Top 10 Guitar Campfire Songs
My friends and I like to sit around the fire and play some guitar
Simple songs such as the Gambler or Cats in the Cradle will get everyone singing along because they know the lyrics and the tune. BTW I took the above picture after a long night in Algonquin Park involving quite a few Mooseheads. Word of advice, keep your friends away from the lighter fluid!
- Learning To Fly – Tom Petty
- Wheat Kings – The Tragically Hip
- Hasn’t Hit Me Yet – Blue Rodeo
- Brian Wilson – The Bare Naked Ladies
- The Gambler – Kenny Rogers
- Cats in the Cradle – Cat Stevens
- Glycerine – Bush
- Redemption Song – Bob Marley
- The Sweater Song – Weezer
- Folsom Prison Blues – Johnny Cash
“cottaging”- a new word to me.
Don’t miss Phil Ochs (youtube him) as potential campfire music. It may be too distant of an era for you, but the songs are fun, and need sung again!
Yeah cottaging is a word I’ve made up. It just fits with what I’m talking about. Thanks I’ll check out Phil Ochs.
I’m willing to bet you did not make up cottaging!!!!
what? No Neil Young? You are on crack man….you know we’ve never ever sung the Sweater Song by Weezer at my cottage….not that it’s a bad song….whoaohwhoaohwhoa…..but a campfire with Neil Young is just sad….
Don’t agree with Brian Wilson either….but then again, this ain’t my list…
Songs I would add:
Radiohead – Creep
Neil Young
what? No Neil Young? You are on crack man….you know we’ve never ever sung the Sweater Song by Weezer at my cottage….not that it’s a bad song….whoaohwhoaohwhoa…..but a campfire with Neil Young is just sad….
Don’t agree with Brian Wilson either….but then again, this ain’t my list…
Songs I would add:
Radiohead – Creep
Neil Young – Rocking in the Free World; Harvet Moon; Old Man
Tragically Hip – Ahead by a century
Oasis – Wonderwall
Tom Petty – Free Falling
I would love to play all those songs, but I don’t have the vocal range or the guitar skills. If you can play them more power to you.
ah who are you kidding – you’ve got guitar skills – I’ve seen the proof….
FYI though – the word ‘cottaging’ has been around for more years than you or I…..
first off – sorry for the duplicate comment – lousy small keyboard….
second, that should read – a campfire withOUT Neil Young is just sad….
sorry EDW – I’m hungover at work this morning….ugh
I really like “Maneater” by Nelly Furtado. I play this really loud on my ghetto blaster and dance around singing to it in my bedroom. I’m sure this would work around the campfire too – unless you danced too close to the flames, of course.
Neil Young? Is that guy still alive?
I ran over a racoon once on my bike and it squealed in pain. My friend Jim was riding beside me on his bike and he observed “that dead racoon sounded just like Neil Young!”.
ghetto blaster?
now there’s a term I haven’t heard in a looooooong time….
….and yes neil is still alive…..his singing is an acquired taste, but his songwriting is incomparable.
Fail of epic proportions.
neil young is a god. screw yourself if you ever make fun of neil young. you will never be close to having the talent he has.
Turn the Page , by Bob Segar and Simple man by Skinard are also easy the play and easy to sing. That with Folsom Prision and you will have the campfire beging for more!
Cats in the Cradle was done by Harry Chapin.
First of all Cat in the cradle WAS DONE BY . . . .CAT STEVENS I have it in one of his music books!!!!
Harry Chapin may have done it! Maybe even did it first! Nut none the less it was absolutely done by Cat Stevens!
cat stevens never did cat’s in the cradle. hate to tell you.
Sorry man but Cat Stevens wrote cats in the cradle
Harry Chapin’s wife wrote it and Harry performed it but Cat Stevens did do his version which is more popular so if you hear it on the radio most likely its Cat Stevens
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i do a lot of campfire guitar playn. nd these r big hits: California Dreamin’-Mamas and Papas, Layla (unplugged) -Eric Clapton, Take your Mama out- Scissor sisters, a lot of oasis, espesially Dont Look Back In Anger, and a LOT of Jack Johnson. Im talkin Banana Pancakes, Upside Down, and Better Together.
