25 Best Slide Guitar Songs (With Tabs + Videos)
Are you looking to enhance your guitar playing with more distinctive sounds? Well, a guitar slide can add a new dimension to your usual plucking and strumming.
By sliding a simple tool as you play, you’ll unlock a variety of glissando effects and deeper vibratos. The best part about slide guitar songs is that they’re both fun to learn and exciting to play!
We’ve put together a list of terrific slide guitar songs across genres and musicians for you to enjoy. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, there will surely be a track that fits your skills and interests.
“Statesboro Blues” by The Allman Brothers Band
| Genre | Blues, Rock |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | Statesboro Blues Tabs |
Did you know that Blind Willie McTell was the original writer of this song? It revolves around a man from Statesboro, Georgia, who wakes up and feels the “Statesboro Blues.”
This track ranked 9th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time. The Allman Brothers’ amazing opening licks, slide riffs, and tones gave listeners chills!
Duane Allman sharpened his slide guitar skills in learning to play this song, and you will too. It features a good amount of fingerpicking and hand sliding that’ll give both your hands a workout.
“Little Red Rooster” by Howlin’ Wolf
| Genre | Blues |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | Little Red Rooster Tabs |
This hit single, credited to Willie Dixon, encouraged the rebirth of the blues music scene. It has influenced countless blues-rock musicians and even made it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 1961, Howlin’ Wolf recorded a version of this song with the Chicago Blues style. This version included the unique sound of his slide guitar and impressive vocal lines.
This track is a great opportunity to learn many iconic blues licks on your slide guitar. Ensure you’re in open G tuning, and don’t forget a capo on the 2nd fret.
“Dust My Broom” by Elmore James
| Genre | Blues |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Electric, Acoustic |
| Tabs | Dust My Broom Tabs |
This blues song is associated with two legendary musicians, Robert Johnson, and Elmore James. When Robert wrote the song in 1936, its original title was “I Believe I’ll Dust My Broom.”
Elmore’s version begins with one of the world’s most popular slide guitar riffs. It earned him the title “King of the Slide Guitar.” Other notable elements of this song are Elmore’s reverb-heavy amp and powerful vocals.
This track’s full-octave glides are a worthy challenge to your guitar-playing skills. It uses an open D tuning and requires extra precision to hit the right notes.
“Layla” (Unplugged version) by Eric Clapton
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Layla Tabs |
Derek and the Dominos released the original version of this song in the 1970s. It was part of the album Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs. This track expresses Eric Clapton’s unrequited love for Pattie Boyd.
Eric recorded a relaxed acoustic version of this song for MTV’s Unplugged series in 1992. He transformed the original electric guitar lines and left only the spine of the song intact!
This version is streamlined for a single guitar, with plenty of variations on the main riff. It’s perfect for electric guitarists who want to sharpen their acoustic skills.
“Tumbling Dice” by The Rolling Stones
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | Tumbling Dice Tabs |
“Tumbling Dice” is a fan favorite and one of the Rolling Stones’ most performed songs. It ranked 7th on the Billboard Hot 100, with over two million copies sold!
This rock and roll single is from the album Exile on Main St., released in 1972. Mick Jagger and Keith Richards co-wrote this song about a playboy gambler.
Beginners will appreciate this song’s special groove, unique structure, and open G tuning. The riffs and chords are a piece of cake, but the boogie-woogie rhythm can be tricky to learn.
“In My Time of Dying” by Led Zeppelin
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | In My Time of Dying Tabs |
Led Zeppelin released their version of this gospel song as part of Physical Graffiti in 1975. This deathbed single is one of the band’s longest tracks, running for a full 11 minutes!
The original version by Blind Willie Johnson had his raspy voice and signature chops. Meanwhile, Jimmy Page’s rendition had heavy slide guitar action and an open A tuning. Bob Dylan made an adaptation of this track, too!
This song features plenty of riffs and solos, making it ideal for a practice session. Add this blues classic to your list if you’re just getting started on playing the slide guitar.
“When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | When the Levee Breaks Tabs |
Memphis Minnie wrote this song about the Great Mississippi Flood in 1927. The lyrics talk about its disastrous effects, including the loss of loved ones, jobs, and homes.
Led Zeppelin recorded this blues rock track in 1971 as part of their untitled fourth album. Their version showcased Jimmy Page’s new guitar riff and John Bonham’s powerful drumming.
“When the Levee Breaks” is in the key of F. The song recording used an open G tuning with the tape slowed down to a step lower.
“The Sky Is Crying” by Stevie Ray Vaughan
| Genre | Rock, Blues |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | The Sky Is Crying Tabs |
“The Sky Is Crying” is another blues standard originally by Elmore James. Did you know that this slow-tempo song was recorded during a Chicago downpour? The sad lyrics describe the feelings of a man about his lost love.
This track ranked 15th on Billboard’s R&B charts in 1960. Stevie Ray Vaughan released his own version in 1990 under an album of the same name.
