Harvest Moon - Neil Young

Tabbed by Bill Brown (brownw@cs.uregina.ca)
1993.11.07

I was lucky enough to have a video tape ready for taping when Neil
did this one on SNL (Nov 6/93 [rebroadcast]) The camera work was
great. The only chords I could not see for certain was the Em and
A for the chorus, but I'm pretty sure that's what they are.


Chords

Low E is tuned down to D.

I don't know the proper name for some of these strange
chords, so I'll just tab the different parts.

[Intro]
(part 1)

e|-----------------------------09-09-09---09-09-09----|
B|------10---12-12-12-12-------10-10-10---10-10-10----|
G|------11---11-11-11-11-------11-11-11---11-11-11----|
D|------12---12-12-12-12------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------|
D|--0----------------------0--------------------------|
B B B B B B B B B
v v ^ v ^ v ^ v ^ ^ v ^


[Harmonics]
(part 2)

e|------h12-----------------|
B|----------h12-------------|
G|--------------h12---------|
D|----------------h12-------|
A|------------------h07-----|
D|--------------------------|
Last 3 play as triplet.

[Chords progression]
(Part 3)

D A Em ? progression
e|---------2-2-2-2-2--2-----------2---2-2-2-----|
B|---------3-3-3-3-3--3---2-------2---2-2-2-----|
G|---------2-2-2-2-2--2---2-------2---2-2-2-----|
D|------------------------2---2---4-------------|
A|----------------------------2---5-------------|
D|----0-----------------------------------------|
B B B B B B B B B
v ^ v ^ v ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ v ^

e|--------|-------|-------|
B|--------|---2---|-------| Since the strumming pattern is
G|--------|---2---|-------| the same for this area too, I
D|---2----|---2---|-------| left it out.
A|---2----|-------|---5---|
D|---2----|-------|---5---|
Em A G (variation)

He drags his first few fingers back across the strings on the
up strum; so if you have nails, it sounds better.

Strumming pattern is the same for all the chords.


Part 1 - intro X 4

Part 2 - harmonics Come a little bit closer

Part 2 - harmonics Hear what I have to say

Part 3 - D A Em ? progression X 2

Part 2 - harmonics Just like children sleepin'

Part 2 - harmonics We could dream this night away

Part 3 - D A Em ? progression X 2

G
But there's a full moon risin'
G
Let's go dancing in the light

Part 1 - intro X 2

G
We know where the music's playin'
G intro (actually starts here)
Let's go out and feel the night

Part 1 - intro X 2

Em A
Because I'm still in love with you
Em
I want to see you dance again
A
Because I'm still in love with you
stop (and here)
On this harvest moon


When we were strangers
I watched you from afar
When we were lovers
I loved you with all my heart

But now it's gettin' late
And the moon is climbin' high
I want to celebrate
See it shinin' in your eye

Because I'm still in love with you
I want to see you dance again
Because I'm still in love with you
On this harvest moon


[Bridge]

intro X 2
G
D A E ? prog. X 1
intro X 1

and finish up with slow strum of this chord:
(D with add ons)

e|------2--------|
B|------3--------|
G|------2--------|
D|------4--------|
A|------5--------|
D|---------------|


***************************************

B = beat
h = harmonic
v = strum down
^ = strum up

***************************************

Harvest Moon - Neil Young

This is one of the best acoustic guitar songs of all time. (No small thing.)
It deserves a really cool tab and I hope you’ll agree this is spot on.
This is EXACTLY as Neil Young plays the track when it’s just him, by himself, playing acoustically.
(It’s performed differently when he plays with a band.)

First off, note that low E is tuned down to D.
Don’t be scared of this, it’s really simple to do and makes the song sound a lot better,
so grab your tuner and lower the top string!

INTRO
“ICONIC RIFF”
e |-------0----0----0---0----0--------9----9----9---9---9-----|
B |------10---12---12--12---10------ 10---10--10---10--10-----|
G |------11---11---11--11---11-------11---11--11---11--11-----|
D |-------0----0----0---0----0--------0----0---0----0---0-----|
A |-----------------------------------------------------------|
D |----0--------------------------0---------------------------|

This plays round four times.


VERSE
There’s a cool harmonic run that acts an intro to the verse.
It’s not possible to play this AND the Iconic Riff at the same time,
but I thought I’d include it just for your reference because it’s so cool and is fun
to know!

e------h12---------------------|
B----------h12-----------------|
G--------------h12-------------|
D----------------h12-----------|
A------------------h07---------|
D------------------------------|

Then the verse begins in earnest: “Come a little bit closer…”

The pattern of the verse is Em, then a D riff, then Em again and then the same D riff.

The Em is played like this:

e---0
B---0
G---0
D---2
A---2
D---2

Note that because the low E is tuned down a step we have to play the 2nd fret on
the low E string to create an Em.
(That’s not too hard though as it’s basically just an ‘A’ shape that’s been
moved up a string!)

Then there’s this lovely little D riff:

D riff
e---------2-2-2-2---2---2-------2--------|
B---------3-3-3-3---3---2-------2--------|
G---------2-2-2-2---2---2-------2--------|
D---------------------------4------------|
A----------------------------------------|
D----0-----------------------------------|

e---------2-2-2-2---2---2-------2--------|
B---------3-3-3-3---3---2-------2--------|
G---------2-2-2-2---2---2-------2--------|
D---------------------------4------------|
A----------------------------------------|
D----0-----------------------------------|

Then repeat the Em and the above D riff. (This will be over “just like children sleeping”.)


BRIDGE
The pattern of the bridge is: G, Iconic Riff, G, Iconic Riff
(This is over “But there’s a full moon rising”.)

The G is a little strange as the root G note is now on 5th fret, remember!
Don’t worry though, it’s very easy to play, it looks like this.

e---0
B---3
G---0
D---0
A---0
D---5

Just start strumming with the ‘5’ and play all the other strings open until your
hand is ready to add the 3.
It sounds fine and this is how Neil himself plays it.

After this fiddly G moment we have the iconic riff from the intro twice.
Then the G again.
Then the Iconic Riff twice.


CHORUS
“Because I’m still in love with you….”

The pattern is:
Em to A
Em to A

Play the chords like this:
Em A
e---0----|----0---|
B---0----|----2---|
G---0----|----2---|
D---2----|----2---|
A---2----|----0---|
D---2----|----0---|

After the chorus we flow into a break...

BREAK
Iconic Riff x 4

Then we head back into the verse...

VERSE 2
Same as verse 1 (“When we were strangers”…)

BRIDGE 2
Same as bridge 1

CHORUS 2
Same as chorus 1

BREAK
Iconic Riff x 4

Then we launch into the ridiculously cool harmonica break!
This section has 4 elements:
G, D Riff, G, Iconic Riff

The G is played like this:

E: 3
B: 3
G: 4
D: 0
A: 5
D: 5

Then the D Riff (from the verse) is played as normal, once.
Then we return to the G chord.
Then we have the Iconic Riff, which plays twice.

FINAL CHORUS
Just play chorus is as normal then flow straight into the outro.

OUTRO
Play the Iconic Riff 4 times and then end with a slow strum of this chord:

e------2--------|
B------3--------|
G------2--------|
D------4--------|
A------5--------|
D------0--------|

If that chord is too hard, just play this one (it still sounds cool):
e------2--------|
B------3--------|
G------2--------|
D------0--------|
A------0--------|
D------0--------|

I hope you enjoy playing this awesome song!
If you enjoyed this tab please give it a good rating so other people will find it :-)