Capos are a guitarist's best friend.
The ability to transpose your instrument with just a small mechanical device is something I’m sure a lot of musicians envy us, guitar players, for.
Chances are that if you just got a capo, or you discovered how it works recently, you might be looking for songs to play and get inspired by.
What’s more, if you are learning guitar by yourself, you will need to build a repertoire to awe your friends!
Look no further, since I’ve got you covered.
Here are 21 great guitar songs that are played with a capo.
In this list, you will find pieces of a different range of difficulties, but probably most of them are something a beginner to an intermediate player can tackle and have some fun with.
Let’s get to it!
1. Hotel California - Eagles
Capo on 2nd fret.
Let’s kick things off with a timeless classic.
Perhaps the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Hotel California is the amazing solo at the end, but if you are not yet ready for that, playing the chords with a capo is great practice.
And not only practice, but it is also indeed an amazing song you will surely enjoy learning and playing.
2. Jolene - Dolly Parton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ixrje2rXLMA
Capo on 4th fret.
Let’s be clear: Jolene is the worst friend you can have.
She will just come and carelessly take your man.
Perhaps a good way to get a new man will be learning this great song so you can play it at parties until you meet someone that won’t let himself get stolen so easily.
This is a rather easy and very singable song that will take you probably no more than an afternoon to nail down.
3. Here Comes the Sun - The Beatles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQetemT1sWc
Capo on 7th fret.
On a bit harder note (no pun intended), Her Comes the Sun from The Beatles is a timeless and just gorgeous piece driven by that melodic riff in its intro you are probably singing in your mind.
Beatles songs can not be the easiest but are cultural classics that every guitarist that loves the band should at least try to learn at some point in their journey.
4. Free Fallin’ - Tom Petty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lWJXDG2i0A
Capo on 3rd fret.
Tom Petty gets his spot on the list with a rather simple but excellent song.
Free Fallin’ uses mostly a D chord shape while most of the movement happens in the bass.
You will find yourself fretting different inversions of the chord, and it is a great exercise to practice your rhythm playing.
If you get to sing on top of it, you will be golden.
5. Wonderwall - Oasis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hzrDeceEKc
Capo on 2nd fret.
Yes, I know, you probably already know how to play this one.
But such an iconic song as Wonderwall can’t be let off this list.
It even has gotten meme status recently as something every guitarist will know how to play and suck at it.
For this one focus on the strumming pattern and economizing finger movement in the chord changes.
6. Don’t Think Twice It’s Alright - Bob Dylan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iHhWh9FtsQ
Capo on 4th fret.
It might sound sacrilegious, but I got to know this song from a cover Post Malone posted on YouTube many years ago.
Since then, it has remained one of my favourites from Mr. Dylan.
Its use of dominant chords makes you really feel the longing of a troubled man singing about leaving something behind.
A beautifully crafted story, and a very fun guitar song to play.
7. No Surprises - Radiohead
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5CVsCnxyXg
Capo on 3rd fret.
You should learn the intro to this song note by note. I command you.
No, really, it’s iconic, delicate, beautiful, and sad.
This is one of those songs that everyone will recognize after you just play the first bar.
Take your time, play it over the record, and just enjoy it!
8. Bigmouth Strikes Again - The Smiths
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtzhvJh9NRY
Capo on 4th fret.
A British classic from Mr. Morrisey and Mr. Marr.
Perhaps not the easiest on the list due to the rather upbeat tempo the song was recorded on, but a very fun tune to play and sing along to.
Well, I think just about any Morrisey song is a great song to sing.
But with this one, you also get to play with a capo.
Awesome, right?
9. Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwrHwZyFN7M
Capo on 2nd fret.
Fast car tells us the story of a working-class woman trying to escape her reality. Or at least longing and fantasizing about doing so.
It’s nowadays already a pop culture classic, and it probably has been since its release in 1988.
With not so many chords, and a straightforward rhythm, this is another great place for you to start your capo experimentations.
10. Friday I’m In Love - The Cure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGgMZpGYiy8
Capo on 3rd fret.
Another British classic that couldn’t be let off this list.
With its catchy intro and quirky lyrics, Robert Smith really did something amazing here.
It’s a great song you should learn if you are into The Cure, specifically, or into classic English pop, generally.
