John Lennon - Working Class Hero Chords & Tabs

                       WORKING 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
[ Tab from: https://www.guitartabs.cc/tabs/j/john_lennon/working_class_hero_tab.html ]
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...

V1
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
REF
A working class hero is somethin' to be
A working class hero is somethin' to be
V2
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
REF
A working class hero is somethin' to be
A working class hero is somethin' to be
V3
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
REF
A working class hero is somethin' to be
A working class hero is somethin' to be
V4
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
REF
A working class hero is somethin' to be
A working class hero is somethin' to be
V5
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
REF
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...

Dan
DanAmrich@aol.com