Chords + Lyrics | Twist & Shout
Intro
| N.C (A B C#) | D G5 A5 | A5 (C#) |
| D5 G5 A5 |
Verse 1
||: A5 (C#) | D G5 A5 :||
Well, shake it up, baby, now (shake it up, baby).
Twist and shout (twist and shout).
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, baby, now (come on baby).
Come on and work it on out (work it on out).
Verse 2
Well, work it on out (work it on out).
You know you look so good (look so good).
You know you got me going now (got me going).
Just like I knew you would (like I knew you would).
Verse 3
Well, shake it up, baby, now (shake it up, baby).
Twist and shout (twist and shout).
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, baby, now (come on, baby).
Come on and work it on out (work it on out).
Verse 4
You know you twist, you little girl (twist, little girl).
You know you twist so fine (twist so fine).
Come on and twist a little closer now (twist a little closer).
| A5 (C#) | D G5 A5 | A5 |
And let me know that you’re mine (let me know you’re mine). Oooh.
Instrumental
||: D5 (F#) G A | N.C (D G F#) :|| x4
Bridge
||: A5 | A5 :|| A5 |
Ah, ah, ah, ah, wow, ah, yeah.
Verse 5
Well, shake it up, baby, now (shake it up, baby).
Twist and shout (twist and shout).
C’mon, c’mon, c’mon, c’mon, baby, now (come on, baby).
Come on and work it on out (work it on out).
Verse 6
You know you twist, you little girl (twist, little girl).
You know you twist so fine (twist so fine).
Come on and twist a little closer now (twist a little closer).
And let me know that you’re mine (let me know you’re mine).
Verse 7
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now (shake it up, baby).
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now (shake it up, baby).
| A5 (C#) | D5 G5 A5 | A5 |
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now (shake it up, baby).
End
| A5 | A5 | A5 | (A Bb B C C#) | D N.C D9 |
Ah, ah, ah, ah!
Twist & Shout Chords: A Look at the Timeless I-IV-V Pattern
Twist & Shout is a perfect example of a timeless cover that continues to work, even six decades after its release. At its core, it’s a fantastic take on the classic I – IV – V progression, so let’s break down the chords.
Verse
The verse follows a V – I – IV – V pattern, with the I chord cleverly hidden in the middle, creating a desire to hear it again, like this:
||: A5 (V) | D (I) G5 (IV) A5 (V) :||
Intstrumental
The intro and instrumental section follow a similar progression, but with slight variations. The notes in brackets represent the bass line leading into the riff:
| N.C (A B C#) | D G5 A5 | A5 (C#) |
| D5 G5 A5 |
Bridge
A notable reference to the bridge section appears in David Bowie and Nile Rodgers’ 80s hit Let’s Dance. This part builds on an A chord, like this:
||: A5 | A5 :|| A5 |
I personally like to follow the climbing backing vocals by changing the inversions of the A chord, but that’s just a stylistic preference!
I’ve prepared some TAB for the main riff, the instrumental section, and the build-up, incorporating the backing vocals to keep the band on track, as well as the legendary end.
Here’s a link to the TAB lesson: Twist & Shout – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Once you’ve mastered the fretboard for these chords, all you need is this chord chart as a quick reference.
Twist & Shout Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download this chart, here’s a PDF: Twist & Shout chord chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: Twist & Shout iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
Twist & Shout TAB | Course Preview
In the course, you get TAB for all sections, including a modified version of the build-up where the backing vocals are cleverly woven into the guitar part.
As a preview, here’s the main rhythm part used for both the verse and chorus.
Twist & Shout: A Cover by The Beatles
The Beatles sharpened their skills by performing covers, most notably in Hamburg nightclubs during the early ‘60s. One of the songs they learned and somewhat modified was Twist & Shout, originally written by the Top Notes. However, it was the Isley Brothers’ version, released in 1962, that closely resembles The Beatles’ interpretation.
The original Twist & Shout was released in 1961, produced by Phil Spector, and while the Isley Brothers’ version charted at #2 on the Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles, it was their addition of a bridge section that significantly shaped the version The Beatles heard.
The Beatles recorded Twist & Shout for their first album, Please Please Me, in 1963, and released it as a single in the U.S. in early 1964.
While Twist & Shout was not their first U.S. hit—She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand, I Saw Her Standing There, and Please Please Me had already charted—the song contributed to The Beatles’ incredible success. Between the fall of 1963 and the spring of 1964, they sold almost 9 million singles in the U.S. Beatlemania was undeniably real!
Twist & Shout Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: Twist & Shout (The Beatles) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
