playing this song, and can figure out most of Mr Greens lead by ear, but im also trying to fit it to my knowledge of scales and what not, so i actually learn from the song.

It seems to me its in Amaj, but i cant be sure as some of the Amaj scale doesnt sound good over it.

Is he mixing and matching different keys?

--------------------------A----------------------------A7
I need someone's hand, to lead me through the night

------------D----------------------------Ebdim
I need someone's arms, to hold and squeeze me tight

-------------A---------------F#m-Bm---------E
Now when the night begins, I'm at an end

--------------A-----D7-----------A E7
Because I need your love so bad.


(key of A)

Gary Moore does a good version too.

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Largely Amaj pentatonic with a single minor 3rd (C) bent up to the 4th (D) thrown in. As all good blues players move inbetween major and minor pentatonics.

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No no and no

Just like Key to the Highway or Nobody Knows you you When your Down and out 8 bar blues have some of the most tasteful playing you will here. You also have to approach them a bit different.On Need Your Love So Bad you should be able to pull just about the whole thing off in A maj pentaonic in 14th position which would be the same shape as F# minor pentatonic but you just have to remember A is the root so you wind up ending your phrases hanging on the A note on the 14th fret of the G string. There are also a lot of half tone bends. The double stop phrase that ends the outro is 10th fret on the B and 11th fret on the G played to 13th B and 14th G then you go down chromatically on 10 E 12 B -11 E 13 B - 12 E 14 B. I love this classic and used to play it a lot so though I dont have a guitar in my hand the double stops should be right. It gets scary the longer I have not played the more I forget. Anyway remember it is a feel piece and vibrato is very important in a tune like this. Good luck and have fun and you should nail it.