Give Me The Night (George Benson) Guitar Lesson with Backing Tracks + TAB

In this Guitar Lesson, we explore TAB with plenty of variation and ideas for all sections, setting you up to play Give Me The Night in an improvised style, just like George Benson - Try it with Backing Tracks!

Give Me The Night | TAB

Let’s look at a variety of ways to play Give Me The Night. The original recording is layered with production and subtle variations, giving the impression that it’s effortless. Our goal is to make hard sound easy by internalising these ideas so you can improvise naturally.

Main Riff

The main riff stays consistent but can be varied with slides or pull-offs. The ending lick changes subtly each time. Learn it as written, then let your creativity take over—just like George does.

Verse

In the verse, the recording includes melodic licks alongside production. For live performance, a Nile Rodgers-style rhythm works well. Notice the similarity between Fm7 (VI) and Dbmaj7 (IV)—explore other positions on the neck to exploit these relationships.

Chorus

The chorus is short and follows the II–V progression in Ab. This can be embellished in numerous ways, allowing improvisation in a live setting.

Bridge

The bridge (II–I–VI–V in Gb) challenges unrehearsed bands. The standout Emaj7 has a Lydian feel, followed by Db7, which can be interpreted as Lydian Dominant (Lydian with a b7) if soloing. This section is ideal for practising modal shifts.