25 Iconic Harmonica Riffs

So I thought it’d be fun to take 25 of the most iconic harmonica riffs from popular music over the last 50 years and just perform excerpts from each of them, to remind people about the POWER and VERSATILITY of our amazing little instrument.

Listed below is each song in the list with the year it was released, the key and position of the harmonica used, a link to the song on YouTube, and the harmonica tabs for the portion of the song I played in the video. I hope you have fun checking out these great songs!

The ’60s

Love Me Do by The Beatles

Mr. Tambourine Man by Bob Dylan

Work Song by Paul Butterfield

I Wanna Take You Higher by Sly & the Family Stone

#1Love Me Do
by The Beatles

From 1963, played on a C harmonica in 2nd pos, Key of G

Here are the main riff harmonica tabs for Love Me Do: 

-5 5 -4 -2 -2 -2 -2

-5 5 -4 -2 -2 -2 -2

In the next section, John Lennon plays two of the most difficult bends on harmonica – the middle bends on holes 2 and 3. Here are the harmonica tabs for the second section of Love Me Do:

-3” -3” 3 -2’

-2 -2” 2 -1

#2Mr. Tambourine Man
by Bob Dylan

From 1964, played on an E harmonica, 1st pos, Key of E

Mr. Tambourine man represents some of Bob Dylan’s finest harmonica work. You can find the complete song tabs here, but here are the harmonica tabs for the portion that I play in the video:

7   7 -7  -6  6  6    5

Hey mister tambourine man

5   -6 6    5   4 

Play a song for me

4 -4   5  6   6  5  -56  56

In the jingle jangle morning

-4   4   -4 5-4   4

I’ll come following you 

#3Work Song
by Paul Butterfield

From 1968, played on a Bb harmonica, 2nd pos, Key of F

All of the notes of this song are found in the blues scale. (If you don’t know what the blues scale is, you can see the tabs for it here). Here are the harmonica tabs:

-2 -2 -3’ 4 -4 -4 4 -4 -5

-2 -2 -3’ 4 -2 -2 -2 -2” -1 1

-2 -2 -3’ 4 -4’ -4 -4 4 -4 -5

-4 -4 -5 -4 -5 -4 -4’ -4

6 -5 -4 4 -3’ -2 -2 -2” -2 -3’ 

-2 -2 -3’ 4 -2 -2 -2” -2

-4’ -4   -4’ 4

-2 -3’ -4’ 4 -3’ 4 -3’ -2 -2” -2

#4I Wanna Take You Higher
by Sly & the Family Stone

From 1969, played on a D harmonica, 2nd position, key of A

Here are the harmonica tabs for what I play in the video:

-4’ -4 

3 -2” 3 -3’ 3 -2” 3 -3’ 3 -2” 3 -3’ 4 -4 -3’ 3 -2”

The ’70s

The Wizard by Black Sabbath

Roadhouse Blues by The Doors

When the Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin

Heart of Gold by Neil Young

If You Wanna Get to Heaven by Ozark Mt. Daredevils

Piano Man by Billy Joel

Boogie on Reggae Woman by Stevie Wonder

Miss You by The Rolling Stones

#5The Wizard
by Black Sabbath

From 1970, played on a D harmonica, 2nd position, Key of A

Here’s the harmonica tabs for the main riff that Ozzy Osbourne plays:

-2 -2” -2 

-2 -3’ 4 -45 45 -3’ 3 -2”

-2 -2” -2 

-2 -3’ 4 -45 45 -3’ 3 -2”

-2 -2” -2 

-2 -3’ 4 -45 45 -3’ 3 -2” -2

#6Roadhouse Blues
by The Doors

From 1970, played Little Feat’s John Sebastian on an A harmonica, 2nd position, Key of E

If you wanna learn to play this song like a total boss you might enjoy checking out my Beginner to Boss course.

Here are the harmonica tabs for Roadhouse Blues:

-2 -2 -2 -23 34 -23 (3x)

-23 4 -4 -4’ -3’ -2 (4x)

-2 -2 -23 34 -23 (3x)

-2 -3’ 4 -4’ -4 

-4 -4’ -3’ -2 -3’ -2 -2 (2x)

-2 -2 -23 34 -23 (4x)

#7When the Levee Breaks
by Led Zeppelin

From 1971, played on a Bb harmonica, 2nd position, Key of F

The portion of the solo I’m playing starts out

-6 -6 -6 -6’ -6

And then does a nice run alternating draws and blows down

-6 6 -5 5 -4 4

Followed by repeating the cool little lick

-4 -5 5 -4 4

And then shortening it to just repeating

-5 5

#8Heart of Gold
by Neil Young

From 1972, played on a G harmonica, 1st pos, key of G

You can check out all the harmonica tabs and my video lesson on how to play them over at my Heart of Gold harmonica lesson.

