Bb
Well, you wonder why I always dress in black.
C
Why you never see bright colors on my back, and
Eb Bb Eb Bb
Why does my ap - pearance, seem to have a sombre tone,
Cm F7
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.
Bb
I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
C
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town.
Eb Bb Eb Bb
I wear it for the prisoner, who has long paid for his crime.
Cm F7
But is there because he's a victim of the crime.
Bb
I wear the black for those, who've never read,
C
Or listened to the words, that Jesus said,
Eb Bb Eb Bb
About the road to happi - ness, through love and chari - ty,
Cm F7
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.
Bb
Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do sup - pose,
C
In our streak-of-lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
Eb Bb Eb Bb
But just so we're re -minded, of, the ones who are held back,
Cm F7
Up front there oughta be a man in black.
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Bb
I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
C
For the reckless ones, whose bad trip left them cold,
Eb Bb Eb Bb
I wear the black in mournin', for the lives that could have been,
Cm F7
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men.
Bb
And I wear it for the thousands who have died,
C
believen' that the Lord was on their side,
Eb Bb Eb Bb
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,
Cm F7
Believen' that we all were on their side.
Bb
Well, there's things that never will be right I know,
C
and things need changing everywhere you go,
Eb Bb Eb Bb
but 'til we start to make a move, to make a few things right,
Cm F7
you'll never see me wear a suit of white.
Bb
Oh I'd love to wear a rainbow every day,
C
and tell the world that everything's OK,
Eb Bb Eb Bb
but I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
Cm F7
'till things are brighter, I'm the man in black.
