Folk, Rock

After the Gold Rush Chords

Neil Young Beginner Key of D 4 Chords 3 min read

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

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Emtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

D · G · A · Em

After the Gold Rush Chords – Guitar

Neil Young’s haunting, dreamlike ballad from his 1970 album. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

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Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the chord shapes as written for the original recording key, or play without a capo for the key of D.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming

A D

Sayin’ something about a queen

D G

There were peasants singing and drummers drumming

A D

And the archer split the tree

D G

There was a fanfare blowing to the sun

A D

That was floating on the breeze

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 2

D G

There was a band playing in my head

D A

And I felt like getting high

D G

I was thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

D G

Thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 3

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flying

A D

In the yellow haze of the sun

D G

There were children crying and colors flying

A D

All around the chosen ones

D G

All in a dream, all in a dream

A D

The loading had begun

D G A D

They were flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

D G A D

Flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (D, G, A). Practice the D to G transition, as it happens frequently, and strum slowly to match the song’s melancholic pace.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Emtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

D · G · A · Em

After the Gold Rush Chords – Ukulele

Neil Young’s haunting, dreamlike ballad from his 1970 album. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the chord shapes as written for the original recording key, or play without a capo for the key of D.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming

A D

Sayin’ something about a queen

D G

There were peasants singing and drummers drumming

A D

And the archer split the tree

D G

There was a fanfare blowing to the sun

A D

That was floating on the breeze

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 2

D G

There was a band playing in my head

D A

And I felt like getting high

D G

I was thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

D G

Thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 3

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flying

A D

In the yellow haze of the sun

D G

There were children crying and colors flying

A D

All around the chosen ones

D G

All in a dream, all in a dream

A D

The loading had begun

D G A D

They were flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

D G A D

Flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (D, G, A). Practice the D to G transition, as it happens frequently, and strum slowly to match the song’s melancholic pace.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Emtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

D · G · A · Em

After the Gold Rush Chords – Piano

Neil Young’s haunting, dreamlike ballad from his 1970 album. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the chord shapes as written for the original recording key, or play without a capo for the key of D.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming

A D

Sayin’ something about a queen

D G

There were peasants singing and drummers drumming

A D

And the archer split the tree

D G

There was a fanfare blowing to the sun

A D

That was floating on the breeze

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 2

D G

There was a band playing in my head

D A

And I felt like getting high

D G

I was thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

D G

Thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 3

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flying

A D

In the yellow haze of the sun

D G

There were children crying and colors flying

A D

All around the chosen ones

D G

All in a dream, all in a dream

A D

The loading had begun

D G A D

They were flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

D G A D

Flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (D, G, A). Practice the D to G transition, as it happens frequently, and strum slowly to match the song’s melancholic pace.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Emtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

D · G · A · Em

After the Gold Rush Chords – Banjo

Neil Young’s haunting, dreamlike ballad from his 1970 album. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the chord shapes as written for the original recording key, or play without a capo for the key of D.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming

A D

Sayin’ something about a queen

D G

There were peasants singing and drummers drumming

A D

And the archer split the tree

D G

There was a fanfare blowing to the sun

A D

That was floating on the breeze

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 2

D G

There was a band playing in my head

D A

And I felt like getting high

D G

I was thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

D G

Thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 3

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flying

A D

In the yellow haze of the sun

D G

There were children crying and colors flying

A D

All around the chosen ones

D G

All in a dream, all in a dream

A D

The loading had begun

D G A D

They were flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

D G A D

Flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (D, G, A). Practice the D to G transition, as it happens frequently, and strum slowly to match the song’s melancholic pace.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Emtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

D · G · A · Em

After the Gold Rush Chords – Mandolin

Neil Young’s haunting, dreamlike ballad from his 1970 album. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the chord shapes as written for the original recording key, or play without a capo for the key of D.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming

A D

Sayin’ something about a queen

D G

There were peasants singing and drummers drumming

A D

And the archer split the tree

D G

There was a fanfare blowing to the sun

A D

That was floating on the breeze

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 2

D G

There was a band playing in my head

D A

And I felt like getting high

D G

I was thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

D G

Thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 3

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flying

A D

In the yellow haze of the sun

D G

There were children crying and colors flying

A D

All around the chosen ones

D G

All in a dream, all in a dream

A D

The loading had begun

D G A D

They were flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

D G A D

Flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (D, G, A). Practice the D to G transition, as it happens frequently, and strum slowly to match the song’s melancholic pace.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Emtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

D · G · A · Em

After the Gold Rush Chords – Harmonica

Neil Young’s haunting, dreamlike ballad from his 1970 album. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Ballad (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the chord shapes as written for the original recording key, or play without a capo for the key of D.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the knights in armor coming

A D

Sayin’ something about a queen

D G

There were peasants singing and drummers drumming

A D

And the archer split the tree

D G

There was a fanfare blowing to the sun

A D

That was floating on the breeze

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

D G A

Look at Mother Nature on the run in the nineteen-seventies

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 2

D G

There was a band playing in my head

D A

And I felt like getting high

D G

I was thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

D G

Thinking about what a friend had said

A D

I was hoping it was a lie

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Verse 3

D G D

Well, I dreamed I saw the silver spaceships flying

A D

In the yellow haze of the sun

D G

There were children crying and colors flying

A D

All around the chosen ones

D G

All in a dream, all in a dream

A D

The loading had begun

D G A D

They were flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

D G A D

Flying Mother Nature’s silver seed to a new home in the sun

Chorus

D G

I was lying in a burned out basement

A D

With the full moon in my eyes

D G

I was hoping for replacement

A D

When the sun burst through the sky

Practice tip: The song uses only three chords (D, G, A). Practice the D to G transition, as it happens frequently, and strum slowly to match the song’s melancholic pace.