Bad Moon Rising Chords: Bad Moon Arising – Guitar Lesson (Chords)

Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival is one of those songs every guitarist should have in their back pocket. It’s got that unmistakable swampy rock vibe, and the good news is — the chords are about as straightforward as they come. Three chords, a solid strumming pattern, and you’re playing classic rock.

In this lesson, I’ll walk you through exactly how to play it.

The Three Chords You Need

Bad Moon Rising uses just three open chords: D, A, and G. If you’ve been playing guitar for any length of time, you probably already know these — they’re the same first chords most guitarists learn. But let’s make sure you’ve got them clean.

The D chord is your home base for this song — you’ll start there and keep coming back to it. Make sure you’re not hitting those low E and A strings on the D chord. Muting them with your thumb or just aiming your pick at the top four strings works fine.

The Chord Progression

The verse and chorus follow the same basic pattern. It’s what we call a I-V-IV progression in the key of D:

D – A – G – D

That’s really the whole song right there. The changes happen pretty quick, so if you’re still building up your chord switching speed, this is a great song to practice with. Start slow — there’s no prize for playing fast and sloppy.

The Strumming Pattern

CCR songs have that driving, rhythmic feel. For Bad Moon Rising, you want a steady down-up pattern with some emphasis on the downbeats. Something like:

D – D U – U D U

If you’re newer to strumming, check out my lesson on the most popular strumming pattern — it’ll give you a solid foundation to build on. Don’t overthink it. The strumming should feel natural and keep the song moving forward. If you’re tapping your foot to it, you’re probably on the right track.

Tips to Make It Sound Right

• Keep your changes tight — don’t let the rhythm drag when you switch chords
• The A to G transition is the trickiest part for most folks. Practice just that switch back and forth until it’s smooth
• Listen to the original recording a few times. Get that swampy, slightly sloppy CCR feel in your ear
• Use a medium pick and strum from your wrist, not your whole arm

Get It Under Your Fingers

Bad Moon Rising is one of those songs that sounds impressive but doesn’t take months to learn. Three chords, a good strumming pattern, and you’ve got a campfire classic. It’s a perfect example of an easy guitar song that still sounds great.

If you’re looking for more songs like this, check out my full collection of easy songs to learn on guitar. Once you’ve got this one down, try Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door or Brown Eyed Girl — same idea, different flavor. Work on those chord changes until they’re automatic, and you’ll be ready to play it whenever someone hands you a guitar.