Folk, Rock

Teach Your Children Chords

Crosby Stills Nash & Young Beginner Key of D 4 Chords 3 min read

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Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Capo

None

Chords

D · G · A · Bm

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s classic folk-rock anthem about the wisdom passed between generations. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the G, C, and D chord shapes to match the original recording’s key of E.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G

You who are on the road

D A D

Must have a code that you can live by

D G

And so become yourself

D A D

Because the past is just a good-bye

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Verse 2

D G

And you, of tender years

D A D

Can’t know the fears that your elders grew by

D G

And so pleasehelp them with your youth

D A D

They seek the truth before they can die

Chorus

G D A

Teach your parents well,

G D A

Their children’s hell will slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Bridge

Bm G A D

Can you hear and do you care

Bm G A

And can’t you see we must be free

Bm G A D

To teach your children what you believe in

Bm G A

Make a world that we can live in

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Practice tip: The bridge uses a simple, repeating pattern (Bm, G, A, D). Practice that four-chord progression on its own until it feels natural before adding the lyrics.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Bmtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-C-E-A

Chords

D · G · A · Bm

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s classic folk-rock anthem about the wisdom passed between generations. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the G, C, and D chord shapes to match the original recording’s key of E.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G

You who are on the road

D A D

Must have a code that you can live by

D G

And so become yourself

D A D

Because the past is just a good-bye

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Verse 2

D G

And you, of tender years

D A D

Can’t know the fears that your elders grew by

D G

And so pleasehelp them with your youth

D A D

They seek the truth before they can die

Chorus

G D A

Teach your parents well,

G D A

Their children’s hell will slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Bridge

Bm G A D

Can you hear and do you care

Bm G A

And can’t you see we must be free

Bm G A D

To teach your children what you believe in

Bm G A

Make a world that we can live in

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Practice tip: The bridge uses a simple, repeating pattern (Bm, G, A, D). Practice that four-chord progression on its own until it feels natural before adding the lyrics.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Bmtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Left Hand

Root notes

Chords

D · G · A · Bm

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s classic folk-rock anthem about the wisdom passed between generations. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the G, C, and D chord shapes to match the original recording’s key of E.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G

You who are on the road

D A D

Must have a code that you can live by

D G

And so become yourself

D A D

Because the past is just a good-bye

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Verse 2

D G

And you, of tender years

D A D

Can’t know the fears that your elders grew by

D G

And so pleasehelp them with your youth

D A D

They seek the truth before they can die

Chorus

G D A

Teach your parents well,

G D A

Their children’s hell will slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Bridge

Bm G A D

Can you hear and do you care

Bm G A

And can’t you see we must be free

Bm G A D

To teach your children what you believe in

Bm G A

Make a world that we can live in

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Practice tip: The bridge uses a simple, repeating pattern (Bm, G, A, D). Practice that four-chord progression on its own until it feels natural before adding the lyrics.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Bmtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

gDGBD (Open G)

Chords

D · G · A · Bm

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s classic folk-rock anthem about the wisdom passed between generations. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the G, C, and D chord shapes to match the original recording’s key of E.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G

You who are on the road

D A D

Must have a code that you can live by

D G

And so become yourself

D A D

Because the past is just a good-bye

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Verse 2

D G

And you, of tender years

D A D

Can’t know the fears that your elders grew by

D G

And so pleasehelp them with your youth

D A D

They seek the truth before they can die

Chorus

G D A

Teach your parents well,

G D A

Their children’s hell will slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Bridge

Bm G A D

Can you hear and do you care

Bm G A

And can’t you see we must be free

Bm G A D

To teach your children what you believe in

Bm G A

Make a world that we can live in

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Practice tip: The bridge uses a simple, repeating pattern (Bm, G, A, D). Practice that four-chord progression on its own until it feels natural before adding the lyrics.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Bmtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Tuning

G-D-A-E

Chords

D · G · A · Bm

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s classic folk-rock anthem about the wisdom passed between generations. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the G, C, and D chord shapes to match the original recording’s key of E.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G

You who are on the road

D A D

Must have a code that you can live by

D G

And so become yourself

D A D

Because the past is just a good-bye

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Verse 2

D G

And you, of tender years

D A D

Can’t know the fears that your elders grew by

D G

And so pleasehelp them with your youth

D A D

They seek the truth before they can die

Chorus

G D A

Teach your parents well,

G D A

Their children’s hell will slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Bridge

Bm G A D

Can you hear and do you care

Bm G A

And can’t you see we must be free

Bm G A D

To teach your children what you believe in

Bm G A

Make a world that we can live in

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Practice tip: The bridge uses a simple, repeating pattern (Bm, G, A, D). Practice that four-chord progression on its own until it feels natural before adding the lyrics.

Dtap to play

Gtap to play

Atap to play

Bmtap to play

Key

D Major

Difficulty

Beginner

Harp Key

C Diatonic

Chords

D · G · A · Bm

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young’s classic folk-rock anthem about the wisdom passed between generations. Beginner difficulty in the key of D.

Folk Rock Strum (4/4 Time)

↓↓↑↑↓↑

123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 2nd fret and play the G, C, and D chord shapes to match the original recording’s key of E.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

D G

You who are on the road

D A D

Must have a code that you can live by

D G

And so become yourself

D A D

Because the past is just a good-bye

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Verse 2

D G

And you, of tender years

D A D

Can’t know the fears that your elders grew by

D G

And so pleasehelp them with your youth

D A D

They seek the truth before they can die

Chorus

G D A

Teach your parents well,

G D A

Their children’s hell will slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Bridge

Bm G A D

Can you hear and do you care

Bm G A

And can’t you see we must be free

Bm G A D

To teach your children what you believe in

Bm G A

Make a world that we can live in

Chorus

G D A

Teach your children well,

G D A

Their father’s hell did slowly go by,

G D A

And feed them on your dreams

G D A

The one they picked, the one you’ll know by.

D

Don’t you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,

So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Practice tip: The bridge uses a simple, repeating pattern (Bm, G, A, D). Practice that four-chord progression on its own until it feels natural before adding the lyrics.