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I've Been Working On The Railroad — Sheet Music, Tab & Chord Directory

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About I've Been Working On The Railroad

I've Been Working On The Railroad is a folk song in F major — beginner-friendly, running from C to d and staying in first position on banjo, mandolin and fiddle.

Type
Folk song
Key
F major · 4/4
Range
C to d · first position
Notes used
C D E F F♯ G A B♭
Level
Beginner-friendly

I've Been Working On The Railroad — sheet music

F major · 4/4

The notes

Letter names, bar by bar · capitals up to C in the third space, lower case from the D on the 4th line

F C F C F G | A F | B♭ B♭ F G | A F C F C F G | A F A A | A G G A | G G G F♯ G A G | F C | B♭ B♭ B♭ F F G G | A D E F E F D | C F | A B♭ A G | F C C C C F | D D D D G | E E E E D E | F G A C C C C F | D D D D G | E E E E D E | F A A A A F F F | C F | A A A A F F F | G E D C A A A A F F F | B♭ d | C C C C B♭ G | F C D F A F | C C C C F | A A F F F F | G E D C A F | B♭ B♭ B♭ B♭ d | C C C C B♭ G | F

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I've Been Working On The Railroad — tab

Tenor banjo · mandolin · fiddle · guitar · ukulele — tap one to open it

I've Been Working On The Railroad — Tenor banjo tab

G D A E (Irish tuning) · open position

E|-------------|-----|---------|---|
A|-------------|-0---|-1-1-----|-0-|
D|-3---3---3-5-|---3-|-----3-5-|---|
G|---5---5-----|-----|---------|---|
E|-------------|---------|---------|---|
A|-------------|-0---0-0-|-0-----0-|---|
D|-3---3---3-5-|---3-----|---5-5---|-5-|
G|---5---5-----|---------|---------|---|
E|-------------|-----|---------------|---|
A|---------0---|-----|-1-1-1---------|-0-|
D|-5-5-4-5---5-|-3---|-------3-3-5-5-|---|
G|-------------|---5-|---------------|---|
E|-------------|-----|---------|---|
A|-------------|-----|-0-1-0---|---|
D|-0-2-3-2-3-0-|---3-|-------5-|-3-|
G|-------------|-5---|---------|---|
E|-----------|-----------|-------------|-------|
A|-----------|-----------|-------------|-----0-|
D|---------3-|-0-0-0-0-5-|-2-2-2-2-0-2-|-3-5---|
G|-5-5-5-5---|-----------|-------------|-------|
E|-----------|-----------|-------------|---|
A|-----------|-----------|-------------|---|
D|---------3-|-0-0-0-0-5-|-2-2-2-2-0-2-|-3-|
G|-5-5-5-5---|-----------|-------------|---|
E|---------------|-----|---------------|---------|
A|-0-0-0-0-------|-----|-0-0-0-0-------|---------|
D|---------3-3-3-|---3-|---------3-3-3-|-5-2-0---|
G|---------------|-5---|---------------|-------5-|
E|---------------|-----|-------------|---------|
A|-0-0-0-0-------|-1-5-|-3-3-3-3-1---|---------|
D|---------3-3-3-|-----|-----------5-|-3---0-3-|
G|---------------|-----|-------------|---5-----|
E|-----|-----------|-------------|---------|
A|-0---|-----------|-0-0---------|---------|
D|---3-|---------3-|-----3-3-3-3-|-5-2-0---|
G|-----|-5-5-5-5---|-------------|-------5-|
E|-----|-----------|-------------|---|
A|-0---|-1-1-1-1-5-|-3-3-3-3-1---|---|
D|---3-|-----------|-----------5-|-3-|
G|-----|-----------|-------------|---|

Numbers are frets. Tenor banjo sounds an octave below the written notes.

