If you are completely new to music and music reading, you may want to consider starting with a book from the Easy Fake Book series. All of the books below feature large musical notation, simple melodies and harmonies, and are written in the key of C. Books listed here are by type of music. Songs by time period, for example, the 1930s, are listed under the tab "Easy - Decade". Books are listed by publication date, starting with the most recent.

The Easy Latin Fake Book

100 Latin standards, in larger-than-usual fake book notation with lyrics and simplified harmonies and melodies. Includes:

Agua De Beber (Water to Drink) * Always in My Heart (Siempre En Mi Corazon) * Amor (Amor, Amor, Amor) * Besame Mucho (Kiss Me Much) * Blame It on the Bossa Nova * Brazil * Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White * A Day in the Life of a Fool (Manha De Carnaval) * Don't Cry for Me Argentina * Feelings (?Dime?) * The Girl from Ipanema (Garota De Ipanema) * How Insensitive (Insensatez) * La Cucaracha * Malaguena * Mambo #5 * A Man and a Woman (Un Homme Et Une Femme) * Meditation (Meditacao) * More (Ti Guardero Nel Cuore) * One Note Samba (Samba De Uma Nota So) * Perfidia * Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado) * Quizas, Quizas, Quizas (Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps) * So Nice (Summer Samba) * Speak Low * Wave * and more!

Hal Leonard, $19.99, ISBN-13: 9781423463719, 100 songs, 198pp, Jul '09


The Easy Country Fake Book

More than 100 country favorites all in the key of C, arranged with simplified harmonies and melodies and complete lyrics:

All My Ex's Live in Texas · Blue · Breathe · Cold, Cold Heart · Crazy · Daddy Sang Bass · Forever and Ever, Amen · Friends in Low Places · The Gambler · God Bless the U.S.A. · He Stopped Loving Her Today · Here You Come Again · I Fall to Pieces · I Love a Rainy Night · Jolene · Okie from Muskogee · Ring of Fire · Tennessee Waltz · Walkin' After Midnight · You Decorated My Life · Your Cheatin' Heart · and many more.

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9781423435679, 100 songs, 192pp, Nov '08


The Beatles Easy Fake Book

This super collection gathers 100 Beatles classics for beginners to play. The arrangements are in the key of C, and the engravings are all new and larger than most fake book notation. Songs include:

All You Need Is Love · And I Love Her · Back in the U.S.S.R. · Birthday · Come Together · Drive My Car · Eight Days a Week · Eleanor Rigby · Get Back · Here Comes the Sun · Hey Jude · I Saw Her Standing There · I Want to Hold Your Hand · Let It Be · The Long and Winding Road · Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds · Nowhere Man · Revolution · Twist and Shout · When I'm Sixty-Four · Yellow Submarine · and more.

Hal Leonard, $21.99, ISBN-13: 9781423452829, 100 songs, 224pp, Sep '08


The Easy Movie Fake Book

100 songs from the silver screen in larger-than-usual fake book notation and all in the key of C. Songs include:

Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now) · Alfie · Beauty and the Beast · Born Free · Breaking Free · Can You Feel the Love Tonight · The Candy Man · Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend · Endless Love · Footloose · I Will Remember You · Theme from "Jaws" · Moon River · My Heart Will Go on (Love Theme from 'Titanic') · The Rainbow Connection · Somewhere Out There · Take My Breath Away (Love Theme) · Unchained Melody · Up Where We Belong · When I Fall in Love · A Whole New World · and more.

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9781423425205, 100 songs, 229pp, Jul '07


The Easy Standards Fake Book

100 essential standards, in larger-than-usual fake book notation with lyrics and simplified harmonies and melodies. Includes:

Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea · C-Jam Blues · Caravan · The Girl from Ipanema (Garota De Ipanema) · Have You Met Miss Jones? · I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes) · I'll Take Romance · It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) · The Lady Is a Tramp · Nancy - With the Laughing Face · The Nearness of You · A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square · One Note Samba (Samba De Uma Nota So) · Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado) · So Nice (Summer Samba) · The Way You Look Tonight · and more.

