"I Can See Clearly Now"
Due to copyright law, downloadable sheet music has been removed. Sheet music can be accessed through the video above.
Jam Track With No Guitar or Vocals
There's something about "I Can See Clearly Now" that makes people smile the moment they hear that opening line. It's one of those songs that feels made for a guitar, a porch, and good company, and today I want to show you how to play a campfire arrangement of it that you can take anywhere.
This isn't exactly what Johnny Nash recorded in 1972. I've adapted it so you can grab your guitar, play it with friends, and actually sing the whole thing without needing a full band behind you. That's the goal: a version that sounds great and is actually usable in real life.
What you'll need to know
This song is in the key of D major and sits at a comfortable 122 BPM in 4/4 time. The chord list is a bit longer than your average three-chord campfire song. You'll be working with D, G, A, C, F,, C# minor, and B minor, but don't let that intimidate you. Most of them show up in a logical order, and if your open chords are solid, you'll be able to handle most of the song right away.
The bridge does ask for bar chords, specifically the C# minor and G major using barre shapes. If those aren't quite there yet, I've got a free first module of the Bar Chord Masterclass waiting for you at GuitarFam.com. That'll get your hand in shape.
Strumming options for every level
One of my favourite things about this song is how many strumming approaches work beautifully with it. In the lesson I walk you through five levels:
Level 1 — All downstrokes, quarter notes. Simple and solid.
Level 2 — D D U D. Adds a little movement.
Level 3 — Classic D D U U D U. This is what I use in the full playthrough.
Level 4 — Adds muted strums for a groove that matches the band on the recording.
Level 5 — A bass note/full chord technique that really captures the feel of the original song.
Start with Level 1 and focus on getting through the whole song with clean chord changes. Then work your way up. The goal is always to play the whole song first, then refine.
Breaking down the song
The intro is just three measures of D. It’s an easy entry point, especially if you're warming up or nervous in front of people.
The verse follows a satisfying cycle: D → G → D → D, then D → G → A → A, then back to D → G → D → D. Once you've got those chord changes under your fingers, the verse will feel natural.
The chorus shifts to a half-time feel — you downshift to a simpler strumming pattern (down, down, down, down-up) and move through C → G →. That gear-change between verse and chorus is what gives the song its lift.
The bridge is the workout. You'll move through F, C, F, A, C# minor, G, C# minor, G, C, B minor, and A over two distinct halves. It's the most challenging part of the song, but also the most satisfying to nail. Take it chord by chord, work on adjacent changes, and bring it together slowly before adding the strumming.
How to practice it
My approach for any new song: first, make sure you can go directly to each chord cleanly on its own. Then work on adjacent chord changes in pairs — D to G, G to A, and so on. Once those feel smooth, add the strumming pattern to muted strings with a metronome. Then bring everything together, first without a backing track, then with one.
If strumming and timing are still a challenge, check out Guitar Foundations. It’s our free beginner course and it covers open chords, strumming, and timing from the ground up. It's a great place to fill in any gaps.
A song worth learning
"I Can See Clearly Now" is one of those songs that translates beautifully to solo guitar. The melody is singable, the feel is joyful, and it genuinely lands around a campfire or at a family gathering. If your goal is to have a repertoire of songs you can pick up and play anywhere, this one belongs in it.
Watch the full lesson and playthrough above, and grab the resources here on the site. I'll see you in the next one.
Nate