Hello! Below you'll find my "Simple Man" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This song by Lynyrd Skynyrd is super simple, just three chords! Your playing can be as easy or complicated as you want it to be, and I give you a bunch of options in the video.
Enjoy!
Simple Man Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for Simple Man:
Simple Man Chords & Lyrics
[Intro]
| C | G | Am | Am | X4
| C | G | Am | Am | X4
[Verse 1]
C G Am
Well, Mama told me, when I was young
C G Am
Come sit beside me, my only son
C G Am
And listen closely, to what I say
C G Am
And if you do this, it'll help you, some sunny day (ah yea)
C G Am
Well, Mama told me, when I was young
C G Am
Come sit beside me, my only son
C G Am
And listen closely, to what I say
C G Am
And if you do this, it'll help you, some sunny day (ah yea)
[Instrumental Break]
A B C E D C G E D C A E G E G A
C G Am Am
A B C E D C G E D C A E G E G A
C G Am Am
[Verse 2]
C G Am
Oh, take your time, don't live too fast
C G Am
Troubles will come, and they will pass
C G Am
Go find a woman, yeah, and you'll find love
C G Am
And don't forget son, there is someone up above
[Chorus]
C G Am
And be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, be something, you love and understand
C G Am
Baby, be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?
C G Am
And be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, be something, you love and understand
C G Am
Baby, be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?
[Break]
| C | G | Am | Am |
| C | G | Am | Am |
[Verse 3]
C G Am
Forget your lust, for the rich man's gold
C G Am
All that you need, is in your soul
C G Am
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
C G Am
All that I want for you my son, is to be satisfied
Forget your lust, for the rich man's gold
C G Am
All that you need, is in your soul
C G Am
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
C G Am
All that I want for you my son, is to be satisfied
[Chorus]
C G Am
And be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, be something, you love and understand
C G Am
Baby, be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?
C G Am
And be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, be something, you love and understand
C G Am
Baby, be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?
(Oh yes I will)
[Solo]
| C | G | Am | Am | X5 (or less)
Then [Instrumental Break]
| C | G | Am | Am | X5 (or less)
Then [Instrumental Break]
[Verse 4]
C G Am
Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself
C G Am
Follow your heart, and nothing else
C G Am
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
C G Am
All that I want for you my son, is to be satisfied
C G Am
Boy, don't you worry, you'll find yourself
C G Am
Follow your heart, and nothing else
C G Am
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
C G Am
All that I want for you my son, is to be satisfied
[Chorus]
C G Am
And be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, be something, you love and understand
C G Am
Baby, be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?
C G Am
And be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, be something, you love and understand
C G Am
Baby, be a simple kind of man
C G Am
Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?
This document is the author's own work and represents his interpretation of this song. It's intended solely for private study, scholarship or research.
This chord chart is here only to support online learning. We recommend buying official transcripts from a licensed and reputable publisher.
Simple Man Piano Tips
1. Take It Slow: It's counterintuitive, but the quickest way to get comfortable and sound great playing a song is to practice it very slowly at first. Steady rhythm and counting are crucial to sounding like a pro, so let yourself get used to feeling the beat at a slow, easy tempo. Once you can nail "Simple Man" slowly, *gradually* speed it up. You'll sound much better than if you jumped in at full speed!
2. Use The Pedal Wisely: Utilize the sustain pedal to connect the chords smoothly, timing your lifts with the arrival of a new chord. For help with sustain pedal timing, check out this video.
3. Simplify if need be: "Simple Man" still sounds great even if you simply hold out the chords and ignore most of the rhythm patterns and extra details in the tutorial video. Feel free to keep it simple, especially if you sing while playing. As you get comfortable, you can always add the fancy stuff later.