David Bowie - The Man Who Sold the World
Hello! Below you'll find my "The Man Who Sold the World" chords & lyrics chart as well as a tutorial video on how to play the piano accompaniment.
This legendary song by David Bowie sounds great on piano. The Nirvana cover is also fantastic and this version takes a few ideas from their recording. I teach a chord based accompaniment, and of course - that iconic riff.
Enjoy!
The Man Who Sold the World Piano Tutorial
Here's a piano tutorial video for The Man Who Sold the World:
The Man Who Sold the World Chords & Lyrics
[Intro]
| A | A | Dm | Dm | F | F |
| A | A | Dm | Dm | F | F |
[Verse 1]
Dm A7
We passed upon the stair
Dm
We spoke of was and when
A7
Although I wasn't there
F
He said I was his friend
C
Which came as some surprise
A7
I spoke into his eyes
Dm
I thought you died alone
| C | C |
A long long time ago
[Chorus 1]
C F Bbm/Db F
Oh no, not me, I never lost control
C F
You're face to face
Bbm/Db (A)
With the man who sold the world
C F Bbm/Db F
Oh no, not me, I never lost control
C F
You're face to face
Bbm/Db (A)
With the man who sold the world
[Instrumental 1]
| A | A | Dm | Dm | F | F |
| A | A | Dm | Dm | F | F |
[Verse 2]
Dm A7
I laughed and shook his hand
Dm
And made my way back home
A7
I searched for form and land
F
For years and years I roamed
C
I gazed a gazely stare
A7
At all the millions here
Dm
We must have died alone
| C | C |
A long long time ago
For years and years I roamed
C
I gazed a gazely stare
A7
At all the millions here
Dm
We must have died alone
| C | C |
A long long time ago
[Chorus 2]
C F Bbm/Db F
Who knows, not me, we never lost control
C F
You're face to face
Bbm/Db (A)
With the man who sold the world
C F Bbm/Db F
Who knows, not me, we never lost control
C F
You're face to face
Bbm/Db (A)
With the man who sold the world
[Instrumental 2]
| A | A | Dm | Dm | F | F | Dm | Dm |
| A | A | Dm | Dm | F | F | Dm | Dm |
[Chorus 3]
C F Bbm/Db F
Who knows, not me, we never lost control
C F
You're face to face
Bbm/Db (A)
With the man who sold the world
C F Bbm/Db F
Who knows, not me, we never lost control
C F
You're face to face
Bbm/Db (A)
With the man who sold the world
[Outro]
| A | A | Dm | Dm | F | F | Dm | Dm :||
| A | A | Dm | Dm | F | F | Dm | Dm :||
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.
The Man Who Sold the World 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 "The Man Who Sold the World" 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: "The Man Who Sold the World" 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.