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9781423425151, 100 songs, 187pp, Jul '07


The Easy Show Tunes Fake Book

100 more songs in our popular series of books for beginning fake book users. Includes:

And All That Jazz · Big Spender · I Don't Know How to Love Him · If I Were a Rich Man · Look for the Silver Lining · Lost in the Stars · Love Changes Everything · Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now · Mamma Mia · Ol' Man River · On My Own · The Other Side of the Tracks · The Phantom of the Opera · Popular · Shall We Dance? · So in Love · Standing on the Corner · Sunrise, Sunset · Tomorrow · and more.

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9781423427797, 100 songs, 240pp, Aug '07


The Easy Worship Fake Book

A beginning fake book for players new to "faking." Includes over 100 songs, all in the key of "C" with chords that have been simplified, but remain true to each tune. Also features easy-to-read, large music notation. Songs include:

Above All · Awesome God · Blessed Be Your Name · Breathe · Come, Now Is the Time to Worship · Days of Elijah · Forever · He Is Exalted · The Heart of Worship · Here I Am to Worship · I Could Sing of Your Love Forever · I Give You My Heart · Lord, I Lift Your Name on High · Open the Eyes of My Heart · · Shout to the Lord · Step by Step · We Bow Down · You Are My All in All · You Are My King (Amazing Love) · You're Worthy of My Praise · and more.

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9781423404668, 100 songs, 160pp, Jul '06


The Easy Classical Fake Book

Over 125 classical melodies including:

Air (from Water Music) (Handel) · Ave Maria (Schubert) · Canon (Pachelbel) · 1812 Overture, Excerpt (Tchaikovsky) · Eine kleine Nachtmusik, First Movement Theme (Mozart) · Fur Elise (Beethoven) · Habanera (from Carmen) (Bizet) · Humoresque (Dvorak) · Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring (J.S. Bach) · On the Beautiful Blue Danube (Strauss) · Pavane (Gabriel Faure) · The Stars and Stripes Forever (Sousa) · Wedding March (Mendelssohn) · and more.

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9781423401568, 100 songs, 200pp, May '06


The Easy Hymn Fake Book

Perfect for players new to "faking," the latest title in our popular "beginner" series of fake books features all songs in the key of C with large notation and simplified harmonies and melodies. This collection gathers more than 150 of the most beloved hymns of all time, and includes multiple verses. Songs:

Abide with Me · All Glory, Laud and Honor · All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name · Amazing Grace · Battle Hymn of the Republic · Be Thou My Vision · Blessed Assurance · The Church's One Foundation · Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing · Count Your Blessings · Faith of Our Fathers · God of Our Fathers · Higher Ground · How Firm a Foundation · I Love to Tell the Story · I Surrender All · In the Garden · Jesus Paid It All · Just As I Am · A Mighty Fortress Is Our God · Nearer, My God, to Thee · The Old Rugged Cross · Onward, Christian Soldiers · Rock of Ages · Sweet Hour of Prayer · This Is My Father's World · We Gather Together · and more!

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9780634047367, 150 songs, 160pp, Dec '02


The Easy Christmas Fake Book

Here is the second edition of this popular Easy Fake Book title which features large, easy-to-read notation, simplified harmonies and melodies, lyrics, and all songs in the key of C. This collection has been revised to include 100 of the most popular Christmas songs of all time, including:

And Suddenly It's Christmas · Away in a Manger · The Chipmunk Song · The Christmas Shoes · The Christmas Song · Christmas Time Is Here · Coventry Carol · Deck the Hall · Do They Know It's Christmas? · Feliz Navidad · Frosty the Snow Man · I'll Be Home for Christmas · Joy to the World · Pretty Paper · Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer · Silent Night · Silver Bells · Still, Still, Still · Sussex Carol · Wassail, Wassail · Who Would Imagine a King · Winds Through the Olive Trees · and more.

