Bob Dylan wrote this song when he was 20 years old. It is pretty amazing he had the wisdom, intellect and ability to write such powerful lyrics. He has that unique ability to write a song that is so simple, yet powerful at the same time.
Bob Dylan Blowin in the Wind LIVE
In the early days, Dylan used basic open chords with no capo. In fact, you can see his playing in the live video below where he uses simple open chords. Moreover, he strums the guitar with a pick and adds some backing harmonica. This live recording is vintage young Bob Dylan, already a master at his craft.
JOAN BAEZ – Blowin in the Wind
There are countless great recordings of Bob Dylan playing with other musicians. For example, here is an all-time great video of Bob Dylan and Joan Baez each playing an acoustic guitar on the song. Joan Baez was a classic Blowin in the Wind singer and you can hear how her amazing voice compliments Dylan’s in this fantastic arrangement. Enjoy this incredible live performance of Blowin in the Wind.
Blowin in the Wind CHORDS
Bob Dylan’s song Blowin in the Wind is a great song for beginners to play. Actually, it’s also great for advanced players to add to their sing-along list. Therefore, the song is a must for all players. There are three chords used throughout the song. The song chords for the live video recordings in this article are (G C D). The song itself is in the key of G. Additionally, the chords are simple and you can play them with or without a capo. In fact, Bob Dylan uses a capo fairly often in his performances. The entire song is a series of three verses followed by the classic chorus, “The answer my friend, is Blowin in the Wind, the answer is Blowin in the Wind”.
Artist: Bob Dylan
Composer: Bob Dylan
Album: The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
Released: 1963
Song Chords: [G] [C] [D]
Blowin in the Wind ANALYSIS
Most historians believe it’s an anti war song. The 60’s was a turbulent time with the Vietnam war, so it makes sense that he drew his inspiration from those events. For this reason, the 60’s youth embraced Dylan’s Blowin in the Wind. There was a big movement for world peace and anti war at that time in history. The song has lived to serve many generations with its powerful words and perspective. It’s quite incredible that after more than 50 years the lyrics still apply.
VARIATIONS of Blowin in the Wind
There are many variations of Blowin in the Wind performances. In fact, if you listen to other recordings you’ll notice the song can be played in different keys. For instance, you can use a capo or change the chords altogether. In other words, you can replace the chords from the key of G, to the key of D. The chords in D would be (D G A).
In Summary
The song is a classic. For sure, you should learn it and make it part of your repertoire. As always, my recommendation is to memorize the chord changes first. Get it so that you can play without thinking. After that, you will enjoy the singing and creativity that comes with every great sing-along and performance.
For more inspiration, check out this great song of Bob Dylan playing Knockin on Heaven’s Door.
For great video instruction on guitar song chords, check out this program.