The Growing Old Man
View chords used in this chart
in an arrangement adapted from a hammered dulcimer arrangement. Some people
play the part I have labeled as Part B first.
Fiddlers usually play this in A, so capo at the second fret.
|-3-| is a triplet. (D/F) means "D or F." -1p0- means pull off from 1 to 0.
-3/4- means slide from 3 to 4.
TAB: The Growling Old Man and Old Woman (traditional, arr. and TAB by Bo
Parker, bo.parker@msfc.nasa.gov)
Part A
G F G (D/F) G
|-3-|
1 | | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | | | 4 | | | |
|---0-----------0-|-1p0---------------|---0-------------|-----3-5-3-----0-|
|-3---3-1-0-1-3---|-----3-1-----------|-3---3-1-0-1-3-0-|---3---------3---|
|*----------------|---------3-2-------|-----------------|-5---------------|
|*----------------|-------------3-3---|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|
__1________________
G F C F | D G
|-3-| |-3-|
5 | | | | 6 | | | | 7 | | | | 8 | | | |
|-1-0-----------0-|-1p0---------------|-----------------|-------------------|
|-----3-1-0-1-3---|-----3-1-------1---|-----------------|---------------0-1-|
|-----------------|---------3-2-------|-2---0-----------|------------------*|
|-----------------|-------------3-----|---3---3-2-3-0-2-|-3p2p0------------*|
|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------|-------2p0---------|
|-----------------|-------------------|-----------------|-----------3-------|
_2________________
| D G
|-3-|
16| | | |
|-----------------|
|-----------------|
|-----------------|
|-3p2p0---------0-|
|-------2p0-------|
|-----------3-----|
Part B
G F G D G
17| | | | 18 | | | | 19 | | | | 20 | | | |
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----1-----1-----|-----1-----1-----|-----1-----1-----|-------0---------|
|*--0-----0-----0-|---0-----0-----0-|---0-----0-----0-|---0-3---0-------|
|*5-----5-----5---|-3-----3-----3---|-5-----5-----5---|-3---------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
_1____________________________________________________
G | F G D G
21| | | | 22 | | | | 23 | | | | 24 | | | |
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----1-----1-----|-----1-----1-----|-----1-----1-----|-------0---------|
|*--0-----0-----0-|---0-----0-----0-|---0-----0-----0-|---0-3---0------*|
|*5-----5-----5---|-3-----3-----3---|-5-----5-----5---|-3--------------*|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
_2____________________________________________________
| F G D G
30| | | | 31 | | | | 32 | | | |
|-------------3-1-|-----1-----------|-----------------|
|-----1-----1-----|-3-1---3-1-------|-----------------|
|---0-----0-------|-----------3/4-0-|-----------------|
|-3-----3---------|-----------------|-3-0-------------|
|-----------------|-----------------|-----1p0---------|
|-----------------|-----------------|---------3-------|
Enjoy!
-Bo Parker
Bo.Parker@msfc.nasa.gov
bo_parker@fbpmac.msfc.nasa.gov
"I poked at it with a stick."
How to play The Growing Old Man
Use the controls above to change the key and text size. Follow the highlighted chords while listening, then practice each section slowly before playing at the original tempo.
What is the starting chord?
The first identified chord is B. You can transpose without leaving the page.
Can I play it on guitar or keyboard?
Yes. The chord progression works on acoustic guitar, electric guitar and keyboard. Adapt the voicings to your instrument and level.