Neil Young’s epic, sprawling tale of the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs. Intermediate difficulty in the key of E.
Slow Rock (4/4 Time)
↓↓↑↑↓↑
123456
Tip: This song relies heavily on feel and sustain; let the chords ring out and use a slow, deliberate strumming pattern.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Intro/Verse 1
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
With his galleons and guns
A
Looking for the new world
E
In that palace in the sun.
E
On the shore lay Montezuma
C#m
With his coca leaves and pearls
A
In his halls he often wondered
E
With the secrets of the worlds.
Verse 2
E
And his subjects
C#m
Gathered ’round him
A
Like the leaves around a tree
E
In their clothes of many colors
E
For the angry gods to see.
C#m
And the women all were beautiful
A
And the men stood straight and strong
E
They offered life in sacrifice
E
So that others could go on.
Verse 3
E
Hate was just a legend
C#m
And war was never known
A
The people worked together
E
And they lifted many stones.
E
They carried them to the flatlands
C#m
And they died along the way
A
But they built up with their bare hands
E
What we still can’t do today.
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Verse 4
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
Cortez, Cortez
A
What a killer.
E
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Outro Solo
EC#mAE
(Repeat and fade)
Practice tip: Master the E, C#m, and A chord shapes first, then focus on the slow, hypnotic timing and the long pauses between lyrical phrases that define this song’s mood.
Emtap to play
Dtap to play
Amtap to play
Gtap to play
Ctap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Intermediate
Tuning
G-C-E-A
Chords
Em · D · Am · G · C
Neil Young’s epic, sprawling tale of the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs. Intermediate difficulty in the key of E.
Slow Rock (4/4 Time)
↓↓↑↑↓↑
123456
Tip: This song relies heavily on feel and sustain; let the chords ring out and use a slow, deliberate strumming pattern.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Intro/Verse 1
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
With his galleons and guns
A
Looking for the new world
E
In that palace in the sun.
E
On the shore lay Montezuma
C#m
With his coca leaves and pearls
A
In his halls he often wondered
E
With the secrets of the worlds.
Verse 2
E
And his subjects
C#m
Gathered ’round him
A
Like the leaves around a tree
E
In their clothes of many colors
E
For the angry gods to see.
C#m
And the women all were beautiful
A
And the men stood straight and strong
E
They offered life in sacrifice
E
So that others could go on.
Verse 3
E
Hate was just a legend
C#m
And war was never known
A
The people worked together
E
And they lifted many stones.
E
They carried them to the flatlands
C#m
And they died along the way
A
But they built up with their bare hands
E
What we still can’t do today.
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Verse 4
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
Cortez, Cortez
A
What a killer.
E
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Outro Solo
EC#mAE
(Repeat and fade)
Practice tip: Master the E, C#m, and A chord shapes first, then focus on the slow, hypnotic timing and the long pauses between lyrical phrases that define this song’s mood.
Emtap to play
Dtap to play
Amtap to play
Gtap to play
Ctap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Intermediate
Left Hand
Root notes
Chords
Em · D · Am · G · C
Neil Young’s epic, sprawling tale of the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs. Intermediate difficulty in the key of E.
Slow Rock (4/4 Time)
↓↓↑↑↓↑
123456
Tip: This song relies heavily on feel and sustain; let the chords ring out and use a slow, deliberate strumming pattern.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Intro/Verse 1
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
With his galleons and guns
A
Looking for the new world
E
In that palace in the sun.
E
On the shore lay Montezuma
C#m
With his coca leaves and pearls
A
In his halls he often wondered
E
With the secrets of the worlds.
Verse 2
E
And his subjects
C#m
Gathered ’round him
A
Like the leaves around a tree
E
In their clothes of many colors
E
For the angry gods to see.
C#m
And the women all were beautiful
A
And the men stood straight and strong
E
They offered life in sacrifice
E
So that others could go on.
Verse 3
E
Hate was just a legend
C#m
And war was never known
A
The people worked together
E
And they lifted many stones.
E
They carried them to the flatlands
C#m
And they died along the way
A
But they built up with their bare hands
E
What we still can’t do today.
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Verse 4
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
Cortez, Cortez
A
What a killer.
E
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Outro Solo
EC#mAE
(Repeat and fade)
Practice tip: Master the E, C#m, and A chord shapes first, then focus on the slow, hypnotic timing and the long pauses between lyrical phrases that define this song’s mood.
Emtap to play
Dtap to play
Amtap to play
Gtap to play
Ctap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Intermediate
Tuning
gDGBD (Open G)
Chords
Em · D · Am · G · C
Neil Young’s epic, sprawling tale of the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs. Intermediate difficulty in the key of E.
