Dirty Work by Steely Dan | Lyrics with Guitar Chords

Dirty Work is one of the best known songs of Steely Dan’s. It was seen as being so commercial that lead singer Donald Fagan intentionally didn’t sing on it. The lyrics tell of an affair where the man can’t bring himself to end it, and can see he’s being used.

You can learn to play Dirty Work by Steely Dan with guitar chords, lyrics and a strumming trainer directly in the Uberchord app. This app listens to your guitar chords and gives you visual feedback in real-time in case you make a mistake.

Key of the Song:

The original key of Dirty Work by Steely Dan is in Gb major.

Guitar Chords for Dirty Work by Steely Dan

This song is in Gb Major because of the Capo marking. We made the Fmaj7 XX3210 in order to make the change from C to Fmaj7 easier. This will also make the change to Am7 easy too. 

Video Lesson

Dirty Work by Steely Dan – Lyrics with Chords

Capo 1st Fret
 
[Intro]
C Fmaj7 Am7 Bb
C Fmaj7 Am7 Bb
C Fmaj7 Am7 Bb F C
 
[Verse]
Am7           Dm7
  Times are hard
        G                 Cmaj7
You're afraid to pay the fee
       F                 Bb
So you find yourself somebody
        C              G/B  Am7  G
Who can do the job for free
Fmaj7    Am7            Dm7
When you need a bit of lovin'
           G             Cmaj7
Cause your man is out of town
           F               Bb
That's the time you get me runnin'
        C             Dm
And you know I'll be around
 
[Chorus]
C      Fmaj7           Am7
 I'm a fool to do your dirty work
   Bb
Oh yeah
C        Fmaj7         Am7
 I don't wanna do your dirty work
   Bb
No more
C      F               Am7
 I'm a fool to do your dirty work
   Bb      C   F
Oh yeah
 
[Verse]
Am7         Dm7
 Light the candle
        G             Cmaj7
Put the lock upon the door
         F                  Bb
You have sent the maid home early
       C              G/B  Am7  G
Like a thousand times before
Fmaj7     Am7            Dm7
Like the castle in its corner
     G        Cmaj7
In a medieval game
      F            Bb
I foresee terrible trouble
      C                  Dm
And I stay here just the same
 
[Chorus]
C      Fmaj7           Am7
 I'm a fool to do your dirty work
   Bb
Oh yeah
C        Fmaj7         Am7
 I don't wanna do your dirty work
   Bb
No more
C      F               Am7
 I'm a fool to do your dirty work
   Bb       C   F
Oh yeah
 
[Sax Solo]
G Em G Em F G Dm
 
[Chorus]
C      Fmaj7           Am7
 I'm a fool to do your dirty work
   Bb
Oh yeah
C        Fmaj7         Am7
 I don't wanna do your dirty work
   Bb
No more
C      F               Am7
 I'm a fool to do your dirty work
   Bb            C   F
Oh yeah
C        Fmaj7         Am7
 I don't wanna do your dirty work
   Bb
No more
 
[Outro Fade]
C      Fmaj7           Am7
 I'm a fool to do your dirty work
   Bb
Oh yeah
C        Fmaj7         Am7
 I don't wanna do your dirty work
   Bb
No more