Like a Rolling Stone Chord Analysis

Chord Progression
The basic chord progression for “Like a Rolling Stone” in the key of C major follows this structure:

Verse:
| C | Dm | Em | F | G | C | F | G |

Chorus:
| C | F | G | C | F | G |

Chord Structures
Here are the chord structures in their standard open position:

C Major

e|—0—
B|—1—
G|—0—
D|—2—
A|—3—
E|——-

Dm (D Minor)

e|—1—
B|—3—
G|—2—
D|—0—
A|——-
E|——-

Em (E Minor)

e|—0—
B|—0—
G|—0—
D|—2—
A|—2—
E|—0—

F Major

e|—1—
B|—1—
G|—2—
D|—3—
A|—3—
E|—1—

G Major

e|—3—
B|—3—
G|—0—
D|—0—
A|—2—
E|—3—

——————–

C Major

Dm (D Minor)

Em (E Minor)

F Major

G Major

Hendrix’s Embellishments
While these are the basic chords, Hendrix often used variations and embellishments such as:

C Major with embellishments: Adding hammer-ons and pull-offs around the open positions.

F Major using thumb-over technique: Fretting the low E string with his thumb to free up his fingers for other notes and embellishments.
G Major with added 7ths or sus4s: Adding the F (7th) or C (sus4) to the G chord for a richer sound.

By starting with these basic chord shapes and incorporating his unique embellishments and inversions, Hendrix added a distinct flavor to “Like a Rolling Stone.” Practice these chord shapes and experiment with different techniques to capture the spirit of Hendrix’s rendition.