Dirty Work Chords

Etap to play
Atap to play
Btap to play
C#mtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Capo
None
Chords
E · A · B · C#m

A classic tale of a transactional affair from Steely Dan’s debut album. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Light Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 4th fret and play C, F, and G shapes for an easier time matching the original recording’s key.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Times are hard
A E B
You’re afraid to pay the fee
E
So you find yourself a
A E B
She’s nine on a scale of ten
E A E B E A
I guess you call her luck- y Jen- ny
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Verse 2

 
E A E B
Now you say you’re leavin’ Monday on the two-thirty-two
E A E B
And you’re gonna stay with some fi- nance dude
E A E B E A
A friend of your mother’s, yeah, she’s real proud of you
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Bridge

 
A E B
I’m a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
A E B
I don’t wanna do your dirty work, no more
 

Verse 3

 
E
I’m the one who must make
A E B
All the right kind of moves
E A E B E
I’m the one who must risk a thing to get a thing
A E B
I’m the one who’s tired of playing
E A E
I’m the one without a dream
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Practice tip: The chord progression E – A – E – B repeats often; get comfortable switching between these four chords before adding the lyrics.

Etap to play
Atap to play
Btap to play
C#mtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
G-C-E-A
Chords
E · A · B · C#m

A classic tale of a transactional affair from Steely Dan’s debut album. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Light Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 4th fret and play C, F, and G shapes for an easier time matching the original recording’s key.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Times are hard
A E B
You’re afraid to pay the fee
E
So you find yourself a
A E B
She’s nine on a scale of ten
E A E B E A
I guess you call her luck- y Jen- ny
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Verse 2

 
E A E B
Now you say you’re leavin’ Monday on the two-thirty-two
E A E B
And you’re gonna stay with some fi- nance dude
E A E B E A
A friend of your mother’s, yeah, she’s real proud of you
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Bridge

 
A E B
I’m a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
A E B
I don’t wanna do your dirty work, no more
 

Verse 3

 
E
I’m the one who must make
A E B
All the right kind of moves
E A E B E
I’m the one who must risk a thing to get a thing
A E B
I’m the one who’s tired of playing
E A E
I’m the one without a dream
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Practice tip: The chord progression E – A – E – B repeats often; get comfortable switching between these four chords before adding the lyrics.

Etap to play
Atap to play
Btap to play
C#mtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Left Hand
Root notes
Chords
E · A · B · C#m

A classic tale of a transactional affair from Steely Dan’s debut album. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Light Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 4th fret and play C, F, and G shapes for an easier time matching the original recording’s key.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Times are hard
A E B
You’re afraid to pay the fee
E
So you find yourself a
A E B
She’s nine on a scale of ten
E A E B E A
I guess you call her luck- y Jen- ny
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Verse 2

 
E A E B
Now you say you’re leavin’ Monday on the two-thirty-two
E A E B
And you’re gonna stay with some fi- nance dude
E A E B E A
A friend of your mother’s, yeah, she’s real proud of you
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Bridge

 
A E B
I’m a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
A E B
I don’t wanna do your dirty work, no more
 

Verse 3

 
E
I’m the one who must make
A E B
All the right kind of moves
E A E B E
I’m the one who must risk a thing to get a thing
A E B
I’m the one who’s tired of playing
E A E
I’m the one without a dream
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Practice tip: The chord progression E – A – E – B repeats often; get comfortable switching between these four chords before adding the lyrics.

Etap to play
Atap to play
Btap to play
C#mtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
gDGBD (Open G)
Chords
E · A · B · C#m

A classic tale of a transactional affair from Steely Dan’s debut album. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Light Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 4th fret and play C, F, and G shapes for an easier time matching the original recording’s key.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Times are hard
A E B
You’re afraid to pay the fee
E
So you find yourself a
A E B
She’s nine on a scale of ten
E A E B E A
I guess you call her luck- y Jen- ny
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Verse 2

 
E A E B
Now you say you’re leavin’ Monday on the two-thirty-two
E A E B
And you’re gonna stay with some fi- nance dude
E A E B E A
A friend of your mother’s, yeah, she’s real proud of you
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Bridge

 
A E B
I’m a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
A E B
I don’t wanna do your dirty work, no more
 

Verse 3

 
E
I’m the one who must make
A E B
All the right kind of moves
E A E B E
I’m the one who must risk a thing to get a thing
A E B
I’m the one who’s tired of playing
E A E
I’m the one without a dream
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Practice tip: The chord progression E – A – E – B repeats often; get comfortable switching between these four chords before adding the lyrics.

Etap to play
Atap to play
Btap to play
C#mtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Tuning
G-D-A-E
Chords
E · A · B · C#m

A classic tale of a transactional affair from Steely Dan’s debut album. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Light Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 4th fret and play C, F, and G shapes for an easier time matching the original recording’s key.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Times are hard
A E B
You’re afraid to pay the fee
E
So you find yourself a
A E B
She’s nine on a scale of ten
E A E B E A
I guess you call her luck- y Jen- ny
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Verse 2

 
E A E B
Now you say you’re leavin’ Monday on the two-thirty-two
E A E B
And you’re gonna stay with some fi- nance dude
E A E B E A
A friend of your mother’s, yeah, she’s real proud of you
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Bridge

 
A E B
I’m a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
A E B
I don’t wanna do your dirty work, no more
 

Verse 3

 
E
I’m the one who must make
A E B
All the right kind of moves
E A E B E
I’m the one who must risk a thing to get a thing
A E B
I’m the one who’s tired of playing
E A E
I’m the one without a dream
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Practice tip: The chord progression E – A – E – B repeats often; get comfortable switching between these four chords before adding the lyrics.

Etap to play
Atap to play
Btap to play
C#mtap to play
Key
E Major
Difficulty
Beginner
Harp Key
C Diatonic
Chords
E · A · B · C#m

A classic tale of a transactional affair from Steely Dan’s debut album. Beginner difficulty in the key of E.

Light Rock (4/4 Time)
123456

Tip: Use a capo on the 4th fret and play C, F, and G shapes for an easier time matching the original recording’s key.

Lyrics & Chords

Full Song

Verse 1

 
E
Times are hard
A E B
You’re afraid to pay the fee
E
So you find yourself a
A E B
She’s nine on a scale of ten
E A E B E A
I guess you call her luck- y Jen- ny
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Verse 2

 
E A E B
Now you say you’re leavin’ Monday on the two-thirty-two
E A E B
And you’re gonna stay with some fi- nance dude
E A E B E A
A friend of your mother’s, yeah, she’s real proud of you
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Bridge

 
A E B
I’m a fool to do your dirty work, oh yeah
A E B
I don’t wanna do your dirty work, no more
 

Verse 3

 
E
I’m the one who must make
A E B
All the right kind of moves
E A E B E
I’m the one who must risk a thing to get a thing
A E B
I’m the one who’s tired of playing
E A E
I’m the one without a dream
 

Chorus

 
E A E B
You’ve been tellin’ me you’re a genius since you were seven- teen
E A E B
In the meantime I’ve been waitin’ in the vesti- bule
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
E A E B
I’ve been doin’ all your dirty work, that ain’t right
 

Practice tip: The chord progression E – A – E – B repeats often; get comfortable switching between these four chords before adding the lyrics.