Capo 2

          C
Well, you wonder why I always dress in black.
       C                             D
Why you never see bright colors on my back, and
F            C                  F              C
Why does my appearance, seem to have a sombre tone,
               D                                 G7
Well, there's a reason for the things that I have on.

          C                                         
I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,
C                                      D
Livin' in the hopeless, hungry side of town.
  F                 C               F                   C
I wear it for the prisoner, who has long paid for his crime.
      D                                   G7
But is there because he's a victim of the times.

  C                                            
I wear the black for those, who've never read,
  C                                 D
Or listened to the words, that Jesus said,
 F                       C          F           C
About the road to happiness, through love and charity,
           C                                     G7
Why, you'd think he's talking straight to you and me.

           C                                
Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,
       C                                  D
In our streak-of-lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,
    F               C          
But just so we're reminded, of, 
     F                  C
The ones who are held back,

  C                               G7
Up front there oughta be a man in black.

  C                              
I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
       C                                       D
For the reckless ones, whose bad trip left them cold,
  F                     C    
I wear the black in mournin', 
        F                       C
For the lives that could have been,
    C                                  G7
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men. And

  C                                               
I wear it for the thousands who have died,
  C                                 D
Believin' that the Lord was on their side,
  F                      C    F       
I wear it for another hundred thousand 
           C
Who have died,
 C                                  G7
Believin' that we all were on their side.

             C                                           
Well, there's things that never 
C
Will be right, I know, and
C                                   D
Things need changin' ev'rywhere you go,
    F                        C   
But 'til we start to make a move, 
    F                 C
To make a few things right,
       C                             G7
You'll never see me wear a suit of white.

       C                                       
Aw! I'd love to wear a rainbow every day, and
                                D
Tell the world that ev'rything's OK,
        F              C           F              C
But I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my back,
     C                      G7           C
'Til things are brighter, I'm the man in black.