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Man In Black

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15
Original

Capo on fret 1 (as written in this song)

Lyrics & ChordsClick chords to see diagrams
MAN IN BLACK - Johnny Cash
Capo 1
[Intro]
A
[Verse 1]
Well, you Awonder why I always dress in black
Why you never see bright colors on my Bback
And Dwhy does my apApearance seem to Dhave a sombre Atone
Well, there's a Breason for the things that I have E7on
[Verse 2]
I Awear the black for the poor and the beaten down
Living in the hopeless hungry side of Btown
I Dwear it for the pArisoner who has Dlong paid for his Acrime
But is Bthere because he's a victim of the E7times
[Verse 3]
I Awear the black for those who've never read
Or listened to the words that Jesus Bsaid
AbDout the road to happiAness through Dlove and chariAty
Why, you'd Bthink He's talking straight to you and E7me
[Verse 4]
Well, we're Adoing mighty fine I do suppose
In our streak of lightning cars and fancy Bclothes
But Djust so we're reAminded of the Dones who are held Aback
Up Bfront there ought to be a man in E7black
[Verse 5]
I Awear it for the sick and lonely old
For the reckless ones whose bad trip left them Bcold
I Dwear the black in Amourning for the Dlives that could have Abeen
Each Bweek we lose a hundred fine young E7men
[Verse 6]
And I Awear it for the thousands who have died
Believing that the Lord was on their Bside
I Dwear it for aAnother hundred Dthousand who have Adied
BeBlieving that we all were on their E7side
[Verse 7]
Well, there's Athings that never will be right I know
And things need changing everywhere you Bgo
But Dtill we start to Amake a move to Dmake a few things Aright
You'll Bnever see me wear a suit of wE7hite
[Verse 8]
Oh, I'd Alove to wear a rainbow every day
And tell the world that everything's oB-kay
But I'll Dtry to carry Aoff a little Ddarkness on my bacAk
Till things are Bbrighter, E7I'm the man in Ablack
All chords in this song (4)

The story behind the song

"Man In Black" is a protest song that explains the meaning behind Johnny Cash's signature all-black stage wardrobe. The lyrics are a statement against the treatment of poor people by wealthy politicians, mass incarceration, and the Vietnam War. It originated from an impromptu writing session after Cash spoke with Vanderbilt University students, leading to its performance with newly revised lyrics. At its heart, the song is a powerful declaration of solidarity with the suffering and marginalized.

AI-written from these sources:Man in Black (song) — Wikipedia ↗Johnny Cash — Wikipedia ↗MusicBrainz ↗

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About Man In Black Chords by Johnny Cash

Learn how to play Man In Black by Johnny Cash with free guitar chords, lyrics, and interactive chord diagrams. Search for “Man In Black chords”, “Man In Black guitar chords”, or “Johnny Cash Man In Black chords” and you will find this page — transpose to any key, tap chords for diagrams, and use auto-scroll while you play. Perfect for beginners looking for easy Man In Black chords and for experienced players who want accurate Man In Black lyrics and chords in one place. Common chords in this song include A, B, D, E7.

FAQ — Man In Black by Johnny Cash

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What key is "Man In Black" in?

The chords for "Man In Black" show the original chord names (including A, B, D, E7). Use transpose to move the song into any key that fits your voice or capo.