Stevie’s impressive licks and rhythm guitar chops really stand out in this song! Try this if you want to level up your lead guitar skills and Texas blues playing.
“Traveling Riverside Blues” by Robert Johnson
| Genre | Blues |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Electric, Acoustic |
| Tabs | Traveling Riverside Blues Tabs |
Robert Johnson had a short but highly influential career as a blues musician. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame considers him one of the first-ever rock stars!
“Traveling Riverside Blues” features Robert’s vivid songwriting and stellar guitar style. This song is famous for the lyric, “You can squeeze my lemon ‘til the juice runs down my leg.”
This track follows a twelve-bar blues structure on a single guitar with an open G tuning. You can also check out Led Zeppelin’s version of this song, which features extra guitar tracks by Jimmy Page.
“Slide Away” by Oasis
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | Slide Away Tabs |
This track from Oasis’ debut album, Definitely Maybe, is one of the band’s most popular songs. The band recorded it during the spring of 1994. The track later made it to NME magazine’s 100 Greatest Britpop Songs.
Noel Gallagher wrote it about his stormy relationship with his girlfriend, Louise Jones. When the couple broke up in the same year, Noel struggled to get over the event.
“Slide Away” is a fan favorite, but it was rarely played during concerts. If you’re a beginner who’s interested in learning heavy rock music with a melody like the Beatles’, this song is for you!
“Fearless” by Pink Floyd
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic, Electric |
| Tabs | Fearless Tabs |
This mellow track comes from Pink Floyd’s 1971 Meddle album. David Gilmour and Roger Waters wrote it as an acoustic guitar-driven song. Highlights of this track include David Gilmour’s guitar strumming and Nick Mason’s beats.
“Fearless” is one of the band’s underappreciated singles with a deep meaning. It talks about having the strength to face challenges in tough times.
The song includes a recording of football fans singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Beginners will master this song in no time, thanks to its slow tempo and open G tuning.
“Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” by Jimi Hendrix
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | Voodoo Child (Slight Return) Tabs |
“Voodoo Child” by the Jimi Hendrix Experience is the perfect blend of guitar mastery and creativity. It’s a shortened version of the 14-minute song, Voodoo Chile. This jam was the final track of Jimi’s Electric Ladyland album, released in 1968.
This Hendrix classic talks about superstitions, religion, and magic! It involves lots of improvised guitar and vocals from Jimi.
Key features of the song include a powerful riff and a skillful solo. Begin with this iconic track if you want to learn Jimi’s signature blues rock style.
“Give It Up” by Bonnie Raitt
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Chords | Give It Up Chords |
When it comes to female blues musicians, Bonnie Raitt is one of the most influential. Her successful career began as a live performer in Philadelphia. She quickly gained popularity for her amazing slide guitar skills.
“Give It Up or Let Me Go” is the opening song of Bonnie’s second album, Give It Up. Rolling Stone included this album in their list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.
This song is one of Bonnie’s fastest tracks, with exciting brass sounds and an acoustic intro. Bonnie’s first-class guitar playing is a worthy example for you to follow in learning to play acoustic!
“Shake Your Money Maker” by Fleetwood Mac
| Genre | Rock, Blues |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | Shake Your Money Maker Tabs |
Elmore James was the original writer and singer of “Shake Your Money Maker.” This catchy tune from 1961 is one of his most famous hits and a well-known dance song! Several rock musicians, including Fleetwood Mac, soon released their own versions of this song.
This track is part of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll. If you enjoy oldies hits, this should be next on your practice list! Its up-tempo 12-bar rhythm is easy enough for beginner slide guitar players.
“Running on Empty” by Jackson Browne
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Running on Empty Tabs |
You might be familiar with “Running on Empty” if you’ve watched Forrest Gump! This huge hit was the main theme song for the 1994 film’s memorable running scene.
Jackson Browne created this song while he was driving to the studio with no gas. Little did he know that this track would be his third-largest hit single! It ranked 11th on Billboard’s Hot 100 on its first release.
This song’s rock arrangement and high-energy rhythm are great for testing your guitar skills. It doesn’t have many complex chord shapes, so even beginners can enjoy this song. To match the live recordings, you’ll need a capo on the first fret.
“One Way Out” by The Allman Brothers Band
| Genre | Blues, Rock |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | One Way Out Tabs |
The Allman Brothers band recorded this song at the Filmore East in 1971. You’ll find a live recording of it in the band’s 1972 album, Eat a Peach. It’s a cover of a blues track by Sonny Boy Williamson.
The lyrics tell the story of a man having an affair with a woman whose husband had just arrived home. The band’s version of this song includes a bottleneck slide guitar part by Duane Allman.
“One Way Out” is a blues classic that every blues guitarist should know! Its moderate tempo and fun swing beat are fairly easy to learn.
“Slide Thing” by Stevie Ray Vaughan
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Chords | Slide Thing Chords |
“Slide Thing” is the second track in Stevie Ray Vaughan’s live album, In the Beginning. Stevie performed this song live in 1980 in Austin, Texas. The album came out a few years after his death.
