HEART OF GOLD
Neil Young
1972 - No. 1 Single (Reprise)
This is my favorite song of all time. I hope my tab does it justice.
-Chords used in this song:
Em: 0 C: 0 D: 2 G: 3
0 1 3 0
0 0 2 0
2 2 0 0
2 3 0 2
0 0 - 3
-Note: “x” means mute, “/” marks the main beat
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
OPENING RIFF
Em D Em Em D Em
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
E ----0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0-------------0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0---------
B ----0-0-0-0-0-0-3---3-0-------------0-0-0-0-0-0-3---3-0---------
G ----0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0-------------0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0---------
D 2---2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2-------2-2---2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2-------2-
A --2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2-----2-----2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2-----2---
E ----0-0-0-0-0-0-------0---03--------0-0-0-0-0-0-------0---03----
FIRST HARMONICA SOLO: I’ve tabbed out the notes for use with a guitar. The first line below is the background guitar, while the second and third lines are the harmonica part.
Em C D G
/ / / / / / / /
E 0-0-0--00-0-0--02-2-2--23-3-3--3
B 0-0-0--01-1-1--13-3-3--30-0-0--0 Repeat twice. This tabulation
G 0-0-0--00-0-0--02-2-2--20-0-0--0 is only a rendition of my own strum;
D 2-2-2--22-2-2--20-0-0--00-0-0--0 you can use your own if you want.
A 2-2-2--23-3-3--30-0-0--02-2-2--2
E 0-0-0--00-0-0--0--------3-3-3--3
Em C D G Em C D G
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
E ----------------------------------------3---0---0---------------
B ------0-3---10----------------------3--------3------3-0---------
G ----0-----------2---0-------------------------------------------
D ----------------------0-----------------------------------------
A ----------------------------------------------------------------
E ----------------------------------------------------------------
Em C D G
/ / / / / / / /
E --------------------------------
B -------000-000-01---0-----------
G ----00----------------0---------
D --------------------------------
A --------------------------------
E --------------------------------
PLAY RIFF AGAIN, BUT ONLY ONCE:
Em D Em
/ / / / / / / /
E ----0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0---------
B ----0-0-0-0-0-0-3---3-0---------
G ----0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0---------
D 2---2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2-------2-
A --2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2-----2---
E ----0-0-0-0-0-0-------0---03----
Now you should begin the same “Em-C-D-G” cycle you played during the harmonica solo. Play three cycles while the vocals are going.
REFRAIN: play twice.
Em G C G
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
E 0---0-0-0-0-0-0-3-xx3-3-xx3-3---0-0-xx0-0-00----0-0---3---3-3-3-
B 0---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-xx0-0-xx0-0---1-1-xx1-1-11----1-1---0---0-0-0-
G 0---0-0-0-0-0-0-0-xx0-0-xx0-0---0-0-xx0-0-00----0-0---0---0-0-0-
D 2---2-2-2-2-2-2-0-xx0-0-xx0-0---2-2-xx2-2-22----2-2---0---0-0-0-
A 2---2-2-2-2-2-2-2-xx2-2-xx2-2---3-3-xx3-3-33----3-3---2---2-2-2-
E 0---0-0-0-0-0-0-3-xx3-3-xx2-2---0-0-xx0-0-00----0-0---3---3-3-3-
SECOND HARMONICA SOLO: play the “Em-C-D-G” loop three times as backup. Note: the harmonica solo starts during the last beat of the refrain, as indicated.
Em C D G Em C D G
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
E ----------------------------------------3---7-7-----0---0-----------
B --3-3-----------10--1-0-------------------------03----3---30--------
G 0----------------------0--------------------------------------------
D --------------------------------------------------------------------
A --------------------------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------------------------
Em C D G
/ / / / / / / /
E 33-3----------------------------
B ----3-30-0------------00--0-----
G --------------0-2-0-2-------20--
D ----------0-2-------------------
A --------------------------------
E --------------------------------
Now play the riff again, only once.
Play the “Em-C-D-G” continuum for the second verse, and play the refrain as shown before.
THIRD HARMONICA SOLO: like the other solos, play the “Em-C-D-G” loop as backup. As in the second solo, this final one starts in the last beat of the refrain.
Em C D G Em C D G
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
E 33--3---0---3---0---0----0--------------------------0-3-0-----------
B ---3-----3-------3------3---3---------3-3-33-3-----3------3---------
G ----------------------------------------------0-00---------0--------
D --------------------------------------------------------------------
A --------------------------------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------------------------------
Em C D G
/ / / / / / / /
E --3---3-3---0-----0-------------
B -----3----3--3--------3-0-------
G --------------------------------
D --------------------------------
A --------------------------------
E --------------------------------
Now you play a version of the riff:
Em D Em Em D Em
/ / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
E ----0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0---0-0---0---0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0---0-0---0---
B ----0-0-0-0-0-0-3---3-0---0-0---0---0-0-0-0-0-0-3---3-0---0-0---0---
G ----0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0---0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0---0-0-0-0---
D 2---2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2---2-2-0-2---2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2---2-2-0-2---
A --2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2---2-2-0-2---2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2---2-2-0-2---
E ----0-0-0-0-0-0-------0---0-0-0-0---0-0-0-0-0-0-------0---0-0-0-0---
Em G D Em
/ / / / / / / /
E 0-0-0-0-3-3-2---2-0---0-0---0---
B 0-0-0-0-0-0-3---3-0---0-0---0---
G 0-0-0-0-0-0-2---2-0---0-0-0-0---
D 2-2-2-2-0-0-0---0-2---2-2-0-2---
A 2-2-2-2-2-2-0---0-2---2-2-0-2---
E 0-0-0-0-3-3-------0---0-0-0-0---
Now play the refrain. Make sure you make a big deal of that last G-chord when the song ends.
Em G C G
/ / / / / / / / / / / / /
E 0-0-0-0-0-0-3-xx3-3-xx3-3---0-0-xx0-0-00----0-0---3---------------
B 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-xx0-0-xx0-0---1-1-xx1-1-11----1-1---0---------------
G 0-0-0-0-0-0-0-xx0-0-xx0-0---0-0-xx0-0-00----0-0---0----FADE OUT---
D 2-2-2-2-2-2-0-xx0-0-xx0-0---2-2-xx2-2-22----2-2---0---------------
A 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-xx2-2-xx2-2---3-3-xx3-3-33----3-3---2---------------
E 0-0-0-0-0-0-3-xx3-3-xx2-2---0-0-xx0-0-00----0-0---3---------------
**********
I hope this tab was helpful to you. If you prefer to strum it your own way, just ignore the details of the tabs and focus on the chords.
If I’ve made any major mistakes, please let me know.
~Fogle
