Simple Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd | Guitar Chords

 

Simple Man – Lynyrd Skynyrd | Guitar Chords

Simple Man is one of the most popular acoustic guitar songs by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Released in 1973, the song features advice from a mother to her son about living a simple and meaningful life.

The song is an excellent choice for acoustic guitar players because of its memorable chord progression and beautiful picking pattern.

Song Information

Song: Simple Man
Artist: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Album: Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd
Year: 1973
Genre: Southern Rock / Acoustic Rock

Chords Used

C – G – Am – C – G – Am

The song is commonly played around the C major / A minor chord family.

Tuning: Standard EADGBE
Capo: Not required

For a simplified acoustic version, you can mainly use:

C | G | Am

Intro / Picking Pattern

The recognizable opening can be played using a repeating picking pattern around the chords.

Start with:

C → G → Am

Try picking the strings individually rather than strumming all the strings together.

A simple beginner approach is:

Bass → G → B → G → high E → G → B → G

Repeat the pattern while changing chords.

Take your time with the chord changes. The intro sounds much better when the notes are allowed to ring into each other.

Strumming Pattern

Once you are comfortable with the picking, you can play a strummed version using:

D – D U – U D U

Where:

D = Down
U = Up

For a more relaxed version:

D – D – D U

The song works especially well with gentle strumming rather than aggressive playing.

Chord Progression

The main progression is:

C → G → Am

This progression continues through much of the song.

You can think of the basic structure as:

C | G | Am | Am

Then return to:

C | G | Am

Lyrics with Chords

Verse 1

[C] Mama told me when I was young
[G] Come sit beside me, my only [Am] son
[C] And listen closely to what I [G] say
[Am] And if you do this it'll help you some sunny day

[C] Oh, yeah

Verse 2

[C] Oh, take your time, don't live too [G] fast
[Am] Troubles will come and they will pass

[C] You'll find a woman, yeah, and you'll find [G] love
[Am] And don't forget son there is someone up above

Chorus

[C] And be a simple kind of [G] man
[Am] Oh, be something you love and understand

[C] Baby, be a simple kind of [G] man
[Am] Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?

Verse 3

[C] Forget your lust for the rich man's [G] gold
[Am] All that you need is in your soul

[C] And you can do this, oh, baby, if you [G] try
[Am] All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied

Chorus

[C] And be a simple kind of [G] man
[Am] Oh, be something you love and understand

[C] Baby, be a simple kind of [G] man
[Am] Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?

[C] Oh, yes, I will

Verse 4

[C] Boy, don't you worry, you'll find your [G]self
[Am] Follow your heart and nothing else

[C] And you can do this, oh, baby, if you [G] try
[Am] All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied

Chorus

[C] And be a simple kind of [G] man
[Am] Oh, be something you love and understand

[C] Baby, be a simple kind of [G] man
[Am] Oh, won't you do this for me son, if you can?

Ending

[C] Baby, be a simple, be a simple [G] man
[Am] Oh, be something you love and understand

[C] Baby, be a simple kind of [G] man
[Am] Oh, be a simple kind of man

Let the final Am ring out.

Easy Version

If you're a beginner, don't worry about reproducing the original recording exactly.

Practice this progression first:

C → G → Am

Once you can change between these three chords smoothly, add the picking pattern.

Practice Exercise

Play each chord for four beats:

C – C – C – C
G – G – G – G
Am – Am – Am – Am

Then try the same progression with the picking pattern.

Guitar Tip

The intro picking is what gives Simple Man much of its character.

Don't rush it.

Let the notes ring together and concentrate on keeping your right hand consistent. Once you can play the intro comfortably, the rest of the song becomes considerably easier.

For a full acoustic performance, you can use:

Intro: Fingerpicking
Verse: Fingerpicking / light strumming
Chorus: Gentle strumming
Ending: Return to fingerpicking

This creates a nice dynamic change between the verses and chorus.

Difficulty

Beginner / Intermediate

The chords themselves are relatively easy. The main challenge is getting the picking pattern and chord changes smooth.

🎸 Happy playing!