This is another one where I recommend you take some time to learn the intro melody note for note.
It’s just so fun to play!
11. I’m Yours - Jason Mraz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHTsc9PU2A
Capo on 4th fret.
This song was everywhere when I was finishing high school.
And whether you liked or you hated it back then, you have to admit, it’s a nice song.
With 4 chords and a reggae groove to it, it will be a superb exercise for you, especially if you are not used to playing on the upbeats.
Give it a try, and be patient, once you get it, you get it for life.
12. Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GemKqzILV4w
Capo on 2nd fret.
Another classic from the mid-2000s.
I was never a big fan of Snow Patrol, but this is really a great beginner guitar song you can play with a capo probably right away.
There are just 3 chords and not much more to it.
13. With or Without You - U2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujNeHIo7oTE
Capo on 2nd fret.
Did you know this is the song that made U2 famous?
After a series of not-so-successful releases, the band was about to wrap a recording session, and Bono just started riffing what ended up being this song in the studio.
The rest is history.
This is a rather simple song in terms of guitar skills required, but one that will make you win everyone over at parties.
Well, if you and your friends are not too young.
14. Thick As a Brick - Jethro Tull
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAt1b21S97k
Capo on 3rd fret.
Let me be an Ian Anderson fanboy for a bit.
This song is a masterpiece, and it’s my favourite Jethro Tull song ever.
The lyrics are amazing, and they tell the song of a soldier returning home from the war, but this simplification is really a disservice to the written and sung words.
If you don’t know this one, I urge you to listen for at least the first few minutes.
You will either despise it or love it.
Thick as a Brick features a very fun-to-play arpeggiated riff that carries the song all over the first verses.
I also encourage you to learn this one by heart.
15. Let Her Go - Passenger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBumgq5yVrA
Capo on 7th fret.
You probably remember this one for the particular voice of Passenger’s singer.
It’s a lovesong that was massive back in the early 2010s.
With the capo that high up the neck your guitar will probably feel different, and even limited, but I find it great fun when playing open chords up that high in the fretboard.
16. Hey Soul Sister - Train
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVpv8-5XWOI
Capo on 4the fret.
Another 2010s hit that was ubiquitous when it was just released.
The chord progression for this one includes an F major chord, which beginners might feel a bit daunting to tackle, however, there are easier alternatives to the basic F barre chord.
17. Perfect - Ed Sheeran
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Vv-BfVoq4g
Capo on 1st fret.
A four-chord song that uses basic open positions chords, and a massive hit you probably have heard millions of times.
But hey, that’s great for learning how to play it!
Remember you will need to place the capo in the first fret if you want to play and sing along with the original recording.
18. The Sound of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAEppFUWLfc
Capo on 6th fret.
Is this the most beautiful capo song ever?
Well, I don’t know if a protest song gets to be beautiful, but the vocal harmonies and the trebly sound of the guitar being played with a capo that high on the neck are just things I love.
This is one is another song that features the dreaded F barre chord, but as I mentioned there are ways around it.
And it can even be a real reason or challenge for you to put down the hours and develop the muscle needed to get that chord down.
It pays off eventually, believe me.
19. Losing My Religion - R.E.M.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwtdhWltSIg
Capo on 5th fret.
Indeed a 90s hymn, Losing My Religion was on the top of every chart, and its artsy music video was played on every TV daily.
It’s a rather easy song to play, however, you should know that the main riff is played by a mandolin.
However, I’m sure you can emulate it with the guitar, especially having the capo set in the 5th fret.
20. Slow Cheetah - Red Hot Chili Peppers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-877RlLrhJA
Capo on 6th fret.
Another capo on a high fret song, this time from Stadium Arcadium, the album released in 2006 by the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
This is mostly a John Frusciante song and the only acoustic song on this record.
You will probably not have a lot of trouble learning this one, since its rhythm and chords are beginner friendly, especially if you like the Peppers.
21. Radioactive - Imagine Dragons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktvTqknDobU
Capo on 2nd fret.
A lot of people hate this one, but I think it’s a great song.
Radioactive has also gotten some sort of meme status lately, but if you are learning guitar chords, and want something everybody knows to play, you should definitively give this one a try.