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9780634049118, 99 songs, 272pp, Jul '02


The Easy Broadway Fake Book

This addition to our popular series for faking neophytes features 100 fantastic Broadway tunes from more than 60 shows! All songs are in the key of C with large, easy-to-read notation, and chords that have been simplified, but remain true to each tune. Songs include:

All I Ask of You · Any Dream Will Do · Bali Ha'i · Beauty and the Beast · Bewitched · Bring Him Home · Camelot · Comedy Tonight · Consider Yourself · Edelweiss · Getting to Know You · I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face · The Impossible Dream (The Quest) · The Lady Is a Tramp · Let Me Entertain You · Luck Be a Lady · Mame · Memory · The Music of the Night · My Romance · On the Street Where You Live · One · People · Seasons of Love · September Song · The Surrey with the Fringe on Top · What I Did for Love · and more

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9780634041266, 102 songs, 192pp, Jan '02


The Easy Gospel Fake Book

A beginning fake book for players new to "faking"! This great collection contains over 100 favorite gospel songs all in the key of C. Each song features lyrics and simplified chords that remain true to each original tune, with large, easy-to-read music notation. Includes:

Amazing Grace · At Calvary · Because He Lives · Blessed Assurance · Church in the Wildwood · Do Lord · Give Me That Old Time Religion · He Touched Me · Higher Ground · His Eye Is on the Sparrow · His Name Is Wonderful · How Great Thou Art · I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy · I Saw the Light · I'll Fly Away · In the Garden · Just a Closer Walk with Thee · Mansion over the Hilltop · More Than Wonderful · The Old Rugged Cross · Precious Lord, Take My Hand · Precious Memories · Put Your Hand in the Hand · Rock of Ages · Shall We Gather at the River? · Sweet By and By · Turn Your Radio On · Upon This Rock · When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder · Whispering Hope · Will the Circle Be Unbroken · Wings of a Dove · and dozens more!

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9780634026645, 104 songs, 152pp, Sep '01


The Simplified Fake Book

The sequel to Your First Fake Book and The Easy Fake Book, this new collection includes 100 favorite songs all in the key of C, complete with lyrics and simplified chords that remain true to each tune. It also features convenient stay-open binding, introductions to make the arrangements sound more polished, and large, easy-to-read music notation that beginning or older players will love! The songs come from all musical genres - standards, rock, Broadway and the movies, love songs and more - and include:

Bad, Bad Leroy Brown, Bésame Mucho, Change the World, Could I Have This Dance, Crying, Danny Boy, Endless Love, Fever , Fire and Rain, Fly Me to the Moon, From a Distance, Heartbreak Hotel, I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face, It's a Small World, More, Piano Man, The Rainbow Connection, Sentimental Journey, So Far Away, Sunshine on My Shoulders, That's Amoré, There's No Business like Show Business, A Time for Us, Twist and Shout, Unexpected Song, Yellow Submarine, You Are My Sunshine, You'll Be in My Heart, and many more!

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9780634026553, 100 songs, 208pp, Jan '01


The Easy Fake Book

This follow-up to the popular Your First Fake Book includes over 100 more great songs that even beginning-level musicians can enjoy playing! It features the same larger notation with simplified harmonies and melodies, all songs in the key of C, and introductions for each song, to add a more finished sound to the arrangements. The songs are in many musical styles.

Alfie · All I Ask of You · All My Loving · Always on My Mind · Autumn in New York · Blue Skies · Cabaret · Crazy · Fields of Gold · Go the Distance · God Bless' the Child · Great Balls of Fire · Hey, Good Lookin' · How Deep Is Your Love · I'll Be There · If · Imagine · Jailhouse Rock · Kansas City · Memory · Michelle · Misty · My Girl · My Heart Will Go On · People · Stand by Me · Star Dust · Tangerine · Tears in Heaven · Tennessee Waltz · Unchained Melody · What a Wonderful World · What'll I Do? · You've Got a Friend · and more.

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9780634009051. 101 songs, 208pp, Jan '00


Your First Fake Book

An entry-level fake book! This book features larger-than-most fake book notation with simplified harmonies and melodies - and all songs are in the key of C. An introduction addresses basic instruction in playing from a fake book. Includes over 100 songs, including:

Ain't Misbehavin' · All the Things You Are · America the Beautiful · Beauty and the Beast · Bewitched · Blueberry Hill · Can't Help Falling in Love · Don't Get Around Much Anymore · Edelweiss · Getting to Know You · Heart and Soul · It Only Takes a Moment · Leaving on a Jet Plane · Let It Be · Love Me Tender · Maria · Mood Indigo · Satin Doll · Somewhere Out There · Try to Remember · When the Saints Go Marching In · Young at Heart · and more.

Hal Leonard, $19.95, ISBN-13: 9780793585038, 101 songs, 160pp, Jan '98


This page updated on February 16, 2024 .

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