Learn How To Play "Chocolate Jesus" by Tom Waits On Guitar!

In this easy lesson, we'll learn how to play Chocolate Jesus by Tom Waits on acoustic guitar. This fantastic song is excellent for beginners!

It's particularly great if you want to practice your Am and Dm chord. Beginners can play it with a simple strumming, but we'll also explore how to pick out the bass with your thumb. This fingerstyle strumming will sound closer to the original recording (without the banjo and an upright bass!).

💡 Play along with Chocolate Jesus using my app! It's loads of fun and will help you nail that tricky rhythm. :)

Simple Beginner Version

If you want to play along with the original recording, put your capo on the 6th fret. But feel free to move it around your fretboard or remove it to fit your voice.

You'll only need three easy open chords to play this song. The chord progressions for this song only need the A minor chord, D minor chord, and E chord. There's a slight difference between the verse and the chorus - you'll stay on the E chord for an extra bar on one of the verses. We got the same chords for the bridge but in a different arrangement with some quirky little bars.

For the strumming, start simple using all downstrums in a 4x4 time signature. Keep that strumming hand moving and count out loud to guide your rhythm. You want to get the feel of it first! Then, you can add upstrums in there. :)

Fingerstyle Strum Pattern

The fingerstyle strumming requires your thumb to play the bass note. And we're strumming with our first finger, which is great if you're not keen on using a pick. Different chords have different base notes, and here are the different strings you'll pick out:

For the Am chord: your thumb is playing the 5th string.
For the Dm chord: your thumb is playing the 4th string.
For the E chord: your thumb is playing the thickest string.

Then, you simply strum the rest with your first finger! This isn't a beginner technique, so don't fret if you're not there yet. However, it is something to look forward to as you develop your guitar skills. Check out the close-up to see what the motion should look like. :)

Want chords, tabs, and lyrics to follow along with my song tutorials? Check out JustinGuitar Tabs!