#), 5 (A)
• Function: This is the tonic chord (I) in the key of D major, serving as the home base. It establishes the tonality and is the central chord in the key.
  
  

Dsus4 (D Suspended 4th)

• Notes: D, G, A
• Scale Degrees: 1 (D), 4 (G), 5 (A)
• Function: A suspended chord creates tension by replacing the 3rd (F#) of the D major chord with the 4th (G). The tension typically resolves back to D major. This chord is used for color and adds movement to progressions.
  
  

C (C Major)

• Notes: C, E, G
• Scale Degrees (relative to D major): ♭7 (C), 2 (E), 4 (G)
• Function: The C chord is not diatonic to D major; it comes from the mixolydian mode (D mixolydian: D, E, F#, G, A, B, C). It is often used in a modal or borrowed context to create a more folk or bluesy sound.
  
  

G (G Major)

• Notes: G, B, D
• Scale Degrees: 4 (G), 6 (B), 1 (D)
• Function: This is the subdominant chord (IV) in D major. It provides a sense of movement and prepares the resolution to the tonic (D).
  
  

A7 (A Dominant 7th)

• Notes: A, C#, E, G
• Scale Degrees: 5 (A), 7 (C#), 2 (E), 4 (G)
• Function: This is the dominant 7th chord (V7) in D major. The addition of the 7th (G) increases tension, leading to a strong resolution back to the tonic (D). It’s a cornerstone of classical and popular progressions.
  
  

Bm (B Minor)

• Notes: B, D, F#
• Scale Degrees: 6 (B), 1 (D), 3 (F#)
• Function: This is the relative minor chord (vi) in D major. It shares two notes with the tonic (D and F#) and is often used to add a melancholic or introspective vibe to progressions.

F# (F# Major)

• Notes: F#, A#, C#
• Scale Degrees (relative to D major): 3 (F#), ♯5 (A#), 7 (C#)
• Function: The F# chord is not diatonic to D major. In “We Can Work It Out” F# is used as a secondary dominant (V/vi) leading to Bm (vi).

For example: F# → Bm (secondary dominant resolution)

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

We Can Work It Out Groove & Strumming Pattern

The main underlying feel for “We Can Work It Out” is a steady 16th-note feel.

In 4/4 time, 16th notes divide each beat into four equal parts. This creates a steady and consistent rhythm like this:

1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a

The numbers (1, 2, 3, 4) represent the main beats in the measure. The "e," "&," and "a" are the evenly spaced subdivisions within each beat.

When counted out loud, it sounds like:

"One-ee-and-uh, Two-ee-and-uh, Three-ee-and-uh, Four-ee-and-uh."

However, I don’t strum all the 16th notes. I keep the 16th notes in mind as the “feel”, but in context, I would combine quarters, eighths, and sixteenths like this:

Conclusion

Bottom line, “We Can Work It Out” is a simple song with a powerful message. 

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

Jon MacLennan