Layla Chords

Easy tutorial for beginners with some explanations, the tab, the lyrics and the chords to play the song Layla chords by Eric Clapton on guitar.

Layla with chords

The three verses of the song are played in the same way.

We will therefore look only at introduction, verse 1 and chorus.

Introduction | Layla

To play Layla on guitar you will have to know and master some first chords that will be used throughout the song :

layla chords

When you master these positions, you can continue and read the following grid to play the introduction :

The grid is read from left to right, from top to bottom. Each square represents a measure of 4 beats (one, two, three, four, if you count the rhythm).

If a square is divided in two OR if two, three or four chords appear, you will know that you have to play them in a four beat measure. If you don’t succeed, watch my videos or listen to the music, as it is sung/played at this time and do the same.

layla guitar

Verse 1 of the song from Eric Clapton

As we have seen, all the verses of this music of Eric Clapton are played in the same way. So you only have to know how to play the first verse.

In order to be able to play this verse 1, you will have to know some extra chords :

layla lyrics

Once you know these chords and the three previous ones, you can follow and play the following rock chords and tabs with your guitar :

Remember that the chords are written above the lyrics so that you can play them at the right time. Therefore, it’s better to play while singing. Chords that are to the right of a phrase (not above a word) are played between the two phrases.

guitar chords
Tab text
Cm#7 G#7
What’ll you do when you get lonely
C#m7 C5 D5 E E7
And nobody’s waiting by your side?
F#m B7 E A5
You’ve been running and hiding much too long
F#m B7 E
You know it’s just your foolish pride

Chorus of the rock music

The last part you need to know to play the whole Layla song is the chorus. No need to know new chords. You will just have to follow and play this last tab :

tabs clapton
Tab text
A5 Dm Bb C Dm
Layla, you’ve got me on my knees
Dm Bb C Dm
Layla, I’m begging, darling please
Dm Bb C Dm
Layla, darling won’t you ease my worried mind

You can try to play the melody or to improvise on the pentatonic scale.

Layla video with tab

Layla lyrics

The song Layla chords by Eric Clapton is composed of three verses and a chorus.

The structure of the lyrics is simple:

Verse 1 – Chorus – Verse 2 – Chorus – Verse 3 – Chorus

Verse 1

What’ll you do when you get lonely
And nobody’s waiting by your side?
You’ve been running and hiding much too long
You know it’s just your foolish pride

Chorus

Layla, you’ve got me on my knees
Layla, I’m begging, darling please
Layla, darling won’t you ease my worried mind

Verse 2

I tried to give you consolation
When your old man had let you down
Like a fool, I fell in love with you
You turned my whole world upside down

Chorus

Verse 3

Make the best of the situation
Before I finally go insane
Please don’t say we’ll never find a way
And tell me all my love’s in vain

Chorus (x2)

Play Isn’t She Lovely by Stevie Wonder with chords on guitar.

Easy PDF score for play Layla from Eric Clapton

The following score is a “home-made” easy PDF score for beginners that we created according to the above frameworks and explanations.

This score summarizes everything we just covered. You can download it for free to play the blues song Layla by Eric Clapton on guitar.