[A]Well you wonder why I always dress in black
Why you never see bright colors on my [B]back
And w[D]hy does my app[A]earance seem to h[D]ave a sombre t[A]one
Well there's a re[B]reason for the things that I have [E7]on
[A]I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down
Living in the hopeless hungry side of [B]town
I w[D]ear it for the priso[A]ner who has l[D]ong paid for his [A]crime
But who is [B]still in there as a victim of the [E7]time
[A]I wear the black for those who've never read
Or listened to the words that Jesus [B]said
About t[D]the road to [A]happiness through [D]love and chari[A]charity
Why you'd think [B]He's talking straight to you and [E7]me
[A]Well we're doing mighty fine I do suppose
In our streak of lightning cars and fancy [B]clothes
But [D]just so we're re[A]reminded of the [D]ones who are held [A]back
Up front there [B]ought to be a man in [E7]black
[A]I wear it for the sick and the lonely old
For the reckless ones whose bad trips left them [B]cold
I [D]wear the black in [A]mourning for the [D]lives that could have [A]been
Each week we [B]lose a hundred fine young [E7]men
[A]And I wear it for the thousands who have died
Believing that the Lord was on their [B]side
I [D]wear it for a[A]another hundred [D]thousand who have [A]died
Believing [B]that we all were on their [E7]side
[A]Well, there're things that never will be right I know
And things need changing everywhere you [B]go
But [D]'till we start to [A]make a move to [D]make a few things [A]right
You'll never [B]see me wear a suit of [A]white
[A]And I'd love to wear a rainbow everyday
And tell the world that everything's [B]okay
But [D]I'll try to carry [A]off a little [D]darkness on my [A]back
Till things are br[B]brighter I[E7]I'm the man in [A]black