Working Man chords

by Rita MacNeil

  • Working Man is a country song written by Rita MacNeil.
  • First Released: 1981 - Album - Part Of The Mystery
  • Re-Released: 1988 featuring The Men of The Deeps Miners Choir
  • Album: Reason to Believe
  • Music: Key of F Major in 4/4 time at ~ 97 bpm (♩)
  • Chords: F, Fsus4, Bb, C, Csus2
  • Easier in D Major: easier chords - well-suited for beginners
  • Chords in D Major: D, Dsus4, G, A, Asus2
Chart Legend
Numbered Circles: Fingers used to play chords   O: Optional Note
Barre Line: One finger holds down multiple strings   R: Root Note
Unmarked strings: Play open   X: Don't play string    B: Bass Note
D Major Dsus4 G Major A Major Asus2
D Major Dsus4 G Major A Major Asus2

Working Man chords & lyrics

Capo on 3 if playing with the video

Song Key is highlighted - Transpose to any other key
  
Intro: 4/4...
               D
Chorus: It’s a work-ing man I am
                 G                D
        And I’ve been down un-der ground
              D                                 A    Asus2     A
        And I swear to God if I e-ver see the |sun          |     |
               D
        Or for a-ny length of time
              G             D
        I can hold it in my mind
          D                  A                D   Dsus4     D
        I ne-ver a-gain will go down un-der |ground      |     |   

          D
1. At the age of six-teen years
         G                  D
   Oh he quar-rels with his peers
       D                                  A    Asus2     A
   Who vowed they’d ne-ver see a-no-ther |one         |     |
          D
   In the dark re-cess of the mines
             G                D
   Where you age be-fore your time
           D              A               D   Dsus4     D
   And the coal dust lies hea-vy on your |lungs      |     |


               D
Chorus: It’s a work-ing man I am
                 G                D
        And I’ve been down un-der ground
              D                                A    Asus2     A
        And I swear to God if I e-ver see the |sun         |     |
               D
        Or for a-ny length of time
              G             D
        I can hold it in my mind
          D                  A               D   Dsus4     D
        I ne-ver a-gain will go down un-der |ground     |     |

          D
2. At the age of sixty-four
            G                D
   Oh he'll greet you at the door
             D                        A    Asus2     A
   And he'll gent-ly lead you by the |arm         |     |
               D
   Through the dark re-cess of the mines
            G                D
   Oh he'll take you back in time
             D               A                    D   Dsus4     D
   And he'll tell you of the hard-ships that were had        |     | 

               D
Chorus: It’s a work-ing man I am...

               D
Chorus: It’s a work-ing man I am...

               D
Chorus: It’s a work-ing man I am
                 G                D
        And I’ve been down un-der ground
              D                               A    Asus2     A
        And I swear to God if I e-ver see the sun         |     |
               D
        Or for a-ny length of time
              G             D
        I can hold it in my mind
          D                  A              D   Dsus4     D
        I ne-ver a-gain will go down un-der ground     |     |                
              D                  A               G         G     D     D
        God I ne-ver a-gain will go down un-der |ground |     |     |  𝄑  |

  • Help on reading the song charts
  • Rita MacNeil: Born on the 28th May, 1944 in Big Pond, Nova Scotia, Canada. She died on the 16th April, 2013 (aged 68) in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada. She was a folk and country singer whose professional career spanned from 1975 - 2013.
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