I've Been Working On The Railroad — Mandolin tab

G D A E · open position

E|-------------|-----|---------|---|
A|-------------|-0---|-1-1-----|-0-|
D|-3---3---3-5-|---3-|-----3-5-|---|
G|---5---5-----|-----|---------|---|
E|-------------|---------|---------|---|
A|-------------|-0---0-0-|-0-----0-|---|
D|-3---3---3-5-|---3-----|---5-5---|-5-|
G|---5---5-----|---------|---------|---|
E|-------------|-----|---------------|---|
A|---------0---|-----|-1-1-1---------|-0-|
D|-5-5-4-5---5-|-3---|-------3-3-5-5-|---|
G|-------------|---5-|---------------|---|
E|-------------|-----|---------|---|
A|-------------|-----|-0-1-0---|---|
D|-0-2-3-2-3-0-|---3-|-------5-|-3-|
G|-------------|-5---|---------|---|
E|-----------|-----------|-------------|-------|
A|-----------|-----------|-------------|-----0-|
D|---------3-|-0-0-0-0-5-|-2-2-2-2-0-2-|-3-5---|
G|-5-5-5-5---|-----------|-------------|-------|
E|-----------|-----------|-------------|---|
A|-----------|-----------|-------------|---|
D|---------3-|-0-0-0-0-5-|-2-2-2-2-0-2-|-3-|
G|-5-5-5-5---|-----------|-------------|---|
E|---------------|-----|---------------|---------|
A|-0-0-0-0-------|-----|-0-0-0-0-------|---------|
D|---------3-3-3-|---3-|---------3-3-3-|-5-2-0---|
G|---------------|-5---|---------------|-------5-|
E|---------------|-----|-------------|---------|
A|-0-0-0-0-------|-1-5-|-3-3-3-3-1---|---------|
D|---------3-3-3-|-----|-----------5-|-3---0-3-|
G|---------------|-----|-------------|---5-----|
E|-----|-----------|-------------|---------|
A|-0---|-----------|-0-0---------|---------|
D|---3-|---------3-|-----3-3-3-3-|-5-2-0---|
G|-----|-5-5-5-5---|-------------|-------5-|
E|-----|-----------|-------------|---|
A|-0---|-1-1-1-1-5-|-3-3-3-3-1---|---|
D|---3-|-----------|-----------5-|-3-|
G|-----|-----------|-------------|---|

Numbers are frets. Same strings as the fiddle, so the same notes fall in the same places.

I've Been Working On The Railroad — fiddle fingering

G D A E · first position — finger numbers

E|----------------|------|------------|---|
A|----------------|-0----|-L1-L1------|-0-|
D|-L2---L2---L2-3-|---L2-|-------L2-3-|---|
G|----3----3------|------|------------|---|
E|----------------|----------|---------|---|
A|----------------|-0----0-0-|-0-----0-|---|
D|-L2---L2---L2-3-|---L2-----|---3-3---|-3-|
G|----3----3------|----------|---------|---|
E|-------------|------|--------------------|---|
A|---------0---|------|-L1-L1-L1-----------|-0-|
D|-3-3-2-3---3-|-L2---|----------L2-L2-3-3-|---|
G|-------------|----3-|--------------------|---|
E|---------------|------|----------|----|
A|---------------|------|-0-L1-0---|----|
D|-0-1-L2-1-L2-0-|---L2-|--------3-|-L2-|
G|---------------|-3----|----------|----|
E|------------|-----------|-------------|--------|
A|------------|-----------|-------------|------0-|
D|---------L2-|-0-0-0-0-3-|-1-1-1-1-0-1-|-L2-3---|
G|-3-3-3-3----|-----------|-------------|--------|
E|------------|-----------|-------------|----|
A|------------|-----------|-------------|----|
D|---------L2-|-0-0-0-0-3-|-1-1-1-1-0-1-|-L2-|
G|-3-3-3-3----|-----------|-------------|----|
E|------------------|------|------------------|---------|
A|-0-0-0-0----------|------|-0-0-0-0----------|---------|
D|---------L2-L2-L2-|---L2-|---------L2-L2-L2-|-3-1-0---|
G|------------------|-3----|------------------|-------3-|
E|------------------|------|------------------|-----------|
A|-0-0-0-0----------|-L1-3-|-L2-L2-L2-L2-L1---|-----------|
D|---------L2-L2-L2-|------|----------------3-|-L2---0-L2-|
G|------------------|------|------------------|----3------|
E|------|------------|-----------------|---------|
A|-0----|------------|-0-0-------------|---------|
D|---L2-|---------L2-|-----L2-L2-L2-L2-|-3-1-0---|
G|------|-3-3-3-3----|-----------------|-------3-|
E|------|---------------|------------------|----|
A|-0----|-L1-L1-L1-L1-3-|-L2-L2-L2-L2-L1---|----|
D|---L2-|---------------|----------------3-|-L2-|
G|------|---------------|------------------|----|

