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WORKING  MAN

Time signature:  4/4
Tempo: ~  50 bpm.
Rita MacNeil
Jump to youTube videos
Accordion Notation
Beats per bar = 4
Beat symbol = Dot ( . ) or equivalent
Either row:  Buttons 4* - 8*
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. 
/


 
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.


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.

Key:  G

Tempo:  ~ 55 bpm.

Group:  The Dubliners

Posted by:  bigmanio



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.

Key:  E

Tempo:  ~ 50 bpm.

Singer: Mary Duff

Posted by:  MaryDuffOfficialSite

Mary uses alternate line 3 in final repeat of chorus.


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.

Key:  E

Tempo ~ 50 bpm

Singer:  Paddy Reilly

Posted by: Chasem1916

Key:  G

Tempo varies.

Accordionists:  Forth Bridges
                      Accordion Band

Posted by: Andrew Lindsay

An Australian band,  playing in Falkirk in 2013.


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:
Click HERE for info on Rita MacNeil and her song "Working Man".
​
Click HERE for info on coal mining in Industrial Cape Breton.