Pa…
The more you are willing to accept responsibility for your actions, the more credibility you will have….
i agree with the Neil Young fans – Rockin in the Free World; Like a Hurricane – also All Along the Watchtower (Dylan version Am G F G); American Pie; Tiny Dancer;
Cats in the Cradle is sung by Harry Chapin, not Cat Stevens. It’s a common misconception, wanted to let you know.
Well, Neil Young is right… how about Out on the Weekend, Cowgirl in the Sand, or if it’s late and you’ve had a few – Roll Another Number will absolutely kill.
On the more current end, don’t forget to consider songs by The Decemberists, Iron and Wine, The Mountain Goats, The Frames etc etc.
It’s a campfire song if you know the chords and you can make it work that way.
If I didn’t know better I’d say all you Neil fans are from my hometown.:) How about Pocohontas , The needle the damage done, Powder finger , My My Hey Hey ,,,, Fiddler’s Green by the Hip is awesome too, especially if you have a rythm player with you,,,we always kill with that one,,, Long Black Veil by the Cash ,,,any CCR/ Fogerty song kills,,, I do alot of camping/ ‘cottaging’ ,,, that’s where life begins and reality ends,,,
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=cottaging
only one change, cats in the cradle was done by Harry Chapin not Cat Stevens. Chapin incindently has a huge amount of great camp fire songs
every rose has its thorn is a a good one. not to mention it can impress te ladies
Grteat songs, but could use a few neil diamond songs, those are always a hit.
I love the to play the following:
Van Morrison – Brown eyed girl
John Denver – Country Roads
Poison – Every Rose has it’s thorn
Alan Jackson – Dallas
Garth Brooks – Much too young to feel this damn old
Tom Petty – Learning to fly
Bob Seger – Turn the page
Tom T. Hall – Sneaky Snake (for the kids)
All the Rodney Carrington songs (for the adults after kids in bed)
Eagles – Hotel California
Eagles – Take It Easy
CCR – Bad moon rising
CCR – Looking out my Backdoor
Irish Rovers – Unicorn song
Harry Chapin – Cat’s in the Cradle
George Strait – I can make cheyenne
George Jones – Corvette song
And many more, but that is a good, fun list to start with. Have fun and remember to sing loud and proud.
Leaving on a jet plane-John Denver
Sweet Caroline-Neil Diamond
country roads- John Denver
Hotel California or anything by the eagles
Head Over Heals-Blue Rodeo
AMERICAN PIE! – Don McLean
dont forget Nitty
Fishin in the dark
Dancew Little Jean
Partners Brothers and Friends
just a few more songs that i have played at campfires that are phenonimal on acoustics and are well known.
I find these songs are best played near the end of the night when everyone is relaxed.
- Knockin on Heaven’s Door – Guns n roses / eric clapton / lots of other bands…
- patience – Guns n roses
-Layla – Eric clapton ( acoustic version )
of course there are many more but i really like these songs and i thought they should be added
also i dont think i seen any BTO or ACDC on the comments? those 2 bands alone give alot of great songs to play
OK, I just got back from camping. Per this list I added Brian Wilson and Redemption Song. Based on the age of the group camping (mostly over 45), only one other knew Brian Wilson. Redemption Song was a little bit bigger hit. Here are some that were popular with this crowd:
House of the Rising Sun
Fire and Rain
You are my Sunshine
Dust in the Wind
Slightly younger audience?
Time of your Life (Green Day)
I’ll Follow You Into the Dark (Death cab)
Save Tonight (Eagle-Eye Cherry)
Wonderwall (Oasis)
Psycho Killer (Talking Heads) – I know it sounds strange, but it works!
well i just went camping and theres a great one everyone missed
how bout id love to change the world -ten years after
what about
stuck in the middle with you-stealers wheel
photograph-ringo starr
get together and light shine-jesse colin young(youngbloods)
This is fun, love the lists and contributions. I have to recommend Old Crow Medecine show: I Hear Them All, and if you want to please the ladies, Wagon Wheel.
