Mike Moxcey ©2005

Three Chord Songs

Now we’re ready to add a third chord. Granted, the seventh chord I suggested earlier is a different chord, but this new chord is completely different. It’s not a new variety of an existing chord.

Of course, the chord has to be a specific one. Just as earlier, if we were going to start with C, then we needed the G chord to complete the song, now we need to add the F chord.

I know it seems we’re going slow, but adding this extra chord lets us play 90% of all blues, rock, country, folk and bluegrass music.

Chord Triumvirates

Choose one of these three sets of chords. Play them on your instrument and see which ones finger the easiest and sound the best.

 I  IV  V 
CFG
DGA
GCD
ADE
FBbC
It helps right now to start thinking of them as the One-Four-Five chords.


This Old Man

Each bar (|) is the end of one line of the song.
I / / / | IV / V / |I / / / | V / I / |
This old man, he played one,
he played knick knack on my thumb
with a knick knack paddy whack give a dog a bone
this old man came rolling home.

Try to translate your chords to the I-IV-V. If you have a hard time, write them down.


Here it is again but with the actual chords written in for the four “regular” keys most guitarists play in. Again, each bar (|) is the end of one line of the song. Only choose one of the lines to play the whole song. But feel free to try another line of chords for a different version of the song.
Key of C: C / / / | F / G / |C / / / | G / C / |

Key of D: D / / / | G / A / |D / / / | A / D / |

Key of G: G / / / | C / D / |G / / / | D / G / |

Key of A: A / / / | D / E / |A / / / | E / A / |
This old man, he played one,
he played knick knack on my thumb
with a knick knack paddy whack give a dog a bone
this old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played two; he played knick knack on my shoe
with a knick knack paddy whack give a dog a bone
this old man came rolling home.

This old man, he played three; he played knick knack on my knee, with a...

This old man, he played four; he played knick knack on my door….

This old man, he played five…on my hive …

This old man, he played six … on some sticks …

This old man, he played seven … up in heaven …

This old man, he played eight … on my gate …

This old man, he played nine … on my spine …

This old man, he played ten … once again …


This may seem like a stupid song to learn, but at least you can use it to verify your rhythm is correct. If you can’t play this through without stopping, then what makes you think you can play through a “real” song? If you get bored, make up some other words. I have played this to rave reviews at bars. Everyone knows the words and you can make up bawdy words (and call the song “This Dirty Old Man”).

Make sure the timing stays smooth.

Do Not Stop singing to let the rhythm catch up.

Slow down to make the rhythm even or just drop a strum here or there.
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