Working Man – English Lyrics

• By: Rita MacNeil

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the heart of Cape Breton's coal mining history through Rita MacNeil's iconic song, "Working Man." This moving anthem not only tells a powerful story of a miner's life but also offers a unique window into the language and culture of a community built on hard work and perseverance. Learning the lyrics of this song is to understand a piece of Canadian heritage and the universal emotions tied to a life of labor and hope.

[English]

It's a working man l am

And I've been down under ground

And I swear to God if l ever see the sun

Or for any length of time

I can hold it in my mind

I never again will go down under ground

At the age of sixteen years

Oh, he quarrels with his peers

Who vowed they'd never see another one

In the dark recess of the mines

Where you age before your time

And the coal dust lies heavy on your lungs

It's a working man l am

And I've been down under ground

And I swear to God if l ever see the sun

Or for any length of time

I can hold it in my mind

I never again will go down under ground

At the age of sixty four

Oh, he'll greet you at the door

And he'll gently lead you by the arm

Through the dark recess of the mines

Oh, he'll take you back in time

And he'll tell you of the hardships that were had

It's a working man l am

And I've been down under ground

And I swear to God if l ever see the sun

Or for any length of time

I can hold it in my mind

I never again will go down under ground

It's a working man l am

And I've been down under ground

And I swear to God if l ever see the sun

Or for any length of time

I can hold it in my mind

I never again will go down under ground

It's a working man l am

And I've been down under ground

And I swear to God if l ever see the sun

Or for any length of time

I can hold it in my mind

I never again will go down under ground

God, I never again will go down under ground

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
working /ˈwɜːrkɪŋ/ B1	adjective - engaged in work or a job
man /mæn/ A1	noun - an adult male human
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A2	noun - the solid surface of the earth
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star that provides light and heat to the earth
mind /maɪnd/ B1	noun - the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences
age /eɪdʒ/ A2	noun - the length of time that a person has lived or a thing has existed
dark /dɑːrk/ A2	adjective - having little or no light
coal /koʊl/ B1	noun - a black or dark brown combustible mineral used as fuel
hardship /ˈhɑːrdʃɪp/ B2	noun - severe suffering or privation
lead /liːd/ B1	verb - to guide or direct
greet /ɡriːt/ A2	verb - to say hello to someone
quarrel /ˈkwɔːrəl/ B2	verb - to have an angry argument
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events

Key Grammar Structures

• If I ever see the sun

  ➔ Conditional sentence (First conditional)

  ➔ The phrase uses "if" to introduce a condition that depends on the action "see the sun."

• And I swear to God

  ➔ Use of phrase for emphasis and oath

  ➔ This phrase expresses a strong personal commitment or sincerity, often in a solemn or serious context.

• I've been down underground

  ➔ Present perfect tense indicating experience or a state up to now

  ➔ The phrase uses the present perfect "have been" to describe an experience of working underground that may influence the present.

• I never again will go down underground

  ➔ Future intention with "will" in negative form for emphasis

  ➔ The phrase uses "will" with "never" to strongly negate the action of going underground again in the future.

• And the coal dust lies heavy on your lungs

  ➔ Simple present tense to describe a habitual state or condition

  ➔ The sentence uses the simple present "lies" to indicate a persistent situation affecting the miners' lungs.

• God, I never again will go down under ground

  ➔ Use of "never again" with "will" to emphasize a firm decision

  ➔ The phrase combines "never again" with "will" to strongly assert that the speaker decisively will not return underground.