Neil Young - Cortez the Killer: Guitar Chords

Learn to play "Cortez the Killer" on your guitar with our detailed chord guide and lyrics. This page provides everything you need to perform this song on the guitar, including lyrics integrated with chords, chord diagrams, and a key transposer to match your vocal range.

Learn Cortez the Killer Guitar Chords and Lyrics by Neil Young

This section will guide you through each part of the song, providing the guitar chords placed directly above the lyrics for easy playing. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced player, these elements will help you perform "Cortez the Killer" smoothly on your guitar.

         Em
He came dancing across the water
          D
With his galleons and guns
Am7
Looking for the new world
In that palace in the sun

On the shore lay Montezuma
With his coca leaves and pearls
In his halls, he often wandered
With the secrets of the world

And his subjects gathered 'round him
Like the leaves around a tree
In their clothes of many colors
For the angry gods to see

And the women all were beautiful
And the men stood straight and strong
They offered life in sacrifice
So that others could go on

Hate was just a legend
And war was never known
People worked together
And they lifted many stones

And they carried them to the flatlands
But they died along the way
And they built up with their bare hands
What we still can't do today

And I know she's living there
And she loves me to this day
I still can't remember when
Or how I lost my way

He came dancing across the water
Cortez, Cortez
What a killer

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Guitar Chord Diagrams

Am

Guitar chord Am

Am7

Guitar chord Am7

D

Guitar chord D

Em

Guitar chord Em

Here you can see detailed diagrams for each guitar chord used in the song. Utilize our key transposer to adjust the chords to a key that better fits your singing range. Simply select the desired key, and the chords throughout this page will update automatically, ensuring you can play and sing comfortably.

If you are also interested in learning how to play "Cortez the Killer" on the ukulele, check out the chords on our sister site: Ukulele Chords for "Cortez the Killer" by Neil Young.

Neil Young Song List