D                          A
E|-------2-x------2-x------2-x----------------------|
B|-------3-x------3-x------3-x--2-------2h3p2p0-----|
G|-----2--------2--------2------2---------------2---|
D|---0--------0--------0--------2-------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
x = mute note
h = hammer-on
p = pull-off


Capo 4th fret 


[Intro Chorus]
D  A
D  A
        D
I said, young man
                                           A
Sit down, let me tell you how it's s'posed to be, how they told me
D                                            A
  I said, young man, if you wanna make God smile, make plans
D                                        A
  You've got to be ready, you don't understand
                   D                           A
Right now you're a young man, you gon' have to stand for something


[Verse 1]
D
Beautiful boy, got it from your momma
                    A
Damn, she look good, you might get a sister
D
  By the time you get the picture
                              A
If you want a woman this good, gotta clear your system
D
  And it's all right
               A
If you need to cry, you've got my permission
D                                  A
  You can do anything in the world if you listen


[Chorus 1]
       D
Like a young man
                                           A
Sit down, let me tell you how it's s'posed to be, how they told me
D                                            A
  I said, young man, if you wanna make God smile, make plans
D                                        A
  You've got to be ready, you don't understand
                   D                               A
Right now you're a young man, but you gon' have to stand for something


[Verse 2]
D
  We don't ever back down, don't back down
                 A
We don't have to act out, don't act out
D
  And even when you fall, don't stay down
            A                     N.C.
If you need me around, you know I stay down
D                               A
And anywhere you go, you can go your own way
D                                        A
  If you ask me how I know these things, remember I once was a


[Chorus 2]
D
Young man
                                           A
Sit down, let me tell you how it's s'posed to be, how they told me
D                                            A
  I said, young man, if you wanna make God smile, make plans
D                                        A
  You've got to be ready, you don't understand
                   D                               A
Right now you're a young man, but you gon' have to stand for something


[Bridge]
G                                     D            A
  Someday somebody's gonna break your heart in two, and I'll be there
G                                       D                  A
  Someday you're gonna break somebody's heart, that's what we do
G                            D                 A
  One day I'll be gone, son, but right now I'm home
           Em
No, you'll never be alone
      G                 A
Maybe someday you'll be talking to your own

D                                      A
Young man, yeah, you know your daddy's so proud of you
          D                          A
My little young man, mama can't just get enough of you
          D                                      A
My little young man, yeah, you know your daddy's so proud of you
          D               A
My little young man, yeah


[Chorus 3]
        D
I said, young man
                                           A
Sit down, let me tell you how it's s'posed to be, how they told me
D                                            A
  I said, young man, if you wanna make God smile, make plans
D                                        A
  You've got to be ready, you don't understand
                   D                           A
Right now you're a young man, you gon' have to stand for something
D  A
D  A
D  A
D  A