WORKING MAN
Time signature: 4/4
Tempo: ~ 50 bpm. |
Rita MacNeil
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Accordion Notation
Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent |
Either row: Buttons 4* - 8*
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Chorus:
"6 "7* | "7* ;7 .7 "6 "5~ | ~. :r
It's a work-ing man l am___ /
"4 "5 | "5* ;6 .6 "4* "5~ | ~. :r
And I've been down un - der ground__, /
"6 "7* | .7 "7 .7 "7 .7 | "8* ;7 .6 .5* | :5 :r | .:r
And I swear to God if I ev - er see the sun, /
"6 "7* | "7* ;7 .7 "6 "5~ | ~. :r
Or for an - y length of time___ /
"4 "5 | "5* ;6 .6 "4* "5~ | ~. :r
I can hold it in my mind__, /
"6 "7* | "7 "7 "7 ;7 .6 | "6* ;6* .5* .6* | .:6 .r | .:r
I nev - er a - gain will go down un - der ground. /
Verse 1 (of 2)
"6 "7* | .7 .7 "7 ;6 | :5 .r
At the age of six - teen years /
"4 "5 | "5* ;6 "6 "5* "4* "5~ | ~: .r
Oh he quar - rels with his peers__, /
"r "5 | ;7 "7 "7 "7 "8*~ | ~. .7 "6 ;5* | :5 :r | .;r
Who vowed they'd nev - er see__ a - noth - er one /
.7 "7 | .7 "8* .7 .7 "6 | :5 .r
In the dark re - cess of the mine, /
"4 "5 | ;5* "5* "5* "5 "4* "5~ | ~: .r
Where you age be - fore your time__, /
"6 "7* | ;7 "7 .r .6 | "6* ;6* .5* .6* | .:6 .r |
And the coal dust lies heav - y on your lungs. /
"6 "7* | "7* ;7 .7 "6 "5~ | ~. :r
It's a work-ing man l am___ /
"4 "5 | "5* ;6 .6 "4* "5~ | ~. :r
And I've been down un - der ground__, /
"6 "7* | .7 "7 .7 "7 .7 | "8* ;7 .6 .5* | :5 :r | .:r
And I swear to God if I ev - er see the sun, /
"6 "7* | "7* ;7 .7 "6 "5~ | ~. :r
Or for an - y length of time___ /
"4 "5 | "5* ;6 .6 "4* "5~ | ~. :r
I can hold it in my mind__, /
"6 "7* | "7 "7 "7 ;7 .6 | "6* ;6* .5* .6* | .:6 .r | .:r
I nev - er a - gain will go down un - der ground. /
Verse 1 (of 2)
"6 "7* | .7 .7 "7 ;6 | :5 .r
At the age of six - teen years /
"4 "5 | "5* ;6 "6 "5* "4* "5~ | ~: .r
Oh he quar - rels with his peers__, /
"r "5 | ;7 "7 "7 "7 "8*~ | ~. .7 "6 ;5* | :5 :r | .;r
Who vowed they'd nev - er see__ a - noth - er one /
.7 "7 | .7 "8* .7 .7 "6 | :5 .r
In the dark re - cess of the mine, /
"4 "5 | ;5* "5* "5* "5 "4* "5~ | ~: .r
Where you age be - fore your time__, /
"6 "7* | ;7 "7 .r .6 | "6* ;6* .5* .6* | .:6 .r |
And the coal dust lies heav - y on your lungs. /
Embedded youTube VIDEOS
Key: F# = Gb for most of song.
? for last repeat of chorus. Tempo: ~ 55 bpm Group: Foster and Allen, with the London Irish Pensioners Choir. Posted by: DemonMusicGroup Foster & Allen use alternate line 3 in final repeat of chorus. |
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Key: G (for most of the song)
Ab (for final singing of chorus) Tempo: ~ 55 bpm Group: Celtic Thunder Singer: the late George Donaldson? Posted by: Ilove Goodmusic In addition to a key change, George used alternate line 3 in final repeat of chorus. |
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Key: G
Tempo: ~ 55 bpm. Group: The Dubliners Posted by: bigmanio |
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Key: A (for most of song)
C (for most of final two repeats of chorus) Tempo: ~ 50 bpm Singer: David Alexander Posted by: oneandonlycurlycol Same tune & chorus, but with somewhat different lyrics for the verses. |
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Key: E
Tempo: ~ 50 bpm. Singer: Mary Duff Posted by: MaryDuffOfficialSite Mary uses alternate line 3 in final repeat of chorus. |
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Key: C (for 1st verse & chorus, to time 1m31 s)
D (for repeat of chorus) Tempo: ~ 45 bpm Singer: Matt Minglewood with guests, Cape Breton's Men of the Deep, and choir. Posted by: MingleBells Tribute to Rita MacNeil. Matt uses alternate line 3 in chorus. |
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Key: E
Tempo ~ 50 bpm Singer: Paddy Reilly Posted by: Chasem1916 |
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Key: G
Tempo varies. Accordionists: Forth Bridges Accordion Band Posted by: Andrew Lindsay An Australian band, playing in Falkirk in 2013. |
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BACKGROUND MATERIALS, INFORMATION & LINKS
Remaining
Lyrics: |
Verse 2:
At the age of sixty-four Oh he'll greet you at the door And he'll gently lead you by the arm Through the dark recess of the mines Oh he'll take you back in time And he'll tell you of the hardships that were had NOTE: The chorus is normally sung at the beginning, and after each of the two verses. Sometimes the chorus is sung again at the end. |
Background Links:
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Click HERE for info on Rita MacNeil and her song "Working Man".
Click HERE for info on coal mining in Industrial Cape Breton. |