0 = open string · 1–4 = finger · L = low (half step back), H = high.

I've Been Working On The Railroad — Guitar tab

E A D G B E · open position

e|-------------|-----|---------|---|
B|-------------|-----|---------|---|
G|-----------0-|-2---|-3-3---0-|-2-|
D|-3---3---3---|---3-|-----3---|---|
A|---3---3-----|-----|---------|---|
E|-------------|-----|---------|---|
e|-------------|---------|---------|---|
B|-------------|---------|---------|---|
G|-----------0-|-2---2-2-|-2-0-0-2-|-0-|
D|-3---3---3---|---3-----|---------|---|
A|---3---3-----|---------|---------|---|
E|-------------|---------|---------|---|
e|-------------|-----|---------------|---|
B|-------------|-----|---------------|---|
G|-0-0---0-2-0-|-----|-3-3-3-----0-0-|-2-|
D|-----4-------|-3---|-------3-3-----|---|
A|-------------|---3-|---------------|---|
E|-------------|-----|---------------|---|
e|-------------|-----|---------|---|
B|-------------|-----|---------|---|
G|-------------|-----|-2-3-2-0-|---|
D|-0-2-3-2-3-0-|---3-|---------|-3-|
A|-------------|-3---|---------|---|
E|-------------|-----|---------|---|
e|-----------|-----------|-------------|-------|
B|-----------|-----------|-------------|-------|
G|-----------|---------0-|-------------|---0-2-|
D|---------3-|-0-0-0-0---|-2-2-2-2-0-2-|-3-----|
A|-3-3-3-3---|-----------|-------------|-------|
E|-----------|-----------|-------------|-------|
e|-----------|-----------|-------------|---|
B|-----------|-----------|-------------|---|
G|-----------|---------0-|-------------|---|
D|---------3-|-0-0-0-0---|-2-2-2-2-0-2-|-3-|
A|-3-3-3-3---|-----------|-------------|---|
E|-----------|-----------|-------------|---|
e|---------------|-----|---------------|---------|
B|---------------|-----|---------------|---------|
G|-2-2-2-2-------|-----|-2-2-2-2-------|-0-------|
D|---------3-3-3-|---3-|---------3-3-3-|---2-0---|
A|---------------|-3---|---------------|-------3-|
E|---------------|-----|---------------|---------|
e|---------------|-----|-------------|---------|
B|---------------|---3-|-1-1-1-1-----|---------|
G|-2-2-2-2-------|-3---|---------3-0-|---------|
D|---------3-3-3-|-----|-------------|-3---0-3-|
A|---------------|-----|-------------|---3-----|
E|---------------|-----|-------------|---------|
e|-----|-----------|-------------|---------|
B|-----|-----------|-------------|---------|
G|-2---|-----------|-2-2---------|-0-------|
D|---3-|---------3-|-----3-3-3-3-|---2-0---|
A|-----|-3-3-3-3---|-------------|-------3-|
E|-----|-----------|-------------|---------|
e|-----|-----------|-------------|---|
B|-----|---------3-|-1-1-1-1-----|---|
G|-2---|-3-3-3-3---|---------3-0-|---|
D|---3-|-----------|-------------|-3-|
A|-----|-----------|-------------|---|
E|-----|-----------|-------------|---|

Numbers are frets; the bottom line is the low E string.