#9If You Wanna Get to Heaven
by Ozark Mt. Daredevils

From 1973, played on an F harmonica, 2nd position, Key of C

Here are the harmonica tabs in C for If You Wanna Get to Heaven. It’s kinda like a tongue twister to learn it at first, but once you get it, it’s a whole lotta FUN!

-2” -123 -123   123 123 

-3 -3” -123 123

-3 -3” -123 -123  123 123

-3 -3” -123 123

#10Piano Man
by Billy Joel

From 1973, played on a C harmonica, 1st position, Key of C

You can check out all the harmonica tabs for Billy Joel’s Piano Man, plus my step by step lessons on how to play it over on my Piano Man harmonica lesson. This is also a song that I cover extensively in a slow, step-by-step manner in my Beginner to Boss course.

#11Boogie On Reggae Woman
by Stevie Wonder

From 1974, played on an Ab harmonica, 1st position, key of Ab, this is one of my favorite harmonica songs to play.

Here are the harmonica tabs for the portion of Stevie Wonder’s Boogie On Reggae Woman harmonica solo that I play on the video:

8’ 8   8’ 8   8’  7 7   8’ 8  8’ 7 8’ 7 -6’ -6

(you can add in a -5 here if you want)

7 7 -8    8’ 8     8’ 8   9    8’ 8    8’ 8 8’    7  8’   8’ 8 7

#12Miss You
by The Rolling Stones

From 1978, played by the great Sugar Blue on a D harmonica, 2nd position, Key of Am

Here are the harmonica tabs for Sugar Blue’s main Miss You riff as played on the original Rolling Stones’ recording:

-2 -3’ 4 -3’ -2 -2” -2

-2 -3’ 4 -3’ -2 -2” -2

-2” -2 -3’ -2

The ’80s

On The Road Again by Willie Nelson

Karma Chameleon by The Culture Club

Dirty Old Town by The Pogues

#13On the Road Again
by Willie Nelson

From 1980, played on an A harmonica, in 2nd position, Key of E

This is some really tasty major pentatonic stuff played by Mickey Raphael, who has been Willie Nelson’s harmonica player since 1973, making him the luckiest player alive.

Here are the harmonica tabs for the portion of Mickey Raphael’s On the Road Again solo that I play in the video are:

-2 -3 -4 5 6 5 -4 

-7 -7 -6 -7 -6 -7 -6 -7 -7

-7 -6’ -6 6 5 -4 -3 -2

14 14 14 14 14 -14

-3” -3 -4 -3 -2

#14Karma Chameleon
by The Culture Club

From 1983, played on an Eb harmonica, 2nd position, Key of Bb

Here are the harmonica tabs for the cool harmonica intro to Karma Chameleon:

-1 2 -2 -3’ -3 -3” 3 -4’ -4 -4’ 4 -3 -2 -2 -2 -2” -2

#15Dirty Old Town
by The Pogues

From 1985, played on a D harmonica, 1st position, Key of D

This lyrical melody is a great one for beginners who know how to isolate notes, and one of the songs that I teach in my Beginner to Boss course.

Here are the harmonica tabs for the full intro to Dirty Old Town:

3 4 -4 5       4 -4 5 4 3    

5 6 -6’ -6   6 5 -4 4 5      

3 4 5 -4   4 

The ’90s

But Anyway by Blues Traveler

Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane

Last Dance with Mary Jane by Tom Petty

Cryin’ by Aerosmith

Got No Shame by Brother Cane

Runaround by Blues Traveler

You Don’t Know How It Feels by Tom Petty

Follow You Down by Tom Gin Blossoms

#16But Anyway
by Blues Traveler

From 1990, played on an E harmonica, 2nd position, Key of B

Here are the harmonica tabs for the intro solo to But Anyway that I play in the video:

-4’ -4   -4 -3 5 -4 -3 4 3 -3 -3” -2 -1 2 -2

-3 -3 -3” -2 -1 2 -2 -2” -2 -2

3 -3 3 4 3 -4 -4’ -3 -2 4 -4

4 -3 -2 -3 -3” -2 -1 2 -2

-2” -2 -2 -3 -3” -2 -1 2 -12 -12 -12 -12

#17Life is a Highway
by Tom Cochrane

From 1991, played on an F harmonica, 1st position, Key of F

This is another song that I cover extensively in my Beginner to Boss course.

