Elvis Presley Guitar Lessons from the 1950s – Volume 2

Here you'll find the raw power of “Heartbreak Hotel,” the rockabilly groove of “Mystery Train,” and the soulful yearning of “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You.”

These tutorials are built for acoustic players who want to recreate the early sound of rock and roll with simple chords, steady rhythms, and memorable riffs.

Whether you're performing solo or just playing for fun, this collection will deepen your connection to Elvis's early legacy.

Heartbreak Hotel is a famous song that came out in 1956 and was a big hit, helping make Elvis a rock and roll star. The song was written by Mae Boren Axton, Tommy Durden, and Scotty Moore. They got the idea from a sad newspaper story about a lonely man.

The song mixes blues, country, and gospel music in a new way. Elvis's deep voice and the song's catchy guitar sound made it very popular. It became number one on different music charts, showing that many types of people liked Elvis's music.

"Heartbreak Hotel" was important in rock and roll history. It started Elvis's amazing career and is still loved by fans today.

I choose to play this song with a drop D tuning but that is always optional. Using the lower D gives a deeper bass sound to the song. This also changes the G chord structure to two top strings on the 5th. I'm playing mainly just down-strokes for the rhythm in the typical rock and roll kinda vibe.

I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine was on the back of Elvis Presley's "Good Rockin Tonight" record in 1954. Mack David wrote it, and Dean Martin first sang it in 1950.

Elvis later made his own version, which is on his album "Elvis At Presley." It's a happy, energetic rock and roll song. Elvis sings about not caring if the sun doesn't shine as long as he's with his sweetheart.

The song shows off Elvis's lively singing and the early rockabilly sound, with guitars, drums, and piano. It captures the exciting feel of early rock and roll, which was a big part of Elvis's early music. This song reached number 74 on the US music charts.

I Forgot to Remember to Forget came out as a single in 1955 when he was with Sun Records. It was on the same record as "Mystery Train," but on the other side. At first, it wasn't on any of Elvis's albums.

But after Elvis moved to RCA Victor in 1956, the song started showing up on collection albums. You can find it on "Elvis' Golden Records" from 1958, which has many of his hit songs. Over the years, lots of Elvis collection albums have come out.

These albums have different songs on them, so you might find "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" on some but not others.

I Want You, I Need You, I Love You was released as a single in 1956 by RCA Victor. The song was written by Maurice Mysels and Ira Kosloff and became one of Elvis's early hits.

"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" showcases Elvis's romantic crooning style and features a combination of rock and roll and ballad elements. The song's heartfelt lyrics and Elvis's passionate delivery resonated with audiences, contributing to its success.

The single reached number one on the Billboard Top 100 chart, becoming Elvis's second chart-topping hit after "Heartbreak Hotel." It solidified his position as a rising star and further established his popularity in the music industry.

"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" was later included on Elvis's self-titled debut studio album, "Elvis Presley," which was released in 1956. The album featured a collection of his early hits, including this particular song.

I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone was released in 1955 when Elvis was with Sun Records. Stan Kesler and William Taylor wrote this upbeat rockabilly song.

It's about losing love, with Elvis singing about his partner leaving him. The song didn't become a big hit, but fans loved it.

It's now seen as one of Elvis's early classics. People remember it for its catchy guitar part and Elvis's lively singing. This song shows how Elvis helped create the rock and roll sound. You can find it on many Elvis collection albums.

Lawdy Miss Clawdy was an R&B number released in 1952 and sold over a million copies. Elvis decided to cover the song in 1956 and it was released as a single from his 1956 Album For LP Fans Only, but his version didn't make the charts.

Memphis Tennessee is of course a song from Chuck Berry  going back to 1959 when he had a #1 hit with the song. Elvis recorded his track for the album Elvis For Everyone, released in 1965. This track by Elvis was never released as a single.

Money Honey was first recorded by blues artist Clyde McPhatter in 1953 with the newly formed group known as The Drifters. Elvis decided to recorded the song a few years later in 1956 for his debut album Elvis Presley. The song however was never released as a single.

Mystery Train is a famous song on Elvis Presley's first album. Junior Parker and Sam Phillips wrote it, and Elvis released it as a single in 1955.

The song didn't make it onto the charts, but it became very important for rockabilly and rock 'n' roll music. The lyrics are sad and use a train as a symbol for life's journey.

There's no music video for the song because it came out before those were common. When playing "Mystery Train," guitarists use a special rockabilly style on the E and A chords. This involves quickly moving between notes and strumming in a specific pattern to create the right sound.