This track shows Stevie’s signature blues rock sound. It inspired and influenced other blues musicians, including John Mayer and Chris Duarte. Stevie was even described as the “leading light in American blues” for his work on this album.
If you want to learn Stevie’s fiery guitar style, this rock track is surely worth mastering.
“Freebird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Type of Guitar | Electric, Acoustic |
| Tabs | Freebird Tabs |
To the pro guitar players out there, this one’s for you! Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird” is famous for being one of the hardest guitar tracks of all time. This song lasts for a full nine minutes. The last four minutes contain rock history’s most popular instrumental passage.
Allen Collins wrote this song about freedom and commitment. His girlfriend, Kathy, said the opening lines to him during a fight.
This track will challenge your ability to play endless bends and winding melodies with intensity and at a fast pace. Good luck!
“Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground” by Blind Willie Johnson
| Genre | Blues |
| Difficulty | Advanced |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground Tabs |
This dark and sorrowful song reflects Blind Willie Johnson’s tragic life story. He became blind at a young age after his stepmother threw lye on his face. This event didn’t stop him from mastering the slide guitar and sharing his gospel music with others.
“Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground” is a blues instrumental song with no lyrics. You can only hear the slide guitar and Johnson’s moaning and humming. It’s one of the deepest and most emotional songs you can play on your guitar.
In 1977, this track was launched into space as part of the Voyager Golden Record.
“Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats
| Genre | Blues, R&B |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | Rocket 88 Tabs |
As one of the pioneering songs of rock and roll, “Rocket 88” deserves a spot on this list! This influential hit was recorded in Tennessee in 1951. It claimed the top spot on the Billboard R&B chart soon after.
This song refers to the Oldsmobile Rocket 88 car. It takes inspiration from Jimmy Liggins’ song “Cadillac Boogie.”
Jackie Brenston and His Delta Cats’ rendition shows a unique blend of Chicago and Memphis blues. This twelve-bar track will help you perfect your rhythm on the electric guitar in no time.
“She Talks to Angels” by The Black Crowes
| Genre | Rock |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | She Talks to Angels Tabs |
This amazing acoustic number is one of The Black Crowes’ hits from the album, Shake Your Moneymaker. This song ranked 30th on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s a power ballad that explores the topics of drug use and addiction.
“She Talks to Angels” is one of the easiest to tracks to learn on this list! It uses fairly simple chords with three main riffs for you to master. These include the chorus riff, verse riff, and intro melody. You can experiment with multiple patterns for an open E tuning.
“Love in Vain” by The Rolling Stones
| Genre | Blues |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Acoustic |
| Tabs | Love in Vain Tabs |
In 1969, the Rolling Stones released a cover of this Robert Johnson classic for their album, Let It Bleed. Robert’s original version included his powerful vocals and finger-style acoustic guitar playing.
“Love in Vain,” tells the story of a man longing for a woman who doesn’t love him back. The band’s version of this heartbreaking song featured an electric slide guitar solo. They transformed it by adding extra chords and a stronger country sound.
This song follows a blues rhythm structure and requires a capo on the 3rd fret. It’s a challenge for both your musical and emotional control!
“The Spider and the Fly” by The Rolling Stones
| Genre | Blues |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | The Spider and the Fly Tabs |
You might be wondering if there’s a story behind this interestingly titled blues song. Well, this track describes what The Rolling Stones, especially their leader, plan to do after their gig.
The band recorded this track in May 1965 for their album, Out of Our Heads. Keith Richards and Mick Jagger were the writers of this country-sounding hit.
Its British pop-group lyrics are about searching for a woman on a night out. The singer is likened to a spider, while the girl is the fly. If you’re a true Stones fan, you’ll have a blast learning this beginner track.
“The Weight” by The Band
| Genre | Rock, Folk |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | The Weight Tabs |
“The Weight” is another beautiful tune with an interesting story. This song is about a guy who visits a town called Nazareth. The traveler’s friend, Fanny, asks him to visit some of her friends.
Robbie Robertson discovered the tone of this track while casually strumming his guitar. His inspiration for the song included life experiences, Spanish films, and Southern music.
The Band released this track in 1968 as a single for their debut album, Music from Big Pink. Its complex chords and tricky strum patterns can help you upgrade your guitar skills!
“Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield
| Genre | Soul, R&B |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Type of Guitar | Electric |
| Tabs | Son of a Preacher Man Tabs |
“Son of a Preacher Man” has Dusty Springfield’s enchanting voice, gospel tunes, and powerful instrumentals. It’s one of her top tracks and the most popular one on her album, Dusty in Memphis.
This upbeat piece tells the story of a girl who had feelings for the local preacher’s son. John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins wrote this song and offered it to Aretha Franklin. Aretha refused it because she felt it was disrespectful.
This track will expose you to some fantastic guitar work by Reggie Young. Double stops, harmonics, and strumming patterns are some things you’ll learn from this classic.
