Dirty Work Chords

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Difficulty:	intermediate
Tuning:	E A D G B E
Key:	C
Capo:	1st fret

Author Unregistered.

2 contributors total, last edit on Jan 20, 2023

We have an official Dirty Work tab made by UG professional guitarists.

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Chords

Am7

Dm7

Cmaj7

G/B

Strumming

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Sorry I lost the name of the person who posted some Steely Dan
- including "Any Major Dude"  -  because I wanted to say thanks.
Anyway, here's my attempt at "Dirty Work".
 
Dirty Work                             Steely Dan
==========
 
 
[Intro]
                                 ^^ ^
|C      |F      |Am      |Bb     Bb B|
                                 ^^ ^
|C      |F      |Am      |Bb     Bb B|
                                 ^^ ^
|C      |F      |Am      |Bb     Bb B|
 
|C      |F      |
 
Am7            Dm7            G                C
    Times are hard,  you're a fraid to pay the fee
Cmaj7  F             Bb               C              G/B   Am   G
So you find yourself somebody who can do the job for free
F        Am7           Dm7               G             C
When you need a bit of lovin' cause your man is out of town
Cmaj7      F               Bb              C            Dm
That's the time you get me runnin' and you know I'll be around.
 
 
[Chorus]
 
C       F               Am
  I'm a fool to do your dirty work
        ^^ ^  ^
   Bb   Bb B  C
Oh yeah
        F               Am
I don't want to do your dirty work
       ^^ ^  ^
   Bb  Bb B  C
No more
      F               Am
I'm a fool to do your dirty work
       ^^ ^   ^
   Bb  Bb B  |C     |F     |
Oh yeah
 
 
Am7          Dm7             G             Cmaj7
   Light the candle, put the lock upon the door
         F                  Bb           C              G/B   Am    G
You have sent the maid home early like a thousand times befoo-o-o-o-ore
F      Am7         Dm7         G        Cmaj7
Like a castle in a corner in a medieval game
     F            Bb            C                  Dm
I forsee terrible trouble and I stay here just the same
 
 
[Chorus]
C       F               Am
  I'm a fool to do your dirty work
         ^^ ^  ^
   Bb    Bb B  C
Oh yeah
        F               Am
I don't want to do your dirty work
        ^^ ^  ^
   Bb   Bb B  C
No more
      F               Am
I'm a fool to do your dirty work
        ^^ ^   ^
   Bb   Bb B  |C     |F     |
Oh yeah
 
Sax:
   |G    |G     |Em    |Em      |
 
   |G    |G     |Em    |Em      |
 
   |F    |F     |G     |G       |
 
   |Dm   |
 
C       F               Am
  I'm a fool to do your dirty work
         ^^ ^  ^
   Bb    Bb B  C
Oh yeah
        F               Am
I don't want to do your dirty work
        ^^ ^  ^
   Bb   Bb B  C
No more
      F               Am
I'm a fool to do your dirty work
        ^^ ^   ^
   Bb   Bb B  C
Oh yeah
 
  F                Am
I don't want to do your dirty work
        ^^ ^  ^
   Bb   Bb B  C
No more
      F               Am
I'm a fool to do your dirty work
        ^^ ^  ^
   Bb   Bb B  C   ..fade
Oh yeah
X

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Dirty Work – Steely Dan

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"Dirty Work"

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13 comments

I believe the correct lyric is "You have sent the maid home early like a thousand times before".

The version I'm playing along to from Can't Buy A Thrill is a semitone higher than this. With a capo on 1st it sounds great though.

im pretty sure there are some different chords in the verses in the same places u have now i think the progression is Am Dm G C F Bb C Bm Am G