Mary Jane's Last Dance

How to play Mary Jane's Last Dance by Tom Petty on guitar

This song is worth learning because it has a strong, driving feel and a memorable groove that sits well under your hands. At about 120 BPM, it feels steady and energetic, so you can focus on locking into the pulse and making the changes sound clean.

You can start with the open shapes, since Am and G are friendly to grab quickly, but the chart also includes harder barre shapes if you need them later. The main change to watch is the opening back-and-forth between Am and G, which needs to stay even and controlled so the rhythm does not rush.

First, practice the opening progression slowly and loop it until the switch between Am and G feels automatic. Then bring the rest of the chart in one change at a time, keeping your hand relaxed. Once the moves are solid, raise the tempo in small steps until you can play it smoothly all the way through.

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.