Big Country Info Big Country Info

"What Are You Working For" by Big Country
From the Album "The Buffalo Skinners"

What are you working for is a question I often ask myself...
This song is just pure class. It's one of Big Country's best songs off their best studio album IMHO.
Plug in, crank up the volume up and gee it laldy!

For non-Scots in the audience; http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=laldy

 

Tabbed by Colin Dawson - colin_g_dawson@hotmail.com - April 2008

Comments and corrections welcome!

For more info about Big Country visit www.bigcountry.co.uk

 

h = hammer
p = pull
s = slide
sd = slide down
r = let ring (sustain)

 

Intro;

CHORD | E  A  D  G  B  E
Amadd9     | 0  3  2  2  0  0
G6   | 3  2  0  0  0  0 

 

  Amadd9        G6            Amadd9      G6
E|----------------------------------------------------|
B|0-0rr-0-0rr-0-0rrrr---0rr-0-0rr-0-0rr-0-0rrrr-------|
G|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-|
D|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-|
A|--------------------2-------------------------2-2rr-|
E|------------------------------------------------3rr-|

 

  Amadd9        G6           C       G
E|-----------------------------------------|
B|0-0rr-0-0rr-0-0rrrr---0rr----------------|
G|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr--------------0-|
D|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr--2-----2-5---0-|
A|--------------------2-----3--3-5-----2-2-|
E|---------------------------------------3-|

 

  Amadd9        G6            Amadd9      G6
E|----------------------------------------------------|
B|0-0rr-0-0rr-0-0rrrr---0rr-0-0rr-0-0rr-0-0rrrr-------|
G|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-|
D|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-|
A|--------------------2-------------------------2-2rr-|
E|------------------------------------------------3rr-|

 

  Amadd9        G6           C       G
E|-----------------------------------------|
B|0-0rr-0-0rr-0-0rrrr---0rr----------------|
G|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr--------------0-|
D|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr--2-----2-5---0-|
A|--------------------2-----3--3-5-----2-2-|
E|---------------------------------------3-|

 

Verse 1;

Chords for verses:
The easiest way to play these is with a full barre

CHORD | E  A  D  G  B  E
Am   | 12 12 14 14 X  X
F    | 8  8  10 10 X  X 
F7   | X  X  10 10 10 11
C    | 7  9  9  8  X  X
G    | 10 10 12 12 X  X
Gaug5 | X  X  12 12 12 11
Gsus4 | X  X  12 12 13 X

 

      Am                       F                     F7
There was a crooked man and he wore a crooked smile.

   C                              G                       Gaug5
He built a crooked highway and it ran for miles and miles.

     Am                      F                      F7
With money from the revenue, sponsorship from Ford.

   C                              G                     Gsus4
It barely holds together with the goodwill of the Lord.

 

  Amadd9        G6            Amadd9      G6
E|----------------------------------------------------|
B|0-0rr-0-0rr-0-0rrrr---0rr-0-0rr-0-0rr-0-0rrrr-------|
G|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-|
D|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr-|
A|--------------------2-------------------------2-2rr-|
E|------------------------------------------------3rr-|

 

  Amadd9        G6           C       G
E|-----------------------------------------|
B|0-0rr-0-0rr-0-0rrrr---0rr----------------|
G|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr--------------0-|
D|0-0h2-2-2rr-2-0h2p0-0-0rr--2-----2-5---0-|
A|--------------------2-----3--3-5-----2-2-|
E|---------------------------------------3-|

 

 

       Am                          F                     F7
In the penthouse of the baron, the little children sleep

C                                  G                       Gaug5
Daddy talks to smugglers while the armed gorillas creep.

Am                             F                     F7
Poison for the great unwashed, business for the mob.

  C                              G                   Gsus4
Another teenage murder it’s just trouble on the job

 

Chorus;

  Fsus2   C       Gsus4   C
E|---------------------------------|
B|----1-------1-------1-------1----|
G|--0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|
D|3-------2-------0----------------|
A|------------------------3--------|
E|---------------------------------|
  Now I  see what I must  see

     Fsus2  C        Gsus4   C
The poor do time the rich go free

Fsus2        C         Gsus4     C
You keep the faith and they keep score

   Am        G        F
Is this what you were working for

 

Guitar solo;

The solos in this song are moderately difficult. Some of the hammers and pulls
are extremely fast and the hammers followed by bends are an interesting variation
from Stuart's usual guitar style prior to this album.

To make this easier to tab and to read I've used the following shorthand;
8 = 8th fret
9 = 9th fret
0 = 10th fret
1 = 11th fret
2 = 12th fret
3 = 13th fret
4 = 14th fret
5 = 15th fret
6 = 16th fret
7 = 17th fret
h = hammer
p = pull
s = slide
sd = slide down
r = let ring (sustain)

 

      Am                            G
E|-----------------------0------------------|
B|------2-----------0h2b3--2h3p2p0--0h2p0rrr|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr----------------2---------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

 

      Am                            Em
E|-----------------------5------------------|
B|------2----------3h5b7---5h6p5p3--5b7b5rrr|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr----------------4---------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

 

      Am                            G
E|-----------------------0------------------|
B|------2-----------0h2b3--2h3p2p0--0h2p0rrr|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr----------------2---------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

 

  Am                      F    G     Am
E|---5----5---------------5p2-2------------|
B|5b7--5b7--5b6b5p3--3rrr----5-5p3-3h5b7rrr|
G|-----------------4--------------4--------|
D|-----------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------|

 

  Am                      F                     F7
A newsleak in the city, another scandal breaks.

