Cover of Voice: Very Best of Rod Stewart
I have a birthday coming up pretty soon and I love the lyrics to the song Forever Young from the 1988 album, The Very Best of Rod Stewart by Rod Stewart. It's a simple rock song to play.

If you have the time, listen to the piano player and his style of the song. I think it's a pretty good example of improv. I think I mentioned earlier that you can change the melody around by:

1. playing an octave higher
2. changing rhythm and adding more notes per measure
3. sliding off a note half or whole step higher or lower
4. adding octaves in l.h. for fuller sound
5. bass walk ups/walk downs in l.h.
6. add those suspended chords for those boring measures to add tension
7. play with different inversions

Rod Stewart - Forever Young (piano)

Credit: rodstewartfan13

So in the key of D, the same sequence would look like: D-Em-F#m-G-A-Bm-C#dim. Notice that there are two chords in the key of D that are “sharp.” This is how you can determine that a song is in the key of D: there will be two “sharps” in the “key signature” at the very front of each staff, like this:

INTRO: (Repeat once)
  D        D2 D G
  G Em7 G
  G Em7 D

May the good life be with you down every road you roam,
D          G     D D D D2 D G

And may sunshine and happiness surround you when you're far from home.
D             G       D D D D2 D G
May you grow to be proud, dignified, and true,
D     G         D D D D2 D G

And do unto others as you'd have done to you.
D        G          D D D D2 D G

Be courageous and be brave,
C                    G

And in my heart you'll always stay
C                             G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G


May good fortune be with you and may your guiding light be strong,
D       G                    D D D D2 D G

Build a stairway to heaven with a prince or a vagabond
D      G    D D D D2 D G

And may you never love in vain,
C                         G

And in my heart you will remain
C                        G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G

Forev--er young                               Forev--er young
G  Em7 C  D      D D D D D D2 D2 G G  D D D D D D2 D2 G G  G  Em7 G  D


When you finally fly away I'll be hoping that I served you well,
D      G                    D D D D2 D G

For all the wisdom of a lifetime no one can ever tell,
D     G             D D D D2 D G

But whatever road you choose,
C                     G

I'm right behind you win or lose.
C                    G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G

Forever young  (Forever young)
        D  G

Forev--er young  For, for--ever  young  Forever  young
G  Em7 C  D      G    G      Em7 D      G    Em7 D


D D  Dsus4 D D2 D D