Lyr Req: Working Man (Rita MacNeil)

Subject: It's working man I am
From: liz c. (inactive)
Date: 25 May 99 - 09:37 PM

Does anybody know the words to a song that was in the charts a few years ago with a chorus something like; It's a working man, I am, and I go down in the mine and I swear to God if I ever saw the son Or for any length of tinme, I could..... Then I'll never again....

I've looked in the database with no luck, any help would be much appreciated, thanks

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: Paul Mills
Date: 25 May 99 - 10:06 PM

This song is by Rita MacNeil from Cape Breton in Nova Scotia, Canada.

I don't have the lyrics, but if you visit her website (click here), there is a realuadio version of the song available. The song was on her album entitles "Reason To Believe"

PM

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: Joe Offer
Date: 25 May 99 - 10:34 PM

I swear I've heard other recordings of that song - can anybody point me to them?
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: SingsIrish Songs
Date: 25 May 99 - 11:06 PM

I believe The Prof has the lyrics for "Working Man" at his site... http://www.prof.co.uk/irish1.htm Look under Lyrics.

SingsIrish

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From:
Date: 25 May 99 - 11:18 PM

It is a Rita MacNeil song entitled Working man. She wrote and sang it. However other performers, such as the Men of the Deeps. It's a popular song in the Maritimes region of Canada. Many of the performers do it, whether they are Folk, Country, or whatever.

Wonderful sentiment in it. In The Cape Breton Song Collection which came out in 1985, Rita MacNeil says Upon returning home five years ago, I went down on a tour through the mine. I was deeply moved by the men who spoke to us while on that tour; hence, I wrote thie song, 'Working Man'

Subject: Lyr Add: WORKING MAN (Rita MacNeil)
From: MudGuard
Date: 26 May 99 - 04:43 AM

Here comes the version I know (sung by Mairead Taggart)

Working Man

Chorus
It's a working man I am,
And I've been down underground,
I swear to God if I ever see the Sun,
Or for any length of time,
I can hold it in my mind,
I never again will go down underground.

At the age of sixteen years,
He quarrelled with his peers,
Who vowed there'd 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 will greet you at the door,
And he will gently take you by the arm,
Through the dark recess of the mine,
He will take you back in time,
And tell you all the hardships that were had.

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From:
Date: 26 May 99 - 06:25 PM

For chords etc try working man in the forum search.
Regards

Click here and here.

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: John Wood
Date: 26 May 99 - 07:29 PM

The Dubliners did a version of this song on their album,
``Further Along´´,(TRA CD 243)which I think came out in 1996.
Song is(as mentioned before)by Rita MacNeil/Warner Chappel Music.

Greetings John.

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 26 May 99 - 07:33 PM

Were I a Catholic I might have taken this to confession, but I'm a Mudcatter who can't seem to take himself seriously, so I'll share this embarrassing little tale with you. I was asked to play some banjo on Rita's album "Thinking of You", and forgot to ask the producer Declan O'Dougherty ahead of time what the keys and tempos were. When I got to the studio he said he wanted a "bluegrass feel" on one song. Fine says I, till I find that the key was "F" and the tempo was sort of a tango! Holy cow, I think, if I tell him that the "feel" he's looking for is well nigh impossible on a five string - in that key - in that tempo, he'll think I'm making excuses for lack of skill.
Well, I did some frantic bluegrass revision and made up an "open F" tuning, where I could use some unison slides and made up some oddball rolls to fit the tempo. It worked but took more time than I think he expected it would. When I got home, I was grumbling to Heather about the producer not being familiar with the limitations of 5 string banjo - when all of a sudden it hit me. Declan O'Dougherty was the guy behind the board for Gerry Rafferty's "City to City", perhaps (in my mind) the finest rock-folk album ever made! I had met a hero of mine and not even known it! To hell with the banjo, there were a thousand questions I would have loved to have asked him about the Rafferty album.

Subject: Tune/Chords Add: WORKING MAN (Rita MacNeil)
From: alison
Date: 26 May 99 - 09:59 PM

Hi,

the fella I accompanied on St Pat's, did this in C. Here's the tune....

