How to Play Old Man Chords by Neil Young on Guitar

“Old Man” is a classic folk rock song by Neil Young, released in 1972 on his album Harvest. The song is about Young’s relationship with an elderly caretaker of his ranch, who inspired him to reflect on his own life and aging. The song features a simple but catchy acoustic guitar riff, accompanied by a banjo, a steel guitar, and a string section.

In this article, we will show you how to play “Old Man” by Neil Young on guitar, using chords, tabs, and strumming patterns. We will also explain the meaning and history of the song, and give you some tips on how to practice and perform it.

Chords

The chords for “Old Man” are mostly basic open chords, with some variations and embellishments. You will need to know how to play D, F, C, G, A, B, Dsus4, Am7, Em7, and Dm9 chords. You can find the chord diagrams for these chords in this website.

The song is in the key of D major, and uses a capo on the second fret. This means that the chords are actually played as if they were in the key of C major, but sound a whole step higher. For example, when you play a D chord with a capo on the second fret, it sounds like an E chord.

[INTRO]
F/D (5th Fret)   D5 D Dsus4 D D5
F/D (5th Fret)   D5 D Dsus4 D D5
F/D (5th Fret)                          D
Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were.
F/D (5th Fret)                          D
Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were.
 
[Instrumental]
F  C  G
D  F  C  F
 
[Verse]
D       F                 C                      G
Old man look at my life, Twenty four and there's so much more
D               F               C               F
Live alone in a paradise That makes me think of two.
D          F            C                    G
Love lost, such a cost, Give me things that don't get lost.
D                C
Like a coin that won't get tossed
F               G
Rolling home to you.
 
[Instrumental]
D  Am7  Em7  G
 
[Chorus]
D
Old man take a look at my life
      Am7      Em7   G
I'm a lot like you
D
I need someone to love me
     Am7       Em7   G
the whole day through
D
Ah, one look in my eyes
            Am7          Em7   G
and you can tell that's true.
 
[Instrumental]
D  F  C  G   D F C F
 
[Verse]
D           F                 C          G
Lullabies, look in your eyes, Run around the same old town.
D                 F
Doesn't mean that much to me
   C                 F
To mean that much to you.
D          F               C              G
I've been first and last, Look at how the time goes past.
D            C
But I'm all alone at last.
F               G
Rolling home to you.
 
[Instrumental]
D  Am7  Em7  G
 
[Chorus]
D
Old man take a look at my life
      Am7      Em7   G
I'm a lot like you
D
I need someone to love me
     Am7       Em7   G
the whole day through
D
Ah, one look in my eyes
            Am7          Em7   G
and you can tell that's true.
 
[Instrumental]
F/D (5th Fret)   D5 D Dsus4 D D5
 
[Outro]
F/D (5th Fret)                          D
Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were.
F/D (5th Fret)                          D
Old man look at my life, I'm a lot like you were.
 
F  C  G  D

Meaning and History

“Old Man” was written by Neil Young in 1971, after he bought a ranch in California. He was inspired by an old man who worked as a caretaker of the ranch, named Louis Avila. Young felt a connection with Avila, who was in his 60s at the time, and wondered how their lives were different and similar. He wrote the song as a tribute to Avila, and also as a reflection on his own life and aging.

Young recorded the song in 1971, with the help of some famous musicians, such as James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt, who sang backup vocals. He released the song in 1972, as the third single from his album Harvest. The song was well received by critics and fans, and reached number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has since become one of Young’s most popular and enduring songs, and has been covered by many artists, such as Johnny Cash, Lissie, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Tips

Here are some tips on how to practice and perform “Old Man” by Neil Young on guitar:

• Practice the chords and the riff separately, until you can play them smoothly and accurately.
• Practice the strumming pattern slowly, and gradually increase the speed. Use a metronome or a backing track to keep the tempo steady.
• Practice singing along with the guitar, or find a partner to sing with you. Pay attention to the lyrics and the melody, and try to convey the emotion of the song.
• Experiment with different variations and embellishments of the chords, the riff, and the strumming pattern. Make the song your own, and have fun with it.

Conclusion

“Old Man” is a classic folk rock song by Neil Young, that you can learn to play on guitar with some basic chords, tabs, and strumming patterns. The song is about Young’s relationship with an elderly caretaker of his ranch, who inspired him to reflect on his own life and aging. The song features a simple but catchy acoustic guitar riff, accompanied by a banjo, a steel guitar, and a string section.

We hope this article helped you learn how to play “Old Man” by Neil Young on guitar. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Happy playing!