um cats in the cradle is played by a few people jim croce,simon and garfunkle ,cat stevens,harry chapin,johnny cash and uglykid joe . thuaght id put that out there i play guitar so i know my music so the songs i think are good for camping depends on y ur camping if its romantic or for kids or family timethe songs should fit in great amie ,pure prairie league,stair way to heaven led zep.take it easy/eagles,rambling man alman bros,,sweet home alabama,cowboysong-thin lazzy,and wonderfultonight eric clapton
Great Songs, I made another list only focused on easy to play songs for newbies here http://www.besttravelguitars.com/talking-around-the-campfire/10-easy-campfire-guitar-songs/
Would love some feedback/ more songs for the frightened beginner taking his guitar to the fire
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2 songs you probably but are great to learn
if it means a lot to you – a day to remember
remembering sunday – all time low
Omg u need wish you were here by pink Floyd also loosing my religon by rem
Great list… you should think about expanding it to the top 100 songs.
I would have to add:
What its like – Everlast
Let love rule – Kravitz
38 Years old – Tragically Hip
Mellisa – Allman Brothers
What I got – Sublime
Creep – Stone temple Pilots
Patience – G N R
Any Cash, Young, or Marley would do just fine!!
I think all these songs are, great! thanks for the variety and filling almost 2 cds i can enjoy
chasing cars – snow patrol
Wonderwall
thank goodness for all the comments because i can’t imagine what the author of this list was thinking!
Never in my life heard Cats in the Cradle as sung by Cat Stevens, and it is one of my favourite songs, and was recorded by Harry Chapin in 1974. Stevens releeased an album in 1977 called Cats Cradle, which is not the same thing. Apparently someone on SNL played it and credited it to Stevens, but “There are no known verifiable recordings of Cat Stevens performing the song, however, and a Cat Stevens fan web site assures readers that Stevens has never performed the song, “not live, not in the studio, and not even privately” (www.sing365.com). But I don’t need no steenking internet to tell me that. Just shows how much nonsense, half-truth, and outright bs is floating around on the internet.
LOL… S&G released their last album in 1970 and broke up in 1971. Cats in the Cradle was written in 1974.
Neil Young is a whiny little bitch who can’t sing. Every one of his songs is a big yawn. No one needs to hear that crap at their backyard party or at a campfire. The rest of the songs are good, but leave that pussy’s songs off the list!
i wish i could at least play a song
I love the commentary. Some great songs. I hope some of them aren’t too hard to learn to play. Where is a good place to go to learn to play some of these songs? I am a beginner, but am learning solely to be able to play a little bit around the campfire with my family.
Ok here’s a better list. I can actually perform all of these songs on acoustic:
Learning to Fly – Tom Petty (he’s got that one right)
Promises – Eric Clapton
Friday I’m in Love – The Cure (yes this one translates nicely to acoustic.)
Small Town – John Cougar Mellencamp (or what ever he’s calling himself now.)
SOUTHERN CROSS – CSN (i love this song)
Every Rose Has its Thosrn – Poison
N.F.B. – Anthrax (the pardoic rebuttal to 80′s hair ballads. Hilarious)
Wanted Dead or Alive – Bon Jovi (you karaoke it, so now learn it for real)
Tequila Sunrise – Eagles
Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw? – Jimmy Buffet
Hey There Delilah – Plain white T’s (Yeah i don’t like it either, but it the chicks dig it.)
This Old Guitar – John Denver (or pretty much anything by him)
NIght Moves – Bob Seger
(Tune down E string to D for these next songs:
Everlong – Foo Fighters
Harvest Moon – Neil Young
Hurt – Nine Inch Nails
Never Goin Back Again – Fleetwood Mac (i’m actually still working on this one, because i figure if you can pull this one off, you’re pretty much getting laid that night)
King’s Highway – Tom Petty
Horse with No Name – America
Thanks for reading!
I mispelled “parodic”. And yes i know its more than 10.
You got to play silent lucidity by queensryche
LOL… cottaging means something entirely different here in the UK!!!
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Cottaging
I know this is a bit late, but ….Cat Stevens did a cover of it too.
Cats in the Cradle is sung by Harry Chapin, not Cat Stevens. It’s a common misconception, wanted to let you know.