Apple Blossom

by The White Stripes • Lesson #30 • Nov 2, 2016

Editor’s Notes

Hey friends! Here’s a new PDF for my lesson teaching Apple Blossom by The White Stripes (it also appears on Jack White’s acoustic album from 2016). It includes chords, tabs, and strumming patterns – showing how to play this song in standard tuning on an acoustic guitar. This is a song I enjoyed quite a bit during my college days (1999-2003), but I fell in love with it again after hearing it used in Quentin Tarantino’s movie The Hateful Eight.

Free Video lesson

Timestamps:

  • 3:22 Chords Used
  • 4:08 Verse Strumming Technique
  • 5:57 Refrain Strumming Technique
  • 7:54 Barre Chords

Song Sheet Temporarily Unavailable...

For copyright reasons, my printable song sheet is temporarily unavailable while I move it over to Musicnotes.com, a sheet music service that is providing licensing for my song arrangements.

Want me to priortize this song, so the song sheet is ready sooner? Click the button below and let me know – this helps me know which songs to work on next!

Click to Request

Learn more about my library of song sheets & instructional PDFs.

Lyrics

INTRO
    Am

VERSE
    Am
    Hey little apple blossom
         Dm
    What... seems to be the problem
    Am
    ...All the ones you tell your troubles to
         E            G        Am
    They don't really care for you

    Am
    ...Come and tell me what you're thinking
           Dm
    Cause just when the boat is sinking
    Am
    ...A little light is blinking
        E               G      Am
    And I will come and rescue you

REFRAIN
        Dm                     Am
        ...Lots of girls walk around in tears
        E                      Am
        But that's not for you...
        Dm                          Am
        ...You've been looking all around for years
                B (let ring)                    E  G
        For someone to tell your troubles to

    Am
    ...Come and sit with me and talk awhile
    Dm
    ...Let me see your pretty little smile
    Am
    ...Put your troubles in a little pile
        E                G       Am
    And I will sort them out for you

    (solo)

        Dm                     Am
        ...Lots of girls walk around in tears
        E                      Am
        But that's not for you...
        Dm                          Am
        ...You've been looking all around for years
                B (let ring)                    E  G
        For someone to tell your troubles to

    Am
    ...Come and sit with me and talk awhile
    Dm
    ...Let me see your pretty little smile
    Am
    ...Put your troubles in a little pile
        E                G       Am
    And I will sort them out for you

    E               G           Am
    ...I'll fall in love with you...
    E               G         Am
    ...I think I'll marry you

Chords used

Here’s the regular open version of the chords:

E –|–––––0–––––1–––––0––––––––––––––|–
B –|–––––1–––––3–––––0––––––––––4–––|–
G –|–––––2–––––2–––––1–––––0––––4–––|–
D –|–––––2–––––0–––––2–––––0––––4–––|–
A –|–––––0–––––––––––2–––––2––––2–––|–
E –|–––––––––––––––––0–––––3––––––––|–
         Am    Dm    E     G    B

And here’s an all-barre chord edition, if you have something against open chords.

E –|–––––5–––––5–––––––––––––––––––––|–
B –|–––––5–––––6–––––––––––––––––––––|–
G –|–––––5–––––7–––––1–––––4––––8––––|–
D –|–––––7–––––7–––––2–––––5––––9––––|–
A –|–––––7–––––5–––––2–––––5––––9––––|–
E –|–––––5–––––––––––0–––––3––––7––––|–
         Am    Dm    E     G    B

Chord Progression

Verse:

Am . . . Am . . . Dm . . . Dm . . .
Am . . . Am . . . E  . G . Am . . .

Refrain

Dm . . . Am . . . E . . . Am . . .
Dm . . . Am . . . B . . . E  . . .

Strumming pattern

Verse

Here, you want to do all down strums, one per beat. Optionally, you can add an up-strum on the eighth note at the very end of each measure. Also, you want to slightly lift your pressed fingers off the fretboard just after each strum, which punctuates each strum.

E ||––0––––0––––0––––0––––0–|––0––––0––––0––––0––––0–|––
B ||––1––––1––––1––––1––––0–|––1––––1––––1––––1––––0–|––
G ||––2––––2––––2––––2––––0–|––2––––2––––2––––2––––0–|––
D ||––2––––2––––2––––2––––0–|––2––––2––––2––––2––––0–|––  etc
A ||––0––––0––––0––––0––––––|––0––––0––––0––––0––––––|––
E ||––––––––––––––––––––––––|––––––––––––––––––––––––|––
      v    v    v    v    ^    v    v    v    v    ^
      Am                       Am                       

Refrain

Here, you want to emphasize the bass note of each chord with a single, clean downstrum – and then do some casual down-up, up-down-up afterwards. Use this as a blueprint, and add the strums in.

