How to Play Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker on Guitar

Due to popular demand, here's how to play the iconic intro and verse to Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker! secretguitarteacher.com/

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Abridged Script

Here’s a blues classic that I have received requests to learn from 16 different people so I have decided to take a closer look at how John Lee Hooker played this song on the occasions where he played it entirely unaccompanied.

Researching several different recordings, the first thing that I noticed was that when he did play it solo he simply stuck to the one chord – E7. What is interesting to me is that any time he had other musicians accompany him on the song, they failed to keep the sequence this pure and couldn’t help play basslines, chords, riffs or licks that at least implied the odd change up to the A7 chord.

So, the first thing to say about this song is that It is not about chords or even really about fancy licks – it is all about rhythm and feel. Let’s look at the intro.

The first lick starts with a slide from 2-4 on the G string. Then the D note at fret three on the B string then back down the same slide with a hint of a pull-off to the open string at the end of it, then E at fret 2 on the D string, open D and back to the E. In keeping with the call and response them e of early blues, we answer this lick with a bass line that goes. Open E up to G at fret 3 on the same string, open A and back to the open E.

Of course, you can do all this with a plectrum, but, John Lee Hooker very much used thumb and fingers to play guitar so I would encourage you to experiment with this if you want to get close to the sound and feel of his style.

The next lick starts on the E at fret 2 on the D string via the open G string to A at fret 2 on the G string, back to G and then E D E again on fret two of the D string. Follow each of these licks with the same bass lick. The next lick is a slight variation on the first lick – so, instead of the slide we use a bend at fret three on the B string then off to open B before concluding with the E D E same as the first lick.

This is followed again by the same bass line lick and then the fourth line is a repeat of the second line. So that whole intro in slow time and at something like full tempo.
Once the vocals start we have the same basic lick repeated no less than 16 times, once in response to each vocal line.

(sings) Boom boom , boom boom! I’m gonna shoot you right down.. Right off of your feet.. Take you home with me..

This starts with the D at fret three on the B string then open B then before bending the A at fret two on the G string up and hit the top string or top and second string like this..
Then it’s back to working the A at fret 2 on the G string which we bend up, release and pull-off all in one very smooth motion.

Unless you have large hands like old John Lee had, then this is extremely hard to play exactly like he did. My advice is to find a way to play something like it, in a way that suits your fingers and then listen carefully to the original recordings and gradually work at emulating that amazing freestyle feel that he had.

We’ll continue exploring this song in the next lesson in this series. Meanwhile, I’ll leave you to practice this with the health warning that, if you are not used to using your fingers, give them time to recover between each practice session or you will soon get some pretty mean blisters!