Working Man Song Lyrics And Chords
Written By Rita Mac Neill who was a Canadian folk singer, (May 28, 1944 – April 16, 2013) and recorded in Ireland by The Dubliners, Celtic Thunder and Paddy Reilly who does a great job on Deportees Song. Also recorded by Foster And Allen [ lyrics ]. The Dubliners with Paddy Reilly singing play this song in the key of G.Guitar chords in chordpro . Irish country singer Mary Duff has had great success in her 2019 recording of the song.
It's[G] a working man I am,and I've[C] been down under[G]ground
And I swear to God if I ever see the[D] sun
Or[G] for any lenght of time,I can[C] hold it in my[G] mind
I never again will[D] go down under[G]ground
At the age of sixteen years,I quarreled with the spears
Who swore that never be another one
In the dark recess of the mines,where you age before your time
And the coal dust lies heavy on your lungs.
At the age of sixty four,he'll greet you at the door
And gently lead you by the arm
To the dark recess of the mine,he'll take you back in time
And tell you of the hardships that were had
And I swear to God if I ever see the[D] sun
Or[G] for any lenght of time,I can[C] hold it in my[G] mind
I never again will[D] go down under[G]ground
At the age of sixteen years,I quarreled with the spears
Who swore that never be another one
In the dark recess of the mines,where you age before your time
And the coal dust lies heavy on your lungs.
At the age of sixty four,he'll greet you at the door
And gently lead you by the arm
To the dark recess of the mine,he'll take you back in time
And tell you of the hardships that were had
Guitar chords for all the verses.
Working Man(Key: G Major — Folk Ballad)
[Verse 1]
It’s [G]a working man I am,
and I’ve [C]been down under [G]ground,
And I swear to God if I ever see the [D]sun;
Or [G]for any length of time,
I can [C]hold it in my [G]mind --
I never again will [D]go down under [G]ground.
[Verse 2]
At the [G]age of sixteen years,
I [C]quarreled with the [G]spears,
Who swore they’d never see another one;
In the [G]dark recess of the mines,
where you [C]age before your [G]time,
And the coal dust lies [D]heavy on your [G]lungs.
[Verse 3]
At the [G]age of sixty-four,
he’ll [C]greet you at the [G]door,
And gently lead you by the [D]arm;
To the [G]dark recess of the mine,
he’ll [C]take you back in [G]time,
And tell you of the [D]hardships that were [G]had.
🎸 Notes:
Working Man(Key: G Major — Folk Ballad)
[Verse 1]
It’s [G]a working man I am,
and I’ve [C]been down under [G]ground,
And I swear to God if I ever see the [D]sun;
Or [G]for any length of time,
I can [C]hold it in my [G]mind --
I never again will [D]go down under [G]ground.
[Verse 2]
At the [G]age of sixteen years,
I [C]quarreled with the [G]spears,
Who swore they’d never see another one;
In the [G]dark recess of the mines,
where you [C]age before your [G]time,
And the coal dust lies [D]heavy on your [G]lungs.
[Verse 3]
At the [G]age of sixty-four,
he’ll [C]greet you at the [G]door,
And gently lead you by the [D]arm;
To the [G]dark recess of the mine,
he’ll [C]take you back in [G]time,
And tell you of the [D]hardships that were [G]had.
🎸 Notes:
- Chords used: G, C, D — simple I–IV–V progression.
- Tempo: Slow, steady 3/4 or 6/8 ballad feel (♩ ≈ 70–80).
- Strumming: Down–down–up, down–up (gentle waltz).
- Optional capo:
- Capo 2 → play in F for a lower voice
- Capo 4 → play in E for a higher, brighter sound
Below you’ll find:
🎸 A complete fingerstyle guitar tab for the first verse and chorus
🎵 Includes natural bass motion + melody-inspired top notes
💡 Written for solo performance — accompaniment and melody blended.
🎶 1. Fingerstyle Guitar Tab
Key: G Major
Tempo: ~75 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Right-hand suggestion:
Thumb (p) = Bass (E/A/D strings)
Index (i) = G string
Middle (m) = B string
Ring (a) = High E string
FIRST VERSE
(“It’s a working man I am, and I’ve been down underground…”)
G C G
e|--------3-----------3-----------0-----------0-----------3-----------3---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-------1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------2-----------2-----------0-----------0---------|
A|-----------------------------------3-----------3-----------------------|
E|3-----------3-----------------------------------------------------------|
D G
e|--------2-----------2-----------3-----------3-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3-------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------3-----------3--------|
G C G
e|--------3-----------3-----------0-----------0-----------3-----------3---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-------1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------2-----------2-----------0-----------0---------|
A|-----------------------------------3-----------3-----------------------|
E|3-----------3-----------------------------------------------------------|
D G
e|--------2-----------2-----------3-----------3-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3-------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------3-----------3--------|
CHORUS (final two lines of verse 1)
(“I never again will go down underground…”)
G C G
e|--------3-----------3-----------0-----------0-----------3-----------3---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-------1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------2-----------2-----------0-----------0---------|
A|-----------------------------------3-----------3-----------------------|
E|3-----------3-----------------------------------------------------------|
D G
e|--------2-----------2-----------3-----------3-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3-------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------3-----------3--------|
🎵 2. Notes on Style and Feel
Tempo: Slow, ~75 BPM. Think of the rhythm of a miner’s steps — steady and unhurried.
Dynamics:
Keep the verse soft and storytelling.
