Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man Chords
Before you play, tune your guitar and use the tools below to set up your view and flow.
Guitar C chord diagram
Guitar G chord diagram
Guitar Am chord diagram
[Opening]
[C] [G] [Am]
Well, Mama [C]told me, [G]when I was [Am]young.
Come sit be[C]side me, [G]my only [Am]son.
And listen [C]closely, [G]to what I [Am]say.
And if you [C]do this, it’ll [G]help you, some [Am]sunny day.
Oh yeah!
[interlude]
[C] [G] [Am]
[verse 2]
Oh, take your [C]time, [G]don’t live [Am]too fast.
Troubles will [C]come, [G]and they will [Am]pass.
Go find a [C]woman, [G]and you’ll find [Am]love.
And don’t for[C]get son, there is [G]someone up a[Am]bove.
[chorus]
And be a [C]simp[G]le kind of [Am]man.
Oh, be [C]something, [G]you love and under[Am]stand.
Baby, be a [C]simp[G]le kind of [Am]man.
Oh, won’t you [C]do this for me [G]son, if you [Am]can?
[interlude]
[C] [G] [Am]
[verse 3]
Forget your [C]lust, [G]for rich man’s [Am]gold,
All that you [C]need, [G]is in your [Am]soul.
And you can [C]do this, oh baby, [G]if you [Am]try.
All that I [C]want for you my [G]son, is to be [Am]satisfied.
[chorus]
And be a [C]simp[G]le kind of [Am]man.
Oh, be [C]something, [G]you love and under[Am]stand.
Baby, be a [C]simp[G]le kind of [Am]man.
Oh, won’t you [C]do this for me [G]son, if you [Am]can?
[interlude]
[C] [G] [Am]
[verse 4]
Boy, don’t you [C]worry, [G]you’ll find your[Am]self.
Follow your [C]heart, [G]and nothing [Am]else.
You can [C]do this, oh [G]baby, if you [Am]try.
All that I [C]want for you my [G]son, is to be [Am]satisfied.
[chorus]
And be a [C]simp[G]le kind of [Am]man.
Oh, be [C]something, [G]you love and under[Am]stand.
Baby, be a [C]simp[G]le kind of [Am]man.
Oh, won’t you [C]do this for me [G]son, if you [Am]can?
[Closing]
And be a [C]simp[G]le kind of [Am]man.
How to play Simple Man on Guitar (Step-by-step)
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man on guitar requires 3 chords and 3 core chord transitions. You can find the full step-by-step guide below. Before you start, tune your instrument. The song uses the ↓-↓↑ pattern; practice it muted first, or simplify to downstrokes while you learn the changes.
Simple Man uses these transitions most often: C → G (33), G → Am (33), and Am → C (32). These transitions may feel a little challenging at first, but with steady practice you can play this song quickly.When you are ready, begin with C - G chord transition.
1. C → G chord transition
To move from C to G;
- Lift your index finger from B string fret 1 and place it on A string fret 2.
- Slide your middle finger from D string fret 2 to E string fret 3.
- Lift your ring finger from A string fret 3 and place it on E string fret 3.
2. G → Am chord transition
To move from G to Am;
- Lift your index finger from A string fret 2 and place it on B string fret 1.
- Slide your middle finger from E string fret 3 to D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from E string fret 3 and place it on G string fret 2.
3. Am → C chord transition
To move from Am to C;
- Keep index finger on B string fret 1.
- Keep middle finger on D string fret 2.
- Lift your ring finger from G string fret 2 and place it on A string fret 3.
Simple Man chord transition analysis
A short, data-driven summary of the chord flow in Simple Man.
- Simple Man includes 98 chord transitions, 3 of them unique.
- These transitions represent 0.03% of all chord transitions in Chordier.
- Simple Man contains 2 of the top 10 transitions across Chordier.
- These transition patterns show how Simple Man connects to the rest of Chordier. Mastering them helps you move to similar songs faster.After C, the most likely next chords across Chordier are G (35%), F (16%), and D (11%).
- C → G: 35%
After G, the most likely next chords across Chordier are C (25%), D (24%), and Am (13%).- G → Am: 13%