Banana Pancakes

How to play Banana Pancakes by Jack Johnson on guitar

These are the sounding chords. With a capo on fret 7 you play C, G, Dm, F, Em, Am, the shapes the player above shows.

Banana Pancakes is a relaxed, beginner-friendly song that feels easygoing and steady under your hands. In G major, it has a warm, laid-back flow that makes it a great choice for building confidence while still sounding musical right away.

Most of the song uses open shapes, so you can focus on clean changes between G, D, Am, C, and Em without fighting the fretboard. The main thing to watch is the move into Bm, since that barre shape takes more hand strength and accuracy than the open chords. The opening G - D - Am - G is a good example of the kind of smooth switching you need.

Start by looping the opening progression slowly until each change feels automatic. Then add the Bm section on its own, making sure the barre rings clearly before you connect it back to the open chords. Once the shapes feel secure, play the full song at a relaxed pace and gradually bring it up to tempo.

Use the play-along above to follow each chord change in time with the music, or learn the shapes first with the chord diagrams below.