Learn to play "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister on the guitar

In this lesson, we'll learn how to play We're Not Gonna Take It on the guitar. This is Twisted Sister's We're Not Gonna Take It, a classic from the hair metal years. I still remember playing this when it came out, and we thought they looked tough. Looking back at the video clip, I realize it looks so much like pantomime to me now. But back in the day, it was like, "Yeah, rock and roll."

Introduction to Power Chords

This song is predominantly composed of power chords, which are a staple in rock and roll. Understanding power chords and their usage is essential for anyone interested in rock guitar. So, you'll need to be familiar with your power chords for this song. There's also a bit of palm muting going on.

Need a little help with power chords? Check out this lesson!

Rhythm and Chord Progression

The rhythm of this song is as catchy as the melody itself. The song starts with what I call riff number one, a progression from an E power chord, dropping down to a D#, then a C#, and finally to a B.

The verses consist of palm-muted power chords, starting with an open E power chord, moving to a B5 power chord, back to E, and then to A. The rhythm changes slightly towards the end of the verses, giving the song its unique groove.

The Chorus and Bridge

The chorus of the song continues with the E and B power chords. There's also a rhythmic element known as "pushing," where the B and A chords come in on the "and" after beat four instead of beat one.

The song's bridge brings in a new progression with D, C#, and B chords. After this progression repeats, there's a climb starting from E, followed by a build with a heavy palm mute.

Wrapping Up

So, there you have it! All the pieces you need to put together this song. It's a fun tune to play, especially if you're getting into heavy metal or rock guitar. This song has all the basic pieces, so it's a good one to start with before you move on to more complex songs.

Remember, learning guitar is all about having fun and enjoying the journey. I hope you'll have a lot of fun playing this song! Be sure to watch the video lesson for a more detailed breakdown of We're Not Gonna Take It by Twisted Sister.

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