This Is | Chords + Lyrics
Verse 1
| D | D |
These are the hands of a tired man.
| F#m7 | F#m7 |
This is the old man’s shroud.
| Em7 | Em7 |
These are the eyes of the blood-crazed tiger.
| G | A |
Staring at the maddening crowd.
Verse 2
This is the face of a teenage mother.
This is the child she bears.
This is the soul of her broken lover.
Searching for the smiles they shared.
Verse 3
These are the feet of the punished pilgrim.
And in his book of punished love.
You see his eyes, you see no surprise.
Waiting for a lie that’s true.
Chorus 1
| G | Bm |
Everybody hits you with this feeling.
| A | A |
Nobody seems to understand.
| G | Bm | A |
Yeah you stop, you look, you’re searching for the meaning of love.
| Cadd9 | Cadd9 N.C |
(Wasting your life away).
Verse 4
These are the dreams of a sleeping father.
And in his long lost days.
He sees a child, he sees his eyes.
Waiting for the price he’s paid.
Verse 5
These are the tears of a fallen idol.
And in his smile of shattered love.
You see his eyes, you see no surprise.
You just see lights then realise.
Chorus 2
Everybody hits you with this feeling.
Nobody seems to understand.
Yeah you stop, you look, you’re searching for the meaning of love.
(Wasting your life away).
Middle 8
| Bm | Bm |
Oh here with you.
| F#m7 | F#m7 |
There’s no one here like you.
| Em7 | Em7 |
And no one moves like you.
| G | A |
Nobody touches like you.
Chorus 3
| G | Bm |
Everybody hits you with this feeling.
| A | A |
Nobody seems to understand.
| G | Bm | A | A |
Yeah you stop, you look, you’re searching for the meaning of love.
Chorus 4 (as chorus 3)
Everybody hits you with this feeling.
Nobody seems to understand.
Yeah you stop, you look, you’re searching for the meaning of love.
Outro (as chorus 3)
(Everybody hits you with this feeling).
Everybody hits you, and everybody knocks you down.
(You stop you look you’re searching for a meaning)
You stop you look you’re searching, you stop you look you’re searching.
(Everybody hits you with this feeling).
Everybody hits you, and everybody knocks you down.
(You stop you look you’re searching for a meaning)
| A | A | G5 |
Everybody hits you, and everybody knocks you down.
This Is Chords: Learn the progressions
The chords of This Is are almost completely diatonic, only one chord breaks the rules, the Cadd9 which ends the choruses.
In the key of D, the verse moves I – III – II – IV – V, like this:
| D (I) | D | F#m7 (III) | F#m7 |
| Em7 (II) | Em7 | G (IV) | A (V) |
The general rhythm is very similar to Aslan’s other big tune, Crazy World and is best described using TAB, here’s a link to that part of the lesson: This Is – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
The chorus and outro chords start on IV before we go to VI and V, like this:
||: G (IV) | Bm (VI) |
|1. A (V) | A :||
|2. A | Cadd9 (bVIIx) |
After repeating, we finish off on that aforementioned bVIIx chord (Cadd9), the only chord outside the key of D (there’s TAB for this section as well).
Do compare this Cadd9 with how Angels make use of the bVIIx chord. Comparing chord movements like this in different songs will enable you to recognise them quickly.
Once you’ve recognised it in a few tunes you’ll be able to spot it instantly when it appears in new songs you come across. Look for the feeling it evokes within.
There’s one more section in This Is and that’s the middle 8, it moves in the same way as a verse, only replacing the I chord (D) for a VI (Bm), like this:
| Bm (VI) | Bm | F#m7 (III) | F#m7 |
| Em7 (II) | Em7 | G (IV) | A (V) |
Study the TAB carefully, play along with the original recording and you’ll be all set to bring this incredible tune to rehearsal or gig having only a simple chord chart as a reminder, like this one.

This Is Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Should you want to download my chart, here’s a PDF: This Is Chord Chart PDF.
This chord chart was created using iReal Pro, here’s a link to that file: This Is iReal Pro. Using this and the iRealPro app, you can change the key.
This Is – Aslan’s first big hit!
In 1988, Aslan released their debut album Feel No Shame. By now they had been together for six years and were one of the hot new bands of the ’80s, not just in Ireland, they were tipped to be the next big thing in the U.K. too.
The reason they were so hot was down to their first single, This Is, which had been released in 1986.
Following This Is, the band released a further seven singles, most from that debut album but none with the same impact.
Following a tumultuous time in the spotlight and their lead singer (Christy Dignam) falling victim to drug and alcohol abuse, the band split up.
Christy formed a new band but after no success and the boys in the band realising it wasn’t the same without him, they reunited in 1993 and released their second hit, Crazy World.
With these two tunes, they became a legendary Irish band that most natives would have you know are much better than U2.
When Cristy died in 2023, the band again recruited a new singer, this time to keep Aslan alive.
This Is Chords | Related Pages
This Is | Guitar Lesson + TAB
With this guitar lesson, you can learn to play This Is by Aslan using TAB and chord analysis.
| D | D |
These are the hands of a tired man…
Five similar tunes | Chords + Lyrics
Aslan tunes
Aslan is a rock band from Dublin Ireland that formed in the early ’80s, broke up after the debut album and then reunited to release their signature song.
Their best tunes include This Is, Crazy World, and covers of Angie, Jealous Guy, Maggie May and Wish You Were Here.
Aslan on the web
About me | Dan Lundholm
This was a guitar lesson about This is’ chords, by Dan Lundholm. Discover more about him and how you can learn guitar with Spytunes.
Most importantly, find out why you should learn guitar through playing tunes, not by practising scales or studying theory in isolation.