The Old Man chords

by Finbar Furey
  • The Old Man was written by Phil Coulter in 1981. He is an Irish musician, songwriter and record producer from Derry, Northern Ireland.
  • The song can be found on the album Once When I Was released by Finbar Furey on May 15, 2011.
  • Music: Key of G Major in 4/4 time at ~ 88 bpm
  • Chords: G, A, Am, C, D, D7, E, Em
  • Capo on 3 if playing with the video (Bb Major)
Chart Legend
Numbered Circles: Fingers used to play chords   O: Optional Note
Barre Line: One finger holds down multiple strings   R: Root Note
Unmarked strings: Play open   X: Don't play string    B: Bass Note
G Major A Major Am C Major D Major D7 E Major Em
G Major A Major Am C Major D Major D7 E Major Em

The Old Man

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
              G     C     G     C
Intro: 4/4 ‖     |     |     |     ‖
     
       G                   C        
1. The tears have all been shed now
         D                  G  
   We've said our last good-byes
       E                               Am
   His soul's been bles-sed   And he's laid to rest
        A            D             
   It's now I feel a-lone

          G                C   
2. He was more than just a fa-ther
     D                G  
   A tea-cher my best friend
          E                       Am
   He can still be heard   In the tunes we shared
          A               D      D7    
   When I play them on my own |      |

        G                C  
3. As a boy he'd take me walk-ing
      D                   G  
   By moun-tain field and stream
        E                    Am
   He'd show me things   Not known to kings
         A                        D   
   Still se-cret be-tween him and me

            G              C  
4. Like the co-lors of the phea-sant
         D             G  
   As he ri-ses in the dawn
       E               Am
   And how to fish and make a wish
      A             D       D7   
   Be-side a Hol-ly Tree |      |

             C               G
Chorus: No I ne-ver will for-get him
           C               G
        He made me "what I am"
               C              
        And he may be gone
                   G       Em
        Me-mo-ries lin-ger on... and on |  𝄎  |
              Am        D7        G
        And I miss him... the old man   

          G     C     G     D     G     C     G     D
Instr: ‖(man)|     |     |     |     |     |     |     ‖

     G                     C  
5. I thought he'd live for-e-ver
      D                 G 
   He seemed so big and strong
       E                      Am
   The mi-nutes fly   And the years roll by
         A             D   
   For a fa-ther and a son

       G                  C  
6. And sud-den-ly when it hap-pened
             D               G 
   There was so much left un-said
      E                   Am
   No se-cond chance   To tell him thanks
       A                 D       D7 
   For ev'-ry-thing he's done |      |


             C               G
Chorus: No I ne-ver will for-get him
           C               G
        He made me "what I am"
               C              
        And he may be gone
        G                  Em
        Me-mo-ries lin-ger on... and on |  𝄎  |
              Am        D7        G
        And I miss him... the old man     

           G     C     G     D   
        ‖(man)|     |     |     ‖ 

      G              C                  G      D
        Fa-ther... I sing this song for you |     |
      G              C                  G      D
        Fa-ther... I sing this song for you |     |
      G              C                  G      D
        Fa-ther... I sing this song for you |     |
      G              C                  G      D
        Fa-ther... I sing this song for you |     |...

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