[Updated from 2019]

Like Real People Do

Irish singer/songwriter, Hozier, is an extraordinary talent, and visionary musician. His voice is a breathy, rounded baritone. His guitar playing is comprised of an avant-garde, alternate tuned fingerstyle. If Hozier’s lyrics were stand alone poetry — he’d be one of the greatest living poets. Lastly, the man stands at an imposing 6’6 in height.

My favorite song by Hozier is “Like Real People Do”. The guitar playing is flat out unbelievable, with an odd sense of timing that I can play — but not grasp — if that makes any sense? The vocal line follows the actual guitar part pretty closely — so I ghosted in the vocals where applicable.

“I had a thought, dear
However scary
About that night
The bugs and the dirt
Why were you digging?
What did you bury
Before those hands pulled me
From the Earth?”

The enigmatic lyrics of “Like Real People Do” really display Hozier’s artistry and visceral imagery. As an instrumental musician, I’m awe inspired by (good) lyrics and they’re juxtaposition with music. It’s fun to contemplate what he means here.

You might also like to play…

Casadh an Tsúgáin | fingerstyle guitar + TAB 

The Parting Glass | fingerstyle guitar + TAB

Hozier: The Bones | fingerstyle guitar + TAB

How to play Like Real People Do | fingerstyle guitar

The guitar tab for Like Real People Do is beautifully written across three pages. I recommend this piece for intermediate guitar players and up.

My song structure looks like this, in accordance with the guitar tab:

Intro, Verse, Chorus, Bridge 1x

Verse, Chorus, Bridge 2x

Chorus, End (page 3).

Enjoy, the guitar tab is available below:

**Hozier: Like Real People Do for classical guitar

Like Real People Do is played in an Open G tuning: D G D G B D