C                                           
Well, you wonder why I always dress in black.  
                                      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,  
                                        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,  
                                       D  
Or listened to the words, that Jesus said,  
     F                C               F         C  
About the road to happiness, through love and charity,  
             D                                    G7        
Why, you'd think He's talking straight to you and me.  
  
  C                                      
Well, we're doin' mighty fine, I do suppose,  
                                           D  
In our streak-of-lightnin' cars and fancy clothes,  
      F               C               F               C  
But just so we're reminded, of, the ones who are held back,  
     D                             G7   
Up front there oughta be a man in black.  
  
  
  C                                         
I wear it for the sick and lonely old,  
                                                 D    
For the reckless ones, whose bad trip left them cold,  
  F                  C                 F                     C  
I wear the black in mournin', for the lives that could have been,  
     D                                  G7  
Each week we lose a hundred fine young men. and  
  
  
  C                                       
I wear it for the thousands who have died,  
                                      D  
Believin' that the Lord was on their side,  
  F             C               F                C   
I wear it for another hundred thousand who have died,  
   D                                 G7     
Believin' that we all were on their side.  
  
  
   C                                            
Well, there's things that never will be right, I know 
                                        D  
and things need changin' everywhere you go, 
     F                C                F                 C  
But 'til we start to make a move, to make a few things right,  
         D                          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,  
      D                    G7             C  
'Til things are brighter, I'm the man in black.