How to Play The Guitar Man Chords by Bread on Guitar
“The Guitar Man” is a classic rock song by the American band Bread, released in 1972. The song tells the story of a musician who travels from town to town, playing his guitar and drawing crowds, but never finding a place to belong. The song features a catchy melody, a smooth vocal performance, and some impressive guitar work. If you want to learn how to play “The Guitar Man” by Bread on guitar, here are some tips and resources to help you.
The Chords
The first thing you need to know is the chords for the song. The song is in the key of G major, and uses mostly basic chords that are easy to play. Here are the chords you will need, along with their fingerings:
[Intro] G C D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D x2 [Verse 1] G C D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D Who draws the crowd and plays so loud, baby, it's the guitar man G C D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D Who's gonna steal the show, you know, baby, it's the guitar man [Chorus I] Em C He can make you love, he can make you cry Em A He will bring you down and he'll get you high Cmaj7 Bm7 Something keeps him going miles and miles a day Am7 D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D to find another place to play [Verse 2] G C D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D Night after night who treats you right, baby, it's the guitar man G C D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D Who's on the radio, you go and listen to the guitar man [Chorus II] Em C When he comes to town and you see his face Em A And you think you might like to take his place Cmaj7 Bm7 Something keeps him drifting miles and miles away Am7 D searching for the songs to play [Bridge] Am AmM7 Am7 D Dsus4 D Then you listen to the music and you like to sing along G G/F# Em E7 You want to get the meaning out of each and every song Am AmM7 And you find yourself a message and some Am7 D Dsus4 D E Esus E Cmaj7 words to call your own and take them home [Solo] G C D Dsus4 D Dsus2 D x2 [Chorus III] Em C He can make you love, he can get you high Em A He will bring you down, then he'll make, make you cry Cmaj7 Bm7 Something keeps him moving, but no one seems to know Am7 D what it is that makes him go [Outro] Am AmM7 Am7 D Dsus4 D Then the lights begin to flicker and the sound is getting dim G G/F# Em E7 The voice begins to falter and the crowds are getting thin Am AmM7 Am7 But he never seems to notice, he's just got to find D Dsus4 D E Cmaj7 E Cmaj7 E another place to play….........Fade away…..… got to play… Cmaj7 E Cmaj7 E Cmaj7 E …… fade away………… Got to play…………...Fade away
The Strumming Pattern
The next thing you need to know is the strumming pattern for the song. The song has a moderate tempo and a steady groove, so you can use a simple strumming pattern.
You can apply this pattern to each chord in the song, changing chords on the first downstroke of each measure. You can also add some accents and variations to make it more interesting. You can listen to the original song or watch some video lessons to get a feel for the rhythm and timing.
The Coda Riff
The last thing you need to know is the coda riff that plays at the end of the song. This is a short but catchy guitar lick that repeats over the last few chords of the song. It sounds like this
You can play this riff using your index, ring, and pinky fingers on the A string. You can also slide between some of the notes to make it smoother. You can find the tablature and a video tutorial at Ultimate Guitar.
Conclusion
“The Guitar Man” by Bread is a great song to learn on guitar, whether you are a beginner or an intermediate player. It has a simple chord progression, a easy strumming pattern, and a fun coda riff. You can use the resources mentioned in this article to help you master the song and impress your friends. Remember to practice regularly, have fun, and enjoy playing “The Guitar Man” by Bread on guitar.
