Man Of The World – Peter Green

Peter Green’s “Man Of The World” stands as one of the most emotionally charged and musically rich compositions in blues and rock history. This beautifully melancholic track, originally released by Fleetwood Mac in 1969, showcases Green’s extraordinary touch, tone, and songwriting. At LickLibrary, our note-for-note guitar lesson of Man Of The World allows players to dive deep into the expressive subtleties and soulful techniques that made Green a true guitar legend.

This guitar lesson is designed for players wanting to improve their feel, tone control, and overall musical sensitivity. More than just a lesson in technical ability, it's a masterclass in musical expression. Michael Casswell breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

About the Song and Its Players

Man Of The World was written and performed by Peter Green, the founder of the original Fleetwood Mac and a blues guitar icon. Known for his haunting vibrato, tasteful phrasing, and incredible melodic sense, Green influenced generations of guitarists, including the likes of Gary Moore, David Gilmour, and Joe Bonamassa.

This track is built around sparse instrumentation, giving Green’s guitar work the space to breathe and speak emotionally. His use of subtle bends, melodic lines, and gentle dynamics embodies the blues at its most introspective and sincere. Learning this track gives players a unique opportunity to step into the shoes of a guitarist who valued feel over flash, tone over technique.

Guitar Techniques in Man Of The World

This lesson places a strong focus on the expressive techniques used throughout the song. Each one contributes to the song’s emotional weight and helps guitarists develop skills that translate into every style of music.

Vibrato

Peter Green’s vibrato is arguably one of the most signature aspects of his playing. In this lesson, we explore how to develop a slow, wide, and expressive vibrato that can convey emotion with just a single note. This is essential for adding personality and feeling to your solos.

Benefit: Mastering vibrato improves control and emotional expression, turning even simple notes into memorable phrases.

String Bending

Throughout the solo sections, string bending is used subtly to reach the emotional peak of phrases. Green’s approach is tasteful and precise, often using bluesy bends and gentle microtonal shifts to reflect his mood.

Benefit: Bending with pitch accuracy helps players develop a more vocal and expressive lead guitar style.

Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs

The melody lines in Man Of The World feature fluid hammer-ons and pull-offs, creating smooth, legato runs that blend beautifully into the phrasing.

Benefit: These techniques enhance fluidity and are crucial for building seamless melodic phrases.

Slides

Slides are used to connect phrases and notes with a vocal-like, lyrical quality. This subtle but impactful technique is demonstrated extensively in the lesson.

Benefit: Slides add expressiveness and sustain to melodies, mimicking the nuances of a human voice.

Double Stops

Green often used double stops to thicken melody lines and create harmonic interest. This lesson breaks down his use of intervals and how to apply them tastefully within a solo context.

Benefit: Learning double stops helps develop a richer sound in solos and rhythm playing alike.

Chord Progressions

While the guitar parts in Man Of The World may seem simple, the chord progressions behind the lead lines are beautifully voiced and full of emotional depth. We show you how to approach these chords with sensitivity and feel.

Benefit: Understanding chord progressions enhances your compositional and improvisational skills.

Sustain

Green’s tone is drenched in sustain — not from overdrive, but from touch, phrasing, and note choice. Our lesson focuses on how to achieve natural sustain through technique and gear dynamics.

Benefit: Mastering sustain allows your notes to breathe and sing, a key to creating emotional solos.

Why Learn This Song?

Learning Man Of The World gives players the opportunity to develop not only technical skills but also a deeper connection with their instrument. Peter Green was a master of understatement, and his playing on this track is a blueprint for emotional guitar work. It teaches the importance of space, dynamics, tone, and phrasing – elements that are often overlooked but essential to becoming a complete guitarist.

By working through our lesson, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how to:

• Phrase musically and thoughtfully
• Use minimalism for maximum impact
• Apply vibrato and bends for emotional weight
• Interpret a song’s mood through guitar

This lesson is ideal for intermediate to advanced players looking to improve feel, tone, and phrasing.

Techniques Featured in This Lesson

• Vibrato
• String Bending
• Hammer-Ons
• Pull-Offs
• Slides
• Double Stops
• Chord Progressions
• Sustain

Learn Man Of The World and unlock a deeper connection with your guitar. Peter Green’s legacy lives in every phrase of this song — and now, it can live in your playing too.