Slow Rock (4/4 Time)
↓↓↑↑↓↑
123456
Tip: This song relies heavily on feel and sustain; let the chords ring out and use a slow, deliberate strumming pattern.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Intro/Verse 1
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
With his galleons and guns
A
Looking for the new world
E
In that palace in the sun.
E
On the shore lay Montezuma
C#m
With his coca leaves and pearls
A
In his halls he often wondered
E
With the secrets of the worlds.
Verse 2
E
And his subjects
C#m
Gathered ’round him
A
Like the leaves around a tree
E
In their clothes of many colors
E
For the angry gods to see.
C#m
And the women all were beautiful
A
And the men stood straight and strong
E
They offered life in sacrifice
E
So that others could go on.
Verse 3
E
Hate was just a legend
C#m
And war was never known
A
The people worked together
E
And they lifted many stones.
E
They carried them to the flatlands
C#m
And they died along the way
A
But they built up with their bare hands
E
What we still can’t do today.
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Verse 4
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
Cortez, Cortez
A
What a killer.
E
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Outro Solo
EC#mAE
(Repeat and fade)
Practice tip: Master the E, C#m, and A chord shapes first, then focus on the slow, hypnotic timing and the long pauses between lyrical phrases that define this song’s mood.
Emtap to play
Dtap to play
Amtap to play
Gtap to play
Ctap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Intermediate
Tuning
G-D-A-E
Chords
Em · D · Am · G · C
Neil Young’s epic, sprawling tale of the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs. Intermediate difficulty in the key of E.
Slow Rock (4/4 Time)
↓↓↑↑↓↑
123456
Tip: This song relies heavily on feel and sustain; let the chords ring out and use a slow, deliberate strumming pattern.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Intro/Verse 1
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
With his galleons and guns
A
Looking for the new world
E
In that palace in the sun.
E
On the shore lay Montezuma
C#m
With his coca leaves and pearls
A
In his halls he often wondered
E
With the secrets of the worlds.
Verse 2
E
And his subjects
C#m
Gathered ’round him
A
Like the leaves around a tree
E
In their clothes of many colors
E
For the angry gods to see.
C#m
And the women all were beautiful
A
And the men stood straight and strong
E
They offered life in sacrifice
E
So that others could go on.
Verse 3
E
Hate was just a legend
C#m
And war was never known
A
The people worked together
E
And they lifted many stones.
E
They carried them to the flatlands
C#m
And they died along the way
A
But they built up with their bare hands
E
What we still can’t do today.
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Verse 4
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
Cortez, Cortez
A
What a killer.
E
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Outro Solo
EC#mAE
(Repeat and fade)
Practice tip: Master the E, C#m, and A chord shapes first, then focus on the slow, hypnotic timing and the long pauses between lyrical phrases that define this song’s mood.
Emtap to play
Dtap to play
Amtap to play
Gtap to play
Ctap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Intermediate
Harp Key
C Diatonic
Chords
Em · D · Am · G · C
Neil Young’s epic, sprawling tale of the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs. Intermediate difficulty in the key of E.
Slow Rock (4/4 Time)
↓↓↑↑↓↑
123456
Tip: This song relies heavily on feel and sustain; let the chords ring out and use a slow, deliberate strumming pattern.
Lyrics & Chords
Full Song
Intro/Verse 1
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
With his galleons and guns
A
Looking for the new world
E
In that palace in the sun.
E
On the shore lay Montezuma
C#m
With his coca leaves and pearls
A
In his halls he often wondered
E
With the secrets of the worlds.
Verse 2
E
And his subjects
C#m
Gathered ’round him
A
Like the leaves around a tree
E
In their clothes of many colors
E
For the angry gods to see.
C#m
And the women all were beautiful
A
And the men stood straight and strong
E
They offered life in sacrifice
E
So that others could go on.
Verse 3
E
Hate was just a legend
C#m
And war was never known
A
The people worked together
E
And they lifted many stones.
E
They carried them to the flatlands
C#m
And they died along the way
A
But they built up with their bare hands
E
What we still can’t do today.
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Verse 4
E
He came dancing across the water
C#m
Cortez, Cortez
A
What a killer.
E
Chorus
A
And I know she’s living there
E
And she loves me to this day
A
I still can’t remember when
E
Or how I lost my way.
Outro Solo
EC#mAE
(Repeat and fade)
Practice tip: Master the E, C#m, and A chord shapes first, then focus on the slow, hypnotic timing and the long pauses between lyrical phrases that define this song’s mood.