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Loverboy - Working for the Weekend - Guitar Lesson

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Loverboy - Working for the Weekend - Guitar Lesson

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Loverboy - Working for the Weekend guitar lesson video
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Classic Rock

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Get Lucky album cover
Get Lucky
1981 3:41
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Loverboy Rock 1981 E major
Capo Advisor 0 E major · Original key

Working for the Weekend

"Working for the Weekend" is a rock anthem by Canadian band Loverboy, released in 1981 as the lead single from their second studio album, Get Lucky. Written by guitarist Paul Dean alongside vocalist Mike Reno and drummer Matt Frenette, the song reached number two on Billboard's Rock Top Tracks chart and later earned a spot on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of the 80s. For electric guitarists, it offers a solid introduction to the melodic hard rock riffing and rhythm work that defined early 1980s arena rock.

  • Guitarist Paul Dean co-wrote the song, making it a strong study in melodic hard rock riff construction.
  • Produced by Bruce Fairbairn, who became one of the most sought-after rock producers of the 1980s.
  • The song peaked at number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Rock Top Tracks chart.
Fender Stratocaster
Guitar

Fender Stratocaster

Paul Dean's modified Strats featured bridge humbuckers that transformed the guitar's natural brightness into a thick, aggressive tone perfect for Loverboy's power chords. Hot-rodded electronics let him switch between humbucker punch and single-coil clarity across the keyboard-heavy arrangements.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Dean wielded Les Pauls for their inherent warmth and sustain, complementing his humbucker-equipped Strats and providing the thick, woody foundation needed to cut through Loverboy's synth-laden production.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom gave Dean an even more refined, high-output tone that paired perfectly with his Marshall's natural breakup, delivering the sustained, full-bodied lead lines that defined Loverboy's arena rock sound.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Dean's JCM800 heads drove 4x12 cabinets with moderate gain that thickened power chords and added sustain while preserving note definition, with prominent mids designed to slice through Loverboy's keyboard-heavy mix.

ISP Decimator Noise Gate
Pedal

ISP Decimator Noise Gate

The ISP Decimator kept Dean's layered studio tracks tight and noise-free, essential for controlling the high-output humbucker signal and maintaining clarity across Loverboy's complex multi-tracked arrangements.

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