Slightly increase volume on the chorus (the emotional resolution).
Tone: Use fingers, not a pick, to keep warmth and intimacy.
Bass focus: Let your thumb (low E string on G, A string on C, D string on D) set the pulse.
🎸 3. Optional Simple Strumming Pattern (for variety)
If you want to alternate between picking and strumming:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑ (folk ballad 4/4 pattern)
Play softly, accenting beats 1 and 3, letting open G and C ring.
🎸 A complete fingerstyle guitar tab for the first verse and chorus
🎵 Includes natural bass motion + melody-inspired top notes
💡 Written for solo performance — accompaniment and melody blended.
🎶 1. Fingerstyle Guitar Tab
Key: G Major
Tempo: ~75 BPM
Time Signature: 4/4
Right-hand suggestion:
Thumb (p) = Bass (E/A/D strings)
Index (i) = G string
Middle (m) = B string
Ring (a) = High E string
FIRST VERSE
(“It’s a working man I am, and I’ve been down underground…”)
G C G
e|--------3-----------3-----------0-----------0-----------3-----------3---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-------1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------2-----------2-----------0-----------0---------|
A|-----------------------------------3-----------3-----------------------|
E|3-----------3-----------------------------------------------------------|
D G
e|--------2-----------2-----------3-----------3-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3-------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------3-----------3--------|
G C G
e|--------3-----------3-----------0-----------0-----------3-----------3---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-------1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------2-----------2-----------0-----------0---------|
A|-----------------------------------3-----------3-----------------------|
E|3-----------3-----------------------------------------------------------|
D G
e|--------2-----------2-----------3-----------3-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3-------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------3-----------3--------|
CHORUS (final two lines of verse 1)
(“I never again will go down underground…”)
G C G
e|--------3-----------3-----------0-----------0-----------3-----------3---|
B|------0---0-------0---0-------1---1-------1---1-------0---0-------0---0-|
G|----0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------2-----------2-----------0-----------0---------|
A|-----------------------------------3-----------3-----------------------|
E|3-----------3-----------------------------------------------------------|
D G
e|--------2-----------2-----------3-----------3-----------|
B|------3---3-------3---3-------0---0-------0---0---------|
G|----2-------2---2-------2---0-------0---0-------0-------|
D|--0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------3-----------3--------|
🎵 2. Notes on Style and Feel
Tempo: Slow, ~75 BPM. Think of the rhythm of a miner’s steps — steady and unhurried.
Dynamics:
Keep the verse soft and storytelling.
Slightly increase volume on the chorus (the emotional resolution).
Tone: Use fingers, not a pick, to keep warmth and intimacy.
Bass focus: Let your thumb (low E string on G, A string on C, D string on D) set the pulse.
🎸 3. Optional Simple Strumming Pattern (for variety)
If you want to alternate between picking and strumming:
↓ ↓↑ ↑↓↑ (folk ballad 4/4 pattern)
Play softly, accenting beats 1 and 3, letting open G and C ring.
Here are the guitar chords in the key of D.
It's[D] a working man I am,and I've[G] been down under[D]ground
And I swear to God if I ever see the[A] sun
Or[D] for any lenght of time,I can[G] hold it in my[D] mind
I never again will[A] go down under[D]ground
It's[D] a working man I am,and I've[G] been down under[D]ground
And I swear to God if I ever see the[A] sun
Or[D] for any lenght of time,I can[G] hold it in my[D] mind
I never again will[A] go down under[D]ground
Key of C
It's[C] a working man I am,and I've[F] been down under[C]ground
And I swear to God if I ever see the[G] sun
Or[C] for any lenght of time,I can[F] hold it in my[C] mind
I never again will[G] go down under[C]ground
It's[C] a working man I am,and I've[F] been down under[C]ground
And I swear to God if I ever see the[G] sun
Or[C] for any lenght of time,I can[F] hold it in my[C] mind
I never again will[G] go down under[C]ground
This version is by Welshman David Alexander
and reached number 11 in the U.K. charts in 1990.
It's a working man l am
And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if ever see the sun
Or for any length of time
I can hold it in my mind
I never again will go down under ground
At the age of sixteen years, with my father close to tears
As he vowed ne're again to send his sons
In the darkness of the mine, where you age before your time
And the coal dust lies heave on your lungs.
At the age of sixty five, I pray to God I'm still alive,
And the wheels above the mines no longer whine,
And they finally close the hole, where for years we clawed for coal,
And never again will we go down underground
and reached number 11 in the U.K. charts in 1990.
It's a working man l am
And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if ever see the sun
Or for any length of time
I can hold it in my mind
I never again will go down under ground
At the age of sixteen years, with my father close to tears
As he vowed ne're again to send his sons
In the darkness of the mine, where you age before your time
And the coal dust lies heave on your lungs.
At the age of sixty five, I pray to God I'm still alive,
And the wheels above the mines no longer whine,
And they finally close the hole, where for years we clawed for coal,
And never again will we go down underground
Below is the list of sheet music and tin whistle songs that are in my ebooks. This is the largest collection of tin whistle songs ever put together.[over 900 songs ] Including folk, pop and trad tunes plus German And French songs along with Christmas Carols.
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50 . Working Man Sheet Music / Tin Whistle Notes Included
All of the sheet music tabs have been made as easy to play as was possible.
The price of the ebooks is €7.50 . Working Man Sheet Music / Tin Whistle Notes Included
Working man guitar tab