MIDI file: IT'SAW~1.MID

Timebase: 480

Name:
TimeSig: 4/4 24 8
Tempo: 100 (600000 microsec/crotchet)
Key: C
Start
1440 1 60 029 0238 0 60 029 0002 1 62 025 0238 0 62 025 0002 1 64 033 0478 0 64 033 0002 1 64 038 0480 1 64 036 0048 0 64 038 0432 1 60 024 0016 0 64 036 0462 0 60 024 0002 1 55 026 1438 0 55 026 0002 1 55 029 0238 0 55 029 0002 1 55 026 0238 0 55 026 0002 1 57 026 0478 0 57 026 0002 1 57 065 0478 0 57 065 0002 1 57 049 0718 0 57 049 0002 1 53 023 0238 0 53 023 0002 1 55 029 1438 0 55 029 0002 1 60 031 0238 0 60 031 0002 1 62 019 0238 0 62 019 0002 1 64 036 0718 0 64 036 0002 1 64 036 0238 0 64 036 0002 1 64 032 0478 0 64 032 0002 1 64 026 0238 0 64 026 0002 1 64 037 0238 0 64 037 0002 1 65 048 0478 0 65 048 0002 1 64 026 0478 0 64 026 0002 1 62 022 0718 0 62 022 0002 1 60 020 0238 0 60 020 0002 1 62 043 2878 0 62 043 0482 1 60 028 0238 0 60 028 0002 1 62 034 0238 0 62 034 0002 1 64 033 0478 0 64 033 0002 1 64 034 0478 0 64 034 0002 1 64 037 0478 0 64 037 0002 1 60 034 0478 0 60 034 0002 1 55 019 1438 0 55 019 0002 1 55 023 0238 0 55 023 0002 1 55 026 0238 0 55 026 0002 1 57 032 0717 0 57 032 0003 1 57 038 0238 0 57 038 0002 1 57 037 0718 0 57 037 0002 1 53 038 0230 0 53 038 0010 1 55 025 1438 0 55 025 0002 1 60 037 0238 0 60 037 0002 1 62 028 0238 0 62 028 0002 1 64 034 0478 0 64 034 0002 1 64 031 0478 0 64 031 0002 1 64 028 0478 0 64 028 0002 1 60 027 0478 0 60 027 0002 1 59 023 0691 0 59 023 0029 1 59 033 0240 1 57 026 0017 0 59 033 0461 0 57 026 0002 1 59 022 0478 0 59 022 0002 1 60 030 3358 0 60 030
End

This program is worth the effort of learning it.

To download the March 10 MIDItext 98 software and get instructions on how to use it click here

ABC format:

X:1
T:
M:4/4
Q:1/4=100
K:C
C7D|E2E2E2C2|G,6G,G,|A,2A,2A,3F,|G,6CD|E3EE2EE|
F2E2D3C|D8|-D6CD|E2E2E2C2|G,6G,G,|A,3A,A,3F,|
G,6CD|E2E2E2C2|B,3B,A,2B,2|C8|-C8||

which makes the chords

Chorus

It's a (C)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 for (C)any length of time,
I can (F)hold it in my (C)mind,
I never again will (G)go down under(C)ground.

slainte

alison

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: liz c. (inactive)
Date: 27 May 99 - 08:36 PM

Just to say a big thank you to everyone who replied, Paul Mills, Joe Offer, Sings Irish songs, George Seto, Andreas W., John Wood and Alison, you've solved my problem and given me interesting info as well. I only joined mudcat two days ago, it's a fascinating place, I've learnt lots already. Thanks again. Liz

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: Francy
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 10:39 PM

I learned the song from Dave The Ancient Mariner, and he related this story to me about Rita....It seems she took a tour of the Capr Breton Mine Musuem and was so taken, she wrote this song shortly thereafter......I admit her version is a bit too hectic for me, but I slowed the "tango" tempo down a bit and I love to sing it....It flows so beautifully....I do it in Eb........Frank ofToledo

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Working Man song
From: Shantymanuk
Date: 09 Mar 02 - 11:08 PM

As far as I know, the definitive version of this song is the version by Dolores Kean, but the finest version comes from Lee Raymond. Contact her at "[e-mail], and say that Alan sent you.

Shanty-shacking

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: harvey andrews
Date: 10 Mar 02 - 07:31 AM

Lunenburg folk festival..I'm at the back of the tent transported to heaven by Garnet Rogers version of "The king of Rome" when the next act appears beside me..miners in full gear with helmets. The lights in the tent go out, the moon and stars outside are the only illumination, then the miners switch on their helmet lamps and walk down the aisle between the audience and on to the stage singing "Working Man"..they are the Men of the Deeps.We can see nothing of them but their lamps. The sound of the male harmonies make what little hair I have stand on end and the next thing I know tears of joy and unexpressible emotion are streaming down my cheeks. Oh, the power of song and the human voice!!!

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Mar 02 - 08:03 AM

Hello Harvey,

Let's try to pass on emails one more time.

[e-mail]

Jim Hanlon

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Working Man song
From:
Date: 10 Mar 02 - 11:04 AM

Sorry, Shantymanuk, the DEFINITIVE version is done by the group of Cape Breton coal miners, The Men of the Deeps. Whenever possible, Rita MacNeil has them join her for the singing of this song.

These people actually lived the song, which Rita MacNeil wrote after a visit to the Glace Bay Miner's Museum.

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: Tam the bam fraeSaltcoatsScotland
Date: 27 Apr 03 - 05:28 AM

I was told that Rita wrote this song for her father.

Tom

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: masato sakurai
Date: 27 Apr 03 - 06:23 AM

Rita MacNeil's "Working Man" (WAV) is HERE, with other songs.

~Masato

Subject: RE: It's working man I am
From: GUEST, GEST
Date: 27 Apr 03 - 02:45 PM

My records indicate that Aggie McFee wrote "Working Man" and Rita MacNeil popularized it.

Working Man :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's working man I am
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 24 May 03 - 11:20 PM

I do not know Aggie McFee but Rita wrote this song for sure. She wrote it after a tour of the Princess Mine in Sydney Mines. She dedicated it to her tour guides. Perhaps one was a McFee (MacPhee) but Rita wrote the song!
                   Sandy

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's working man I am
From:
Date: 25 May 03 - 12:19 AM

GUEST, GEST, what records are you referring to? I've always heard it was Rita MacNeil who wrote it.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's working man I am
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 25 May 03 - 12:35 AM

Tradition relates the song to a tour of the Miners Museum in Glace Bay but Rita is specific in saying that it was the Princess that was her inspiration.
In any case it stands as one of the best working songs of all time!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's working man I am (George)
From: GUEST, GEST
Date: 25 May 03 - 09:50 PM

By my records, George, I am referring to the original portion of Frank White's Songs Of Newfoundland And Labrador which I continue to expand and maintain. If his credit is wrong, as it now appears to be, then I'll have to change it. That's what I wanted to know. Thanks for the imput, George. :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's working man I am
From:
Date: 25 May 03 - 11:42 PM

It must be a different song, GEST. Are the words the same?

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's working man I am (George)
From: GUEST, GEST
Date: 26 May 03 - 10:24 AM

It looks the same to me, George. Here's Frank White's version. :-)

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's working man I am
From: Chris in Wheaton
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 03:37 PM

I have started listening to musicians John and Alun's show on Radio Cymru - good music, even though I can't understand all the Welsh yet. They played their version in Welsh, followed by Rita's -
Would anybody have the Welsh words? "Charelwyr ydwf i..."
Diolch yn fawr, Chris in Wheaton

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's working man I am
From: Kenny B (inactive)
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 03:59 PM

One of my friends (Pat Friel of Croy, a former coal face worker) who only remebered the first two verses sings his own third verse as:-

At the age of 65 thank god I'm still alive
After all these years working down the mine,
Digging out that coal made a mark upon my soul.
I never again will go down underground.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: It's working man I am
From: Beer
Date: 08 Dec 03 - 09:54 PM

I think I have sung this number almost as many time as Rita. I live in Quebec and went to see Rita when she first came up. There are many transplanted Maritimers here and I think that 90% were at the show. To see a grown man being brought to tears brings one to yours as well. Rita can do this.
She promised that the next time up she would sing it in French. And She did a chorus on her second apparence. I'm still looking for it.   Unfortunately, I don't think it was recorded. What a truly amazing lady. Visit her tea house on your travels to Cape Breton. A wonderful experience.
Note: Frank White"s version. Very interesting??