Worksong chords by Nina Simone

Chords with lyrics

This is another Nina Simone Song from the "High Priestess of Soul" album recently used
in a TV advert as most
great songs eventually are. Nat Adderley whilst a Jazz 🏷Legend in his own right, was
Cannonball Adderley's
brother.
All verses apart from the extension on the last one are the same. There is a little riff
before the Ams at the
start of the verses (a bit like the "Hootchie Coochie Man" riff), and extensive uses of
stops on each line until
Been Workin' an' Workin' which swings free.

Worksong (Oscar Brown Jr, Nat Adderley)
A minorAm
Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang
A minorAm
Breaking rocks and serving my time
A minorAm
Breaking rocks out here on the chain gang
E7E7
Because they done convicted me of crime.
A minorAm
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
A minorAm
Well I reckon that ought to get it
  E7E7     D7D7
Been Working and working
 E7E7    D7D7 A minorAm  E7E7
But I still got so terribly far to go

Verse 2

A minorAm
I committed crime Lord I needed
A minorAm
Crime of being hungry and poor
A minorAm
I left the grocery store man bleeding
E7E7
When they caught me robbing his store.
A minorAm
Hold it steady right there while I hit it
A minorAm
Well I reckon that ought to get it
   E7E7     D7D7
Been Working and working
   E7E7       D7D7     A minorAm    E7E7
But I still got so terribly far to go.

Verse 3

A minorAm
I heard the judge say five years
A minorAm
On chain-gang you gonna go
A minorAm
I heard the judge say five years labor
E7E7
I heard my old man scream "Lordy, no!"
A minorAm
Hold it right there while I hit it
A minorAm
Well I reckon that ought to get it
   E7E7     D7D7
Been Working and working
   E7E7       D7D7     A minorAm    E7E7
But I still got so terribly far to go.

Verse 4

A minorAm
Gonna see my sweet honey bee
A minorAm
Gonna break this chain off to run
A minorAm
Gonna lay down somewhere shady
E7E7
Lord I sure am hot in the sun
A minorAm
Hold it right there while I hit it
A minorAm
Well I reckon that ought to get it
   E7E7    D7D7
Been Workin' and workin'
    E7E7     D7D7
Been Workin' and slavin'
    E7E7     D7D7
An' Workin' and workin'
    E7E7    D7D7       A minorAm    E7E7  End