Home
Creators
Search Recent Random
Posts
Search DMs Popular Hash Lookup Tags Random
Importer
Import FAQ
Register Favorites Keys Review DMs Logout
Community
Telegram ThePornDude
Home Creators Posts Import Register Favorites Logout

Alison by Elvis Costello (Patreon)

Published:
2026-09-01 09:33:18
Imported:
2026-09

Downloads

Content

Hi all!

I'm back in the 'office' this morning after my summer break. Apologies, it's been a little while since I posted anything here. I do usually take a bit of time off during August to recharge my content creation batteries, but this year the break was a bit longer than anticipated due to the broken hard drive, which I mentioned in my last post.

Anyway, the latest lesson is a look at "Alison" by Elvis Costello, from his 1977 debut My Aim Is True. I've been meaning to look at this one for ages.

There are two strands to the video. Firstly, I look at the rhythm guitar part, which is a fantastic intermediate-level barre chord workout, not to mention a masterclass in songwriting. Then there's the lead guitar part, which is full of really tasty R&B-style licks and fills.

Tab can be found below. (I did end up transcribing the entire lead guitar part, so those of you who are interested in learning every last lick can check out the 2nd verse and chorus parts.) I revised the tab a couple times, and there are some small differences to what I play in the video. The backing track is for the complete arrangement as you hear it on the original recording. There are 2 versions: one with the rhythm guitar part, one just bass and drums.

Hope you enjoy it.

Speak soon,

—Adrian

Files

Alison by Elvis Costello | Rhythm and Lead Guitar Lesson

Elvis Costello's "Alison," from his 1977 debut album My Aim Is True, is a masterclass in songwriting and tasteful R&B guitar playing. On this record Costello was backed by Clover, a US band who hadn't yet given way to The Attractions, with guitar handled by John McFee. This lesson covers two things: the rhythm part, built mostly from 6th and 5th string root bar chords, and the lead guitar part, full of the kind of soul and R&B vocabulary you might associate with players like Steve Cropper and Cornell Dupree. This is a great chord workout for late beginners and early intermediate players, plus there are plenty of very useable lead licks: double stops, chord-tone targeting, string bends and some lovely legato phrasing. Timestamps below so you can jump to whatever interests you most. Tab and backing track are on the Patreon page as usual: https://www.patreon.com/anyonecanplayguitar My in-depth course library: https://courses.anyonecanplayguitar.co.uk My latest album: https://zodiactoys.bandcamp.com/releases SUBSCRIBE for more: https://bit.ly/3Efy0W3 Check out my website: https://www.anyonecanplayguitar.co.uk Social blah: Instagram (occasionally I post here): https://www.instagram.com/acpgtr/ Hi 00:00 Performance 00:52 About the song 02:13 Chords in the Key of E 03:11 Rhythm Part - Intro 05:07 Rhythm Part Verse 08:21 Rhythm Part Chorus 12:38 Lead Part - Intro 15:46 Lead Part- Verse 18:30 Lead Part - Chorus 23:06 Gear used in this video 25:31 Bye 26:26

Comments

Matt Rowley

What a great choice! Thank you Adrian.

Roberto Carraro

Great song of a fantastic album! Thank you Adrian

Gary Johnson

Agree - fab choice. V keen to nail the licks & fills for ages.

iñaki

Boy, you did it again! ;D . Thank you!

Jonathan Royce

Nice choice, Adrian! And you’re sounding great 🔥🔥🔥

Ian Murphy

Fantastic. You have made my week. I'm looking forward to working through this one and playing it on my EC Jazzmaster!

Tim Barr

Brilliant. Thank you. What model is that beautiful Jazzmaster you're playing?

Wayne Edgson

Excellent. How about You Bow Down next?

hugh hales-tooke

It’s a very satisfying lesson. So much useful material from such a good song. Great chord stuff and wonderful fills. Thank you.

Connie B

Thank you Adrian.

Michael Davies

Fantastic! I've admired the guitar work in Alison since it was first released. The fills are up there with Dock Of The Bay in terms of nuance and taste in my opinion. Thanks.

Leon

I don't see any tabs

anyonecanplayguitar

They should be attached at the bottom of the post. Are you not seeing them?

Leon

Sometimes

Dave Randell

Beautiful chord sequences ! This is going to be my new chord practice for the key of E . Brilliant

anyonecanplayguitar

Thanks Michael, yes, I agree. Something quite very Dock of the Bay-ish going on with a lot of those fills!

anyonecanplayguitar

Yes, incredibly beautiful chords in this one, and it makes for a great practise piece.

anyonecanplayguitar

Not quite sure what's going on there. It might be worth checking on a different device. If you're still having problems, just message me with your email address, and I can send the tabs to you directly.

anyonecanplayguitar

Thanks Wayne. Yes, great suggestion - I'll need to revisit that one as I can't quite recall it

anyonecanplayguitar

Thanks Tim. It's an American Vintage 65 from I guess about 10 years ago.

NB

Thanks Adrian - I'm a bit late to the party, but have loved working through this one. For another EC song ... how about Shipbuilding

Tlon Uqbar

It would be great to see more of Elvis Costello. Maybe, Sneaky Feelings.

Tim

I loved this tutorial for Alison, which, after seeing Elvis play it at EVERY show except for one in the forty something times I’ve seen him since 1983, (for at least twenty years there was at least one hammered, extremely enthusiastic female audience member screaming ALISON throughout the night, sometimes even after he’d already played it) he eventually stopped saving it for the encore and got it out of the way early on in the show, mostly sparing himself and the audience from the Alisons in the crowd. They’ve aged out in recent years but I still shudder at the thought of them…but since the addition of Charlie Sexton on guitar, his sweet reverence for the original version as well as his own added flavor has breathed new life into the song and I’ve found myself enjoying it immensely for the last few years. The setlist has been whittled down a bit, instead of 3-3 1/2 hours they’re now cutting it short at around 2 1/2 doing a mere 27-30 songs instead of 30-35! Hoho! If I’m not mistaken Huey Lewis was a member of Clover but was on hiatus when they recorded most of the tracks on My Aim Is True! John McAfee is on a few other Costello tracks such as Radio Sweetheart and Stranger in the House and even some stuff on the Delivery Man album recorded in 2004. As you can probably guess, I’m a huge fan of Elvis as well as Bruce Thomas (an unsung genius of the bass) and would love for you to dig into anything else in his catalog that strikes your fancy. Please!