Working Class Hero tab by John Lennon

Tabs (Ver. 2)

by John Lennon
       from the album "Plastic Ono Band," 1970

This riff is both the intro and the fill between the vocals:

  A minorAm

E MajorE --------------------------------------------------------------|
BB -----1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1--------|
G+G -----2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2--------|
D MajorD -----2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2--------|
A augmentedA --0---------------------------0-------------------------------|
E MajorE --------------------------------------------------------------|


Here's the first verse and refrain:

  A minorAm            G+G       A minorAm

E MajorE ----------------------------3---3-3-3-3-----------------------|
BB -----1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1--0---0-0-0-0--------1-1-1-1--------|
G+G -----2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0--------2-2-2-2--------|
D MajorD -----2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0--------2-2-2-2--------|
A augmentedA --0-------------------------2---2-2-2-2----0------------------|
E MajorE ----------------------------3---3-3-3-3-----------------------|

 As soon as yer born, they  make you feel small
 By giving you  no time in- stead of it  all

  A minorAm            E minorEm       A minorAm

E MajorE --------------------------------------------------------------|
BB -----1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1---------------------1-1-1-1--------|
G+G -----2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2---------------------2-2-2-2--------|
D MajorD -----2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2-2-2--------2-2-2-2--------|
A augmentedA --0-------------------------2-2-2-2-2-2----0------------------|
E MajorE ----------------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-----------------------|

Til the
  pain is so  big you feel nothing at   all

  A minorAm            G+G       A minorAm

E MajorE ----------------------------3---3-3-3-3-----------------------|
BB -----1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1--0---0-0-0-0--------1-1-1-1--------|
G+G -----2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0--------2-2-2-2--------|
D MajorD -----2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0--------2-2-2-2--------|
A augmentedA --0-------------------------2---2-2-2-2----0------------------|
E MajorE ----------------------------3---3-3-3-3-----------------------|

 A augmentedA working class hero is   somethin' to  be

   A minorAm       G+G       D MajorD      A minorAm

E MajorE ------------------3---3-3-3-3---2---2-2-2---------------------|
BB ----1---1-1-1-1---0---0-0-0-0---3---3-3-3-------1-1-1-1-------|
G+G ----2---2-2-2-2---0---0-0-0-0---2---2-2-2-------2-2-2-2-------|
D MajorD ----2---2-2-2-2---0---0-0-0-0---0---0-0-0-------2-2-2-2-------|
A augmentedA ------------------2---2-2-2-2----------------0----------------|
E MajorE ------------------3---3-3-3-3---------------------------------|

 A augmentedA  working class hero is    somethin' to be

That's every verse, except for the very last line, when he ends
it on a very faint D MajorD chord, then resolves to an A augmentedA minor:

   A minorAm             G+G       D MajorD

E MajorE -------------------------------3---3-3-3-3---2-------|
BB --------1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1--0---0-0-0-0---3-------|
G+G --------2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0---2-------|
D MajorD --------2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0---0-------|
A augmentedA ----0--------------------------2---2-2-2-2-----------|
E MajorE -------------------------------3---3-3-3-3-----------|

if ya want to be a hero then   just follow  me...

   A minorAm

E MajorE --------------------------------------------------------------|
BB ---1------------1---------------------------------------------|
G+G ---2------------2---------------------------------------------|
D MajorD ---2------------2---------------------------------------------|
A augmentedA --------------------------------------------------------------|
E MajorE -----------0--------------------------------------------------|

The open E MajorE note is a loud pluck, and play that last A minorAm chord
close to the bridge of the guitar and get that tinny, stiff
sound.

Actually, my strumming patterns are approximations; go with
whatever you hear or whatever strumming pattern sounds best. Enjoy...

V1
As soon as you're born, they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
'Til the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
REF
A augmentedA working class hero is somethin' to be
A augmentedA working class hero is somethin' to be
V2
They hurt you at home, and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever, and they despise a fool
'Til you're so f*cking crazy you can't follow their rules
REF
A augmentedA working class hero is somethin' to be
A augmentedA working class hero is somethin' to be
V3
When they've tortured and scared you for twenty-odd years
They they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function you're so full of fear
REF
A augmentedA working class hero is somethin' to be
A augmentedA working class hero is somethin' to be
V4
Keep you doped with religion, sex, and TV
And you think you're so clever and classless and free
But you're still f*cking peasants as far as I can see
REF
A augmentedA working class hero is somethin' to be
A augmentedA working class hero is somethin' to be
V5
There's room at the top, they are tellin' you still
But first you must learn to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
REF
A augmentedA working class hero is somethin' to be
A augmentedA working class hero is somethin' to be

If you want to be a hero then just follow me
If you want to be a hero then just follow me...

Dan

Other versions of Working Class Hero

Alternative guitar chords and tabs for Working class hero (Ver. 2) by John Lennon