“Bananas and Blow” is a deep cut from Ween’s 2000 album White Pepper — and one of my personal favorite songs to teach to beginners.
You won’t find it on most beginner song lists, but it’s hard to think of a better choice: just four of the most basic open chords (Em, D, G, and C), an absurdly catchy chorus, and a genuinely fun singalong vibe that makes every party guitar circle better. There’s even an iconic steel drum lick in the intro that translates beautifully to fingerpicked guitar — more on that below.
This is the same arrangement I teach in my 30 Day Guitar Chord Fluency course. The verse alternates between just two chords (Em and D), the chorus opens up to G, C, and D, and that’s the whole song. Easy to play, almost impossible not to grin while playing. Let’s dive in!
The Chords You’ll Need
Chord Chart
Intro Chords Em D (x3) D Em D Em Intro (Steel Drum Lick) E|------7-7----7------------------------7-7----7---------------| B|-8-10-----10---10-8-8h10-8-7-----8-10-----10---10-8-8h10-8-7-| G|-----------------------------9-7-----------------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------------------| E|-------------------------------------------------------------| E|------7-7----7--------------------------------------7--------| B|-8-10-----10---10-8-8h10-8-7---------7-7-8-10-10-10---10-8---| G|-----------------------------9-7-7-9-------------------------| D|-------------------------------------------------------------| A|-------------------------------------------------------------| E|-------------------------------------------------------------| E|--------------------7--------| B|-----7-7-8-10-10-10---10-8---| G|-7-9-------------------------| D|-----------------------------| A|-----------------------------| E|-----------------------------| Verse 1 Em D Sancho brought a message from the fat man Em D Sorry boy, to leave you high and dry Em D But I went to see my mom in Ensenada D Em And I left a little something to help the time go by D G C G Just a little something to help to keep you high Chorus 1 G C D Em Bananas and blow (oh oh) bananas and blow (bananas and blow) C D G C G Stuck in my cabana, living on bananas and blow Interlude Em D (x3) D Em Verse 2 Em D Now the rainy season reminds me of Maria Em D The way she danced, the color of her hair Em D Now I'm locked inside a stall in the cantina D Em Eating the bananas and cocaine off the mirror D G C G Looking for a ticket to take me away from here Chorus 2 G C D Em Bananas and blow (oh oh) bananas and blow (bananas and blow) C D G C G Stuck in my cabana, living on bananas and blow G C D Em Bananas and blow (oh oh) bananas and blow (bananas and blow) C D G C G Stuck in my cabana, living on bananas and blow Solo Em D Em D Em D D Em D G C G Outro G C D Em Bananas and blow (oh oh) bananas and blow (bananas and blow) C D G C G Stuck in my cabana, living on bananas and blow G C D Em Bananas and blow (oh oh) bananas and blow (bananas and blow) C D G C G I'm Stuck in my cabana, living on bananas and blow
About the steel drum lick
The intro lick (transcribed in the tab above) is one of the most distinctive parts
of the recording — it imitates a steel drum melody with a Latin guitar feel that’s
surprisingly fun to play. It’s pure decoration though. You can play this entire
song just by strumming the chords and it will sound great. Come back to the lick
once the chord changes feel automatic.
The “8h10” notation means a hammer-on: pluck the 8th fret, then quickly press down on the 10th fret without picking again.
The “8h10” notation means a hammer-on: pluck the 8th fret, then quickly press down on the 10th fret without picking again.
About the verse-to-chorus shift
Notice how the verse feels darker and more brooding (Em ↔ D) while the chorus
suddenly opens up and feels brighter and major (G, C, D, Em). That’s because the
verse sits in E minor while the chorus pivots toward G major — and Em and G are relative minor and major partners, meaning
they share the exact same key signature (one sharp: F#).
The song never actually changes keys; it just shifts emphasis from the dark home chord (Em) to the bright one (G). It’s one of the simplest, most powerful tricks in songwriting, and “Bananas and Blow” pulls it off beautifully.
The song never actually changes keys; it just shifts emphasis from the dark home chord (Em) to the bright one (G). It’s one of the simplest, most powerful tricks in songwriting, and “Bananas and Blow” pulls it off beautifully.
Practice Tips
- The verse is the easiest part of the song — it’s just two chords (Em and D) trading back and forth. Loop the change on its own a few times to lock in the rhythm before adding lyrics.
- Don’t worry about the steel drum lick at first. The chords alone make this song work. Once everything else feels comfortable, come back to the tab and try learning it slowly — it’s worth the effort, and it’s the kind of melodic flourish that earns surprised looks from people who know the song.
- This is a singalong. Get a few friends in a room, hand them the lyrics, and watch what happens when the first chorus hits. The song is at its absolute best when shared.