We all love a campfire! And given that bonfires and acoustic guitars go hand-in-hand, this post is going to set you up with 20 of the best campfire songs of all time, arranged for fingerstyle guitar. These are bound to get everybody singing along and having a great time!
These songs range in difficulty from beginner level up to relatively advanced so there’s bound to be something for you, no matter what level you’re currently at. The really cool thing is that even if you’re more advanced, the easier arrangements are still so much fun to play!
Don’t feel as though you have to learn all 20 of these campfire guitar songs, even just a few will surely get the crowd going. So now why not dive in, learn some of these classic songs, then get a nice cosy fire going and invite some friends over to hear them? What could be better?
And if these don’t light your fire (!), at Six String Fingerpicking we have over 200 more fingerpicking song lessons, just in case you wanted to learn some other tunes.
20 Campfire Guitar Songs for Fingerstyle Guitar
1. Here Comes the Sun (The Beatles)
Here Comes The Sun was written by George Harrison in 1969 and the song appears on The Beatles’ iconic album Abbey Road. This is the perfect campfire guitar song, it’s fun, feel-good and everybody loves it. The melody is nice and strong and we all know the words so everyone will be singing along from the first pick.
As it’s such a popular song there’s actually two fingerstyle arrangement lessons of Here Comes the Sun to learn at Six String Fingerpicking. One beginner level and one intermediate-advanced.
2. House of the Rising Sun (The Animals)
House of the Rising Sun was recorded in 1964 by The Animals and, although they didn’t originally write the song, they made it incredibly well-known around the world.
It’s such a classic and timeless song that everyone knows and at Six String Fingerpicking there’s two lessons for it. You can learn it as played on the original recording or you can learn a slightly more advanced and really cool fingerstyle arrangement of it. Either way, it sounds great and better still sat outside and in front of a crackling bonfire.
3. Stand By Me (Ben E. King)
Next up we have a truly classic song from 1960 that just seems to sound better and better every time you hear it- Stand By Me by Ben E. King.
This one is a really simple song with simple chords and a straightforward melody line, and it just so happens to work great played as fingerstyle. If you’ve not been fingerpicking all that long then I’m sure you’re going to love learning Stand By Me.
4. Take Me Home, Country Roads (John Denver)
Surely there is no better singalong song than Take Me Home, Country Roads? There’s just something about it that instantly puts people in a great mood. It’s simple, with good chords and great lyrics. If you’re going to be playing guitar at the campfire then surely this song has to be on your setlist!
Again, there’s two lessons for this song at Six String Fingerpicking. There’s a beginner level fingerstyle arrangement and there’s an advanced level fingerstyle arrangement.
5. Can’t Help Falling In Love (Elvis Presley)
Here we have a very romantic and heartfelt song from the King that would be perfect for you to play if you’re perhaps trying to serenade a special someone. If you play this song on acoustic guitar next to the warm campfire and under a stalit sky then who knows what could happen!?
Whether you’re learning to impress someone or not, it’s a great song that is so much fun to play. So dive in and check it out!
6. Mad World (Gary Jules)
Mad World was originally written in 1982 by Roland Orzabal as part of the band Tears for Fears, for whom the song became a huge hit (reaching the number 3 spot in the UK). However, for this arrangement we’re focusing more on Gary Jules’ 2001 cover.
This is a hauntingly beautiful song that just feels right when played outside next to the bonfire. It’s great fun to play and perfect if you’re still new to fingerstyle.
7. Wonderful Tonight (Eric Clapton)
Another timeless romantic song but this time by the great Eric Clapton. Wonderful Tonight was written in the mid ’70s for his then-girlfriend Pattie Boyd, who was previously the wife of George Harrison. The song appears on his album Slowhand and it’s a very pretty, gentle and moving ballad.
If you like the song then I’m sure that you’re going to really enjoy playing this fingerstyle arrangement around the campfire, and everyone will love to hear you play it too!
8. Ain’t No Sunshine (Bill Withers)
This one’s definitely more of a sadder campfire guitar song but it still works so well next to the warmth of the flames. That’s because it’s simply just a great song that everyone knows and loves. The whole song is just four very simple chords, which makes it a great one to learn for beginners.
There’s two lessons available for this song. One as played on the original recording and one as a lovely fingerstyle arrangement.
9. Every Breath You Take (The Police)
I must have heard this song maybe a thousand times but am I bored of it? Absolutely not! And I don’t think that’s even possible because it’s just too good! It’s one of The Police’s most iconic songs and the biggest hit song of 1983.
It also happens to work really well as a fingerstyle arrangement and again there’s two lessons of it for you to enjoy. You can play it as recorded for the original song or as a fun fingerstyle arrangement.
10. Wake Me Up When September Ends (Green Day)
Released in 2004, Wake Me Up When September Ends was a huge hit for Green Day. The lyrics from this song are deeply emotional and are about the loss of Billie Joe Armstrong’s father, who died in September 1982 when Billie was just ten years old.