C                           G                       Gaug5
Sex and drugs in city hall, someone’s on the make.

Am                    F                        F7
Legal bounty hunters, aim their lawsuits well.

    C                              G                      Gsus4
The victim talks to Playboy says I guess I’ll go to hell.

 

 

Chorus;

  Fsus2   C       Gsus4   C
E|---------------------------------|
B|----1-------1-------1-------1----|
G|--0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|
D|3-------2-------0----------------|
A|------------------------3--------|
E|---------------------------------|
  Now I  see what I must  see

     Fsus2  C        Gsus4   C
The poor do time the rich go free

Fsus2        C         Gsus4     C
You keep the faith and they keep score

   Am        G        F
Is this what you were working for

 

Guitar solo;

To make this easier to tab and to read I've used the following shorthand;
8 = 8th fret
9 = 9th fret
0 = 10th fret
1 = 11th fret
2 = 12th fret
3 = 13th fret
4 = 14th fret
5 = 15th fret
6 = 16th fret
7 = 17th fret
h = hammer
p = pull
s = slide
sd = slide down
r = let ring (sustain)

      Am                            G
E|-----------------------0------------------|
B|------2-----------0h2b3--2h3p2p0--0h2p0rrr|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr----------------2---------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

 

     Am                             Em
E|-----------------------5------------------|
B|------2----------3h5b7---5h6p5p3--5b7b5rrr|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr----------------4---------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

 

      Am                            G
E|-----------------------0------------------|
B|------2-----------0h2b3--2h3p2p0--0h2p0rrr|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr----------------2---------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

 

  Am                     F    G      Am
E|---5----5---------------5p2-2------------|
B|5b7--5b7--5b6b5p3--3rrr----5-5p3-3h5b7rrr|
G|-----------------4--------------4--------|
D|-----------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------|

 

  Am                   F    Am              G
E|------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------3rrr------------------3----|
G|9h222-22p9-99-9---2h4-----9h222-22p9-99-2s4-4rrr|
D|---------------2s4------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------|

 

  Am                   F      Dm         F
E|---------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------3rrr-------------3------|
G|9h222-22p9-99-9---2h4--------------2h4-4rrrr-|
D|---------------2s4---------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------|

 

 

Chorus;

  Fsus2   C       Gsus4   C
E|---------------------------------|
B|----1-------1-------1-------1----|
G|--0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|
D|3-------2-------0----------------|
A|------------------------3--------|
E|---------------------------------|
  Now I  see what I must  see

     Fsus2  C        Gsus4   C
The poor do time the rich go free

Fsus2        C         Gsus4     C
You keep the faith and they keep score

   Am        G        F
Is this what you were working for

 

 

Chorus;

  Fsus2   C       Gsus4   C
E|---------------------------------|
B|----1-------1-------1-------1----|
G|--0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0--|
D|3-------2-------0----------------|
A|------------------------3--------|
E|---------------------------------|
  Now I  see what I must  see

     Fsus2  C        Gsus4   C
The poor do time the rich go free

Fsus2        C         Gsus4     C
You keep the faith and they keep score

   Am        G        F
Is this what you were working for

 

Guitar solo;

To make this easier to tab and to read I've used the following shorthand;
8 = 8th fret
9 = 9th fret
0 = 10th fret
1 = 11th fret
2 = 12th fret
3 = 13th fret
4 = 14th fret
5 = 15th fret
6 = 16th fret
7 = 17th fret
h = hammer
p = pull
s = slide
sd = slide down
r = let ring (sustain)

      Am                            G
E|-----------------------0------------------|
B|------2-----------0h2b3--2h3p2p0--0h2p0rrr|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr----------------2---------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

 

      Am                            Em
E|-----------------------5------------------|
B|------2----------3h5b7---5h6p5p3--5b7b5rrr|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr----------------4---------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

 

      Am                            G
E|-----------------------0------------------|
B|------2-----------0h2b3--2h3p2p0--0h2p0rrr|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr----------------2---------|
D|------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------|

 

  Am                     F    G      Am
E|---5----5---------------5p2-2------------|
B|5b7--5b7--5b6b5p3--3rrr----5-5p3-3h5b7rrr|
G|-----------------4--------------4--------|
D|-----------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------|

 

      Am                       G
E|-----------------------0---0---------------|
B|------2-----------0h2b3-2b3--2h3p2p0--0h2p0|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr--------------------2------|
D|-------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------|

 

      Am                        Em
E|----------------------5----5----5----5-----|
B|------2------------5b7--5b7--5b7--5b7--5b7-|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr---------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------|

 

      Am                            G
E|-----------------------0----------------------|
B|------2-----------0h2b3--2h3p2p0--2h3p2p0--0sd|
G|9h2b4---4b2-9rrr----------------2--------2----|
D|----------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------|

 

  Am                    F     G      Am
E|---5----5-------------5b7b5-2h5p2-----|
B|5b7--5b7---5h6p5p3--3------------5-5b7|
G|------------------4-------------------|
D|--------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------|