South ern man, bet ter keep your head,
don’t for get what your Good Book said.
South ern change gon na come at last,
now your cross es are burn in’ fast,
(Dm)South ern man.
I saw cot ton and I saw (Gm)black,
tall white man sions and lit tle shacks;
South ern man, when will you pay them (Gm)back?
I heard scream in’ and bull whips crack in’.
How long, how long?
Ah!
South ern man, bet ter keep your head,
don’t for get what your Good Book said.
South ern change gon na come at last,
now your cross es are burn in’ fast,
(Dm)South ern man.
Lil y Belle, your is gold en (Gm)brown,
I’ve seen your black man com ing ’round,
swear, by God, I’m gon na cut him (Gm)down!
I heard scream in’ and bull whips crack in’.
How long, how long?
Ah!
Southern Man by Neil Young
10 people have learned this song
Easy piano arrangement in the key of D at 80 BPM. Difficulty: medium. Color-coded notes — no sheet-reading skill required.
Learn how to accompany it· the chords and what each hand plays, on Super Simple Chords ↗About “Southern Man”
- What key is "Southern Man" in?
- "Southern Man" by Neil Young is in the key of D with a tempo of 80 BPM. Difficulty: medium.
- Is "Southern Man" easy to play on piano?
- This arrangement is rated medium. It requires comfort with chord shapes and basic hand independence. Expect 1-2 weeks of regular practice for a confident performance.
- Can I play "Southern Man" without reading sheet music?
- Yes. Our player offers a falling-notes mode (Synthesia-style) and a beginner mode with color-coded keys — both let you play along without reading traditional notation.
- What chords are used in "Southern Man"?
- This arrangement of "Southern Man" uses 6 chords: A, Bb, Dm, Fmaj7, G7, Gm.
- How long does it take to learn "Southern Man" on piano?
- 2–4 weeks of consistent practice (20–30 min/day) for an intermediate player. Drill the tricky passages in isolation first.
- What other songs by Neil Young can I play here?
- Try "OLD MAN", "DOWN BY THE RIVER", "OUT ON THE WEEKEND". All are available in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.