I've Been Working On The Railroad — Ukulele tab

G C E A (high G) · open position

A|-------------|-0---|-1-1-----|-0-|
E|-1---1---1---|---1-|-----1---|---|
C|---0---0-----|-----|---------|---|
G|-----------0-|-----|-------0-|---|
A|-------------|-0---0-0-|-0-----0-|---|
E|-1---1---1---|---1-----|---------|---|
C|---0---0-----|---------|---------|---|
G|-----------0-|---------|---0-0---|-0-|
A|---------0---|-----|-1-1-1---------|-0-|
E|-----2-------|-1---|-------1-1-----|---|
C|-------------|---0-|---------------|---|
G|-0-0---0---0-|-----|-----------0-0-|---|
A|-------------|-----|-0-1-0---|---|
E|---0-1-0-1---|---1-|---------|-1-|
C|-2---------2-|-0---|---------|---|
G|-------------|-----|-------0-|---|
A|-----------|-----------|-------------|-----0-|
E|---------1-|-----------|-0-0-0-0---0-|-1-----|
C|-0-0-0-0---|-2-2-2-2---|---------2---|-------|
G|-----------|---------0-|-------------|---0---|
A|-----------|-----------|-------------|---|
E|---------1-|-----------|-0-0-0-0---0-|-1-|
C|-0-0-0-0---|-2-2-2-2---|---------2---|---|
G|-----------|---------0-|-------------|---|
A|-0-0-0-0-------|-----|-0-0-0-0-------|---------|
E|---------1-1-1-|---1-|---------1-1-1-|---0-----|
C|---------------|-0---|---------------|-----2-0-|
G|---------------|-----|---------------|-0-------|
A|-0-0-0-0-------|-1-5-|-3-3-3-3-1---|---------|
E|---------1-1-1-|-----|-------------|-1-----1-|
C|---------------|-----|-------------|---0-2---|
G|---------------|-----|-----------0-|---------|
A|-0---|-----------|-0-0---------|---------|
E|---1-|---------1-|-----1-1-1-1-|---0-----|
C|-----|-0-0-0-0---|-------------|-----2-0-|
G|-----|-----------|-------------|-0-------|
A|-0---|-1-1-1-1-5-|-3-3-3-3-1---|---|
E|---1-|-----------|-------------|-1-|
C|-----|-----------|-------------|---|
G|-----|-----------|-----------0-|---|

Numbers are frets; the top line is the A string, the bottom line the high G.

I've Been Working On The Railroad chords

F major · 9 chords: F, B♭, G7, C7, A7, Gm7, B♭7, Bdim, F/C

F
F
B♭
F
F
F
G7
C7
C7
F
B♭
A7
B♭
F
G7 Gm7 C7
F
F
B♭ G7
C7 B♭7 C7
F C7 F
F
B♭ G7
C7 B♭7 C7
F
F
F
F
C7
F
B♭ Bdim
F/C C7
F
F
F
F
C7
F
B♭ Bdim
F/C C7
F

One box per bar, in the same order as the sheet music. A faded chord carries on from the bar before. A slash chord like F/C means play F with C as the lowest note.

Guitar chords for I've Been Working On The Railroad

Strings E A D G B E, low to high · o = open string, × = don't play it

FB♭×G7C7×A7×Gm7B♭7×Bdim×F/C×

Ukulele chords for I've Been Working On The Railroad

Strings G C E A, low to high · o = open string, × = don't play it

FB♭G7C7A7Gm7B♭7BdimF/C

Tenor banjo & mandolin chords for I've Been Working On The Railroad

Strings G D A E, low to high · o = open string, × = don't play it

FB♭G7C7A7Gm7B♭7BdimF/C

More folk songs and tunes like it

Oh, My Darling ClementineShenandoahAuld Lang Syne(The Bonnie Banks O')On Top Of Old SmokyHome On The RangeRed River ValleyDown In The Valley

This melody comes from The Public Domain Song Anthology (David Berger & Chuck Israels), released CC0. The song is in the public domain. Tabs and letter names worked out by The Music Arcade.

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