#18Last Dance with Mary Jane
by Tom Petty

From 1993, played on a G harmonica, 3rd position, Key of Am

I had to tune this song up 20 cents (almost a full quarter-step) in order to be in tune with my G harmonica. However, in my Beginner to Boss  course, I do this song using a C harmonica, 3rd position, key of Dm, and provide a backing track to jam along with.

Here are the harmonica tabs for Last Dance with Mary Jane:

-56    56 -45 45     -56 56 -45

#19Cryin’
by Aerosmith

From 1993, played on an A harmonica, 1st position, key of A

Steven Tyler could be the poster boy for the Deep Relaxed Mouth Position, lol 😂. He’s got a big mouth and covers 4 holes at a time during this solo.

Here are the harmonica tabs for Cryin’ by Aerosmith:

678910    -78910 78910    -78910 78910 -78910

78910 -78910 5678 -3456 3456

#20Got No Shame
by Brother Cane

From 1993, played on a Db harmonica, 2nd position, Key of Ab

This is the most famous song that harmonica player Todd Price played on, but he also worked as a side man for Dickie Betts, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Albert Collins, and The Band, just to name a few.

Here are the harmonica tabs to Got No Shame that I play on the video:

-2” -2 -2 -3’ 4 -3’ 4 -3’ 4 -3’

-2” -2 -2 -3’ 4 -3’ 4 -3’ 4 -3’

-2” -2 -2 -3’ 4 -3’ 4 -3’ 4 -3’

#21Runaround
by Blues Traveler

From 1994, played on a C harmonica, 2nd position, Key of G

This is the most challenging iconic harmonica riff to play on this list, because of its speed and phrasing. 

Here are the harmonica tabs to the intro solo to Runaround:

-8 7 -7 7 -7 -6 6 -6 -6 -7 -6 6 5 

-4 -3 -2 4 -4 5 6

-6 -7  7’ 7  -7   7’ 7   -7  -8   -7 -6 6

8’ 8 (quick slide ghost notes 7 6) -8 7 -7

-8 7 -7 7 -7 -6 6

-6 -6 -7 -6 6 5 -4 -4 -4’ -3 -2 4 -3

#22You Don’t Know How it Feels
by Tom Petty

From 1994, played on an E harmonica, 1st position, Key of E

Tom Petty strikes back, proving that you don’t have to be a virtuoso to play some hard rockin’ harmonica riffs. This is another song that I teach slowly and extensively in my Beginner to Boss course.

Here are the harmonica tabs for You Don’t Know How it Feels:

45 45   -34 34 34  -23 23 23 23  -12 12 12

#23Follow You Down
by The Gin Blossoms

From 1996, played on a G harmonica, 1st position, Key of G

Here’s the harmonica tabs to Follow You Down:

6    -6’ -6   -6’ -6 -6 6  67 67

6 -5 5 -5’ -5 5 -4

The 2000s

Timber by Pitbull feat Kesha

Electric Worry by Clutch

#24Timber
by Pitbull feat Kesha

From 2013, played on an E harmonica, 2nd position, Key of B

This is a sped up sample from Lee Oskar’s 1978 song San Francisco Bay, from his Before the Rain album.

Here are the harmonica tabs to the riff on Timber:

2 -2 -2 -2 (ghost bend down and slide off)

-4 -3 -3” -2 -3’ -3 -4

-4’ -4 -3 -3” -2 2 -2 

#25Electric Worry
by Clutch

From 2015, played on a C harmonica, 2nd position, Key of G

This is a hard rockin harmonica riff for sure! And it’s a little bit challenging going from the -3’ half-step bend straight into the -2” whole-step bend.

Here are the harmonica tabs to Electric Worry:

-4’ -4 -4’ -3’ -2” -2

You can find all of these hits neatly put together down below:

And that’s my list of 25 iconic harmonica riffs from popular songs over the last 50 years. I hope you enjoyed it. Did I miss a song that you think should have been on there? Leave a comment below!

Keep on rocking the harmonica, and making the world a better place.