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.
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.
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.
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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,,,