This song works really well as a fingerstyle arrangement and will have everybody listening to you play it as the fire gently crackles away in the background.
11. No Woman, No Cry (Bob Marley)
No Woman, No Cry is one of Bob Marley’s best-known and most iconic songs. Released in 1974 on Bob Marley and the Wailer’s album Natty Dread, the song has continued to remain a true timeless classic, loved the world over.
This fingerstyle arrangement isn’t too hard to play and is best suited to anyone from around the early intermediate level and up.
12. Hallelujah (Jeff Buckley)
Jeff Buckley’s 1994 version of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah is truly haunting and extremely beautiful. His cover really helped to popularise the song and brought it to a whole new audience, continuing to do so today. It makes for a wonderful fingerstyle arrangement which you can learn here. There’s also a lesson on how to play it just like the original recording.
13. Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns N’ Roses)
How could we not include Sweet Child O’ Mine on this list? Sure, it’s the ultimate classic rock song but guess what? It works great on acoustic too, either just strumming the chords or as fingerstyle. Either way, everyone around the campfire will be singing along and impressed with your chops.
There’s two versions you can learn here. One that’s intermediate level, which is a little more stripped down or the advanced version that has all of the twists and turns of the original (warning: NOT FOR BEGINNERS!).
14. What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)
What A Wonderful World was written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss, and was first recorded by Louis Armstrong in 1967. The song reached the number one spot in the UK and has gone on to be greatly loved around the world.
This arrangement is so nice to play and perfect for anyone who’s around the intermediate level and above.
It’s such an uplifting and inspiring song; how could anyone not want to hear you play it around the campfire?
15. Wonderwall (Oasis)
Today is gonna be the day, that I’m gonna teach you how to play Wonderwall, fingerstyle! There are a few reasons why  people will always play this song. One, it’s actually a pretty easy one to get under your fingers when you’re new to guitar. Two, although you’ve heard it a thousand times before, it’s still a great song.
So give the people what they want and play Wonderwall around the campfire for them!
16. Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)
Another great campfire guitar song has to be Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd. Released in 1975 as the title track from their album, the song is a tribute to the band’s founding member Syd Barrett. It quickly became one of the band’s most iconic and loved songs.
Whether you’re playing it fingerstyle or strumming to sing over the chords, there’s just something about this song that resonates with people.
17. Father and Son (Cat Stevens)
This timeless and honest song was released in 1970, appearing on Cat Steven’s album Tea for the Tillerman. Father and Son is easily one of Steven’s best-known and loved songs and it’s clear why – the lyrics are very moving and the melody is truly beautiful. All things which make it the perfect campfire guitar song.
18. California Dreamin’ (The Mamas & The Papas)
California Dreamin’ was written by John and Michelle Phillips in 1963 and released as a single in 1965. The song appears on The Mamas & The Papas’ album If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears.
This was a huge hit for the band and sold millions around the world, remaining very popular even today. In fact, at the time of writing, California Dreamin’ has close to a billion streams on Spotify!
It makes for a great fingerstyle arrangement, and if you like the song I’m sure you’re going to love fingerpicking it too.
19. Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash)
You can’t have a list of 20 classic campfire songs and not include Ring of Fire by the great Johnny Cash. This one will have everybody up and dancing within just a few notes, so learn it fast and get picking!
There’s a beginner lesson and an advanced lesson for this one for you to explore.
20. Have you Ever Seen The Rain (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
For our last classic campfire guitar song let’s take a look at Have You Ever Seen The Rain. This song was released in 1971 and is one of the band’s most iconic and successful songs. It reached number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 list and to this day is sung along to all over the world.
Be sure to end the night on a high when you finish your campfire guitar set with this classic rock song!
So there you have it, 20 classic campfire guitar songs for fingerstyle. That’s not much else to do now but head on out with some friends, collect up some wood, start the fire, crack open a nice cold beer and get playing all of these songs until the early hours.
Bonus campfire song:
Kumbaya
I know what you’re thinking – why an earth isn’t Kumbaya on the list? Well here it is, you can’t not play it around the campfire can you? Just for cliche’s sake!
Thanks so much reading and I hope you’ve enjoyed this post. If you would like to take your fingerpicking further then why not sign up to one of my fingerstyle guitar courses? At Six String Fingerpicking we have courses for total beginners right the way up to advanced players, so whatever level your fingerpicking is currently at there’s bound to be a course that’s right for you.
The really great thing is that you can try out any of my courses completely for free when you join my Newsletter. When you join, you also get early access to all of my lessons and 25% off all my TABs. Plus you get exclusive offers and weekly hints, tips and fingerstyle tricks, so why not join up?
Happy fingerpicking!
Author: Chris Murrin
Chris Murrin is a British guitar teacher who has dedicated his adult life to helping students master the guitar. A few years ago, in 2018, he founded Six String Fingerpicking so that he could help experienced and budding guitarists the world over to realise their fingerpicking goals.