How to Play Unknown Legend
There’s something magical about a well written two chord song, and Neil Young’s Unknown Legend is one of the best examples of how powerful a simple song can be. I am a huge fan of Neil’s Harvest Moon album, but no song gets stuck in my head quite like Unknown Legend. If you want to know how to play unknown Legend, you’ve come to the right place.
Today I’ll be teaching you how to strum the chords for the song, and you will learn the opening guitar riff. The song’s simplicity is what really makes it stand out, so if you are a solo act, this is a great song to add to your repertoire. For those of you who are history buffs and want to learn more about the song, check out the song’s Wikipedia page here. It’s got some fun facts about the song’s reception, notes about how Linda Ronstadt sang harmony, and more!
The Chords
The chords to Unknown Legend are very easy and perfect for a beginner. They follow a simple I-IV pattern in the key of G. Many songs have a verse or choruses that have only two chords and follow the I-IV progression. It’s a little rarer to find a whole song with only two chords, but they are out there. Remember the 1-4 chord progression. It will help you piece together future songs, so log it away in your growing knowledge of music theory.
To decipher what the 1-4 chords are in the key of G, think about your G major scale. The first note is a G (1), the second note is an A (2), the third note is a B (3), and the fourth note is a C (4). Pick out the 1st and 4th notes of the scale, and you now know the two chords to make a 1-4 progression in the key of G! You need a G chord and a C chord! Check out the chord diagrams below, and let’s talk about strumming pattern.
Strumming Pattern
The strumming pattern is simple for Unknown Legend. First you will play the root note of your chord, or the lowest note in the chord for which the chord is named. Since we’re playing a G chord, we want to play the lowest G note of the chord. This can be found at the 3rd fret, of your low E string. Pluck that note, and then strum down, up, down, up.
When you switch to the C chord, you do the same thing. Find the root note, which is the lowest C note in the chord. This can be found on the 3rd fret of your A string. Pluck the root note, and then strum down, up, down, up.
The Opening Riff
Unknown Legend’s opening riff is so cool, and the sound paints of a picture of being on the plains standing next to a highway. It does a fantastic job of communicating a lonesome feeling before the lyrics even start. Check out the tablature below for the opening lines, and if you’re new to guitar tabs, check out our post on How To Read Guitar Tablature!
Bringing it Together with Lyrics!
Now that you know the chords, and the strumming pattern, let’s bring it together with some lyrics!
G………………………………
She used to work in a diner
…………………………………….
Never saw a woman look finer
……………………………………………………………………………..C……
I used to order just to watch her float across the floor
…………………….……G…………..
She grew up in a small town
……………………………………..
Never put her roots down
………………………………………………….……………..
Daddy always kept movin’, so she did too
……………………………C………G………..
Somewhere on a desert highway
……………..….C………..G…………
She rides a Harley-Davidson
……………………………………….………….C……..
Her long blonde hair flyin’ in the wind
……………………………..G…………….
She’s been runnin’ half her life
…………………..……..C……….…..G…….
The chrome and steel she rides
………………………………………………C…………..
Collidin’ with the very air she breathes
………………….G………..
The air she breathes
G……………………….
You know it ain’t easy
……………………..
You got to hold on
…………………………………………………………C
She was an unknown legend in her time
………………………….…..G…………
Now she’s dressin’ two kids
…………………………….
Lookin’ for a magic kiss
………………………………………………
She gets the far-away look in her eyes
……………………………C…..…..G………..
Somewhere on a desert highway
………………….C…..…..G…………
She rides a Harley-Davidson
…………………………………………..……….C……..
Her long blonde hair flyin’ in the wind
………………………….…..G…………….
She’s been runnin’ half her life
………………………….C………..…..G…….
The chrome and steel she rides
…………………………………….…………C…………..
Collidin’ with the very air she breathes
……………….….G………..
The air she breathes
…………………………..C………..G………..
Somewhere on a desert highway
…………..…….C………..G…………
She rides a Harley-Davidson
……………………………………………..…….C……..
Her long blonde hair flyin’ in the wind
………………………….…..G…………….
She’s been runnin’ half her life
……………………..…..C……….…..G…….
The chrome and steel she rides
……………………………………….………C…………..
Collidin’ with the very air she breathes
………………….G………..
The air she breathes
That’s It!
You know how to play Unknown Legend! Heck yeah! Go find your friends and show off your guitar skills! Be excited and proud. Remember that practice makes perfect, and practice is the only way you are going to improve. Keep at it and don’t stop here! Keep learning and keep improving!
Similar Beginner Songs
If you like Unknown Legend, I’m going to suggest learning Willin’ by Little Feat next. It’s an awesome trucker anthem, and it is in the same key as Unknown Legend. Since you already know you’re G and C chords, you will only need to learn two more chords to play Willin’!
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