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The Work Song chords by
Kingston Trio
Kingston Trio
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N/A•
Key: D major•
Verse 1
D
D

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Nick Reynolds and I met in college in 1955

and the day we met we started

singing together.

He had a car that ran,
A
A

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D
D

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mine was blown up.

I had a guitar

and we played a few bars.

Not on the guitar.

And I still don't know how he

graduated

because I didn't.

Well, you made it through baby.

This next song was written

by a good friend of mine

from Sausalito, California.
Bm
Bm
2

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His name was John Stevens.
D
D

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A
A

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He was a poet and an artist,
D
D

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guitar player,

great jazz guitar player,

bass player, cello player,
A
A

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G
G

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D
D

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philanderer, a bon vivant.
G
G

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I'd like to dedicate it to John.
D
D

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John's no longer with us.
A
A

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It's a song he wrote
D
D

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and it's never been recorded.

It's called The Work Song.
Bm
Bm
2

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D
D

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It's a lot like us. Close?

Laughter don't like to work,
Bm
Bm
2

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A
A

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but I got to
D
D

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When my friends ask for advice,
Bm
Bm
2

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A
A

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I tell them not to
D
D

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I'm gonna move away down south,
Bm
Bm
2

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D
D

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G
G

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where it's too hot too.
A
A

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D
D

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Cause I don't like to work.
G
G

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D
D

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It's not just because I'm lazy.
G
G

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D
D

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It's not just because I'm crazy.
G
G

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The reason from the bottom of my heart.
D
D

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E
E

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I don't like it,
F#m
F#m
2

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cause I'm too damn smart
A
A

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D
D

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Well, you can work till you're too old
Bm
Bm
2

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G
G

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You don't have to
A
A

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D
D

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That's the kind of logic
Bm
Bm
2

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G
G

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I just give a laugh to
A
A

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D
D

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Bm
Bm
2

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When they find out doing nothing
G
G

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is a craft too
A
A

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D
D

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Then I'll go back to work, oh yeah
G
G

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D
D

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Not just because I'm lazy
G
G

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D
D

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Not just because I'm crazy
G
G

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The reason from the bottom of my heart
D
D

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E
E

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I don't like you cause

you're too damn smart
A
A

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D
D

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Well, you can work till you're too old
Bm
Bm
2

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G
G

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You don't have to
A
A

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D
D

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That's the kind of logic
Bm
Bm
2

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G
G

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I just give a laugh to
A
A

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D
D

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Bm
Bm
2

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When they find out doing nothing
G
G

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is a craft too
A
A

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Then I'll go back to work
D
D

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Bm
Bm
2

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Come on let's get started
E
E

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A
A

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I'll go back to work
D
D

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A
A

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D
D

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Oh yeah applause

Thank you. applause

That's a great song. whoo!

All right, thank you very much.

Ha ha ha.

How did you like the song?

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An acoustic guitar head with tuning pegs

Open Tuner
Chords

  • D

  • A

  • Bm

    2

  • G

  • E

  • F#m

    2

Capo: No capo

Transpose: 0

0

Autoscroll20%

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Frequently asked questions

The original key of The Work Song by Kingston Trio is D major.

The primary chords used in The Work Song are D, A, Bm, G, E, F#m.

No capo is required for this song.

Yes, this version uses open chords like D, A, Bm, G, making it a great song for beginner guitarists.

The tempo of The Work Song is approximately 102 beats per minute.

You can easily change the key of The Work Song using our Transpose button located in the toolbar. This will automatically update all chord diagrams on the page to match your new key.

Yes! Click the Print icon to generate a clean, one-page version of the chords and lyrics for The Work Song. This is perfect for practicing offline or adding to a physical songbook.

Yes, we have integrated a Mini-Tuner directly on this page. Use it to quickly check your string pitch (Standard Tuning: E A D G B E) before you start playing along with Kingston Trio.

Absolutely. Click the Save or Heart icon to add The Work Song to your account. You can access all your saved songs under My Library at any time.

You can view the full chord sheet and lyrics for The Work Song by Kingston Trio on this page for free. We provide high-quality, verified chords to help you start playing immediately.