Ordinary Man chords by Christy Moore

Intro:
Am (x3)

    Am
I'm an ordinary man, nothing special, nothing grand
   Am
I've had to work for everything I own
 Am
I never asked for a lot, I was happy with what I got
 Am
Enough to keep my family and my home


     Am
Now they say that times are hard and they've handed me my cards
   E
They say there's not the work to go around
  Am
And when the whistle blows, the gates will finally close
 Am
Tonight they're going to shut this factory down
          Am
And they'll tare it d-o-w-n

Bridge . . . Am


 Am
I never missed a day, nor went on strike for better pay
  Am
For twenty years I served them best I could
      Am
Now with a handshake and a cheque it seems so easy to forget
Am
Loyalty through the bad times and through good

Am
The owner says he's sad to see that things have got so bad
    E
But the captains of indus-try woun't let him lose
  Am
He still drives a car and smokes his cigar
  Am
And still takes his family on a cruise, he'll never lose


Bridge . . . Am


    Am
Now it seems to me such a cruel irony
    Am
He's richer now than ever he was before
Am
Now my check is spent and I cant afford the rent
     Am
There's one law for the rich, one for the poor
Am
Every day I've tried to salvage some of my pride
  E
To find some work so's I might pay my way
    Am
Oh but everywhere I go, the answers always no
    Am
There's no work for anyone here today
      Am
No work t-o-A-y


Bridge . . . Am

    Am
And so condemned I stand, just an ordinary man
   Am
Like thousands beside me in the queue
 Am
I watch my darling wife trying to make the best of life
  Am
And God knows what the kids are going to do
Am
Now that we are faced with this human waste
 E
A gen-eration cast aside
  Am
As long as I live, I never will forgive,
    Am
You've stripped me of my dignity and pride,
Am
you stripped me ba-r-e
         Am
You've stripped me bare, you've stripped me bare.


Instrumental (Until End) . . . Am (x6)