E –|––––––1–––  –––––0–––  –––––0––––  –––––0––––|–
B –|––––––3–––  –––––1–––  –––––0––––  –––––1––––|–
G –|––––––2–––  –––––2–––  –––––1––––  –––––2––––|–
D –|–––0––––––  –––––2–––  –––––2––––  –––––2––––|–
A –|––––––––––  ––0––––––  –––––2––––  ––0–––––––|–
E –|––––––––––  –––––––––  ––0–––––––  ––––––––––|–
       Dm         Am         E           Am

Solo tab

Here’s a simple “bassier” version, in the lower register:

E ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––|–
G ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––|–
D ||–––––––––––––––––––––––––|––5/7––7–5–––––––––––––|–
A ||–––5/7––7–7–5––––––––––––|––––––––––––/8–––7–5–––|–
E ||–––––––––––––––/8–––7–5––|–––––––––––––––––––––––|–
       Am                       Dm

E –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
G –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
D –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
A –|–––0–7––––0–5––––0–3––––0––3––5––3––––––––––|–
E –|–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––-/7–––5––|–
       Am                      

E –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
G –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
D –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
A –|––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|–––/7–7–7–7–––8––8––7~~–0––––––3––|–
        E

And here’s a version that is an octave higher. I’m sure Jack White doesn’t play it like this, and that’s fine – this version is optimized so you can do some loose strumming in the open chord positions.

E –|–––––0––0––––––––––––––|–––––5––5––––––––––––––|–
B –|–––––1–––––3––1––0–––––|–––––6–––––8––6––5–––––|–
G –|–––––2––––––––––––––2––|–––––7––––––––––––––7––|–
D –|–––––2–––––––––––––––––|––0––––––––––––––––––––|–
A –|––0––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|–––––––––––––––––––––––|–––––––––––––––––––––––|–
      Am                      Dm


E –|–––––0––0––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B –|–––––1––––––3––3–––1––1–––0––1––0––––––|–
G –|–––––2––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––2––|–
D –|–––––2–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
A –|––0––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
      Am


E –|–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
B –|–––0––0––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
G –|–––1–––––––––0–––2–––––––––––––––––––––|–
D –|–––2––––––2––––––2–––––––––––––––––––––|–
A –|–––2–––––––––––––0–––––––––––––––––––––|–
E –|–––0–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––|–
       E             Am

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 242 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

Browse Related Lessons

Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!

Donate

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Featured Courses

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Interactive fretboard map! See the patterns behind every scale in any key.

View

Capo Captain

An easy way to calculate key & chord combinations, for any capo location!

View

Key Master

See and hear the notes, chords, scales used in each of the most common keys.

View

Blank Tabs

Free PDF templates to download, print, and write out your own guitar tabs!

View

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!


Recent Lessons

  • October 18, 2024

    CAGED - It's More Than Just Chords!

    Learn how each CAGED shape contains not only a chord, but also an arpeggio, pentatonic, and full diatonic scale! This is a must-know realization that'll level up any practice you do with these shapes.

  • October 3, 2024

    Kris Kristofferson's "Me and Bobby McGee"

    In honor of Kris Kristofferson's passing, here's a brand new play-along cover of his 1971 classic Me and Bobby McGee – with some updated strumming tips included.

  • September 27, 2024

    Paul Simon Fingerstyle with "59th Street Bridge Song"

    Let's dive into Simon & Garfunkfel's 1966 hit, where I'll walk you through several ways to tackle Paul Simon's Travis-style fingerpicking.

  • September 20, 2024

    Fingerstyle & Travis Picking Lesson Roundup!

    I've been busy organizing all my lessons teaching fingerstyle & Travis picking, and have them in a new easy-to-browse layout. Check 'em out here!

  • September 13, 2024

    "Rebel Rouser" - 1950s Lead Guitar Lesson

    Let's learn how to play Duane Eddy's 1958 classic! This song's memorable riff is easy to approach, but poses a fun challenge as the song changes key over and over. I'll walk you through it all, jam tracks included!

  • September 5, 2024

    Lead Guitar Lesson Roundup!

    I've organized all my lead guitar lessons into a new easy-to-browse area of the website! Whether you're interested in techniques or learning song-based riffs, I've got a lot of lessons I'm sure you'll enjoy.

  • Aug 30, 2024

    "Linger" by The Cranberries

    A deep-dive into The Cranberries 1993 classic, showing you the intro riff and three different ways to strum the verse & chorus. Such a fun song to play!

  • Aug 21, 2024

    Capos, Explained: 6 New Lessons & PDF Guides

    I've updated the capo section of my website, featuring 6 new lessons, a handful of PDF guides, and a new interactive web tool – Capo Captain!

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage