xWORKING CLASS HERO
by John Lennon
from the album "Plastic Ono Band," 1970
This riff is both the intro and the fill between the vocals:
Am
e|--------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1--------|
G|-----2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2--------|
D|-----2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2--------|
A|--0---------------------------0-------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------------------|
Here's the first verse and refrain:
Am G Am
e|----------------------------3---3-3-3-3-----------------------|
B|-----1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1--0---0-0-0-0--------1-1-1-1--------|
G|-----2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0--------2-2-2-2--------|
D|-----2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0--------2-2-2-2--------|
A|--0-------------------------2---2-2-2-2----0------------------|
E|----------------------------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
Am Em Am
e|--------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-----1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1---------------------1-1-1-1--------|
G|-----2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2---------------------2-2-2-2--------|
D|-----2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2--2-2-2-2-2-2--------2-2-2-2--------|
A|--0-------------------------2-2-2-2-2-2----0------------------|
E|----------------------------0-0-0-0-0-0-----------------------|
Til the
pain is so big you feel nothing at all
Am G Am
e|----------------------------3---3-3-3-3-----------------------|
B|-----1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1--0---0-0-0-0--------1-1-1-1--------|
G|-----2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0--------2-2-2-2--------|
D|-----2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0--------2-2-2-2--------|
A|--0-------------------------2---2-2-2-2----0------------------|
E|----------------------------3---3-3-3-3-----------------------|
A working class hero is somethin' to be
Am G D Am
e|------------------3---3-3-3-3---2---2-2-2---------------------|
B|----1---1-1-1-1---0---0-0-0-0---3---3-3-3-------1-1-1-1-------|
G|----2---2-2-2-2---0---0-0-0-0---2---2-2-2-------2-2-2-2-------|
D|----2---2-2-2-2---0---0-0-0-0---0---0-0-0-------2-2-2-2-------|
A|------------------2---2-2-2-2----------------0----------------|
E|------------------3---3-3-3-3---------------------------------|
A 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 chord, then resolves to an A minor:
Am G D
e|-------------------------------3---3-3-3-3---2-------|
B|--------1-1-1-1-------1-1-1-1--0---0-0-0-0---3-------|
G|--------2-2-2-2-------2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0---2-------|
D|--------2-2-2-2---0-2-2-2-2-2--0---0-0-0-0---0-------|
A|----0--------------------------2---2-2-2-2-----------|
E|-------------------------------3---3-3-3-3-----------|
if ya want to be a hero then just follow me...
Am
e|--------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---1------------1---------------------------------------------|
G|---2------------2---------------------------------------------|
D|---2------------2---------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------0--------------------------------------------------|
The open E note is a loud pluck, and play that last Am 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...
[Verse 1]
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
[Refrain]
A working class hero is somethin' to be
A working class hero is somethin' to be
[Verse 2]
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
[Refrain]
A working class hero is somethin' to be
A working class hero is somethin' to be
[Verse 3]
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
[Refrain]
A working class hero is somethin' to be
A working class hero is somethin' to be
[Verse 4]
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
[Refrain]
A working class hero is somethin' to be
A working class hero is somethin' to be
[Verse 5]
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
[Refrain]
A working class hero is somethin' to be
A 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...
