Feb212022

Status Quo – One Man Band Chords on Piano & Ukulele

Updated January 8, 2026

ChordsC Bb F G

KeyKeyCapo

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[Intro]
C   N.C.  C    Bb  C  F  C
Bb F C   Bb F C   Bb F C

[Verse 1]
Bb   F   C
When I'm talkin' nothing's
getting through
When I'm screamin' it's
            F
never clear to you
        C
Can you hear me?
Am I wasting my time?
     F            G
Am I working in a one
    C     Bb F C
man band?

[Verse 2]
Bb   F   C
When I'm looking straight
in your eyes

Is there anyone home?
               F
You're telling me lies
       C
Listen to me,
are you wasting my time?
     F           G       C
It's lonely in a one man band
     F           G       C      Bb
It's lonely in a one man band

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[Bridge]
Bb           F
Words out of line,
           G
don't ever hurt you
Bb      F
Forever crying trying
   G
to turn you around
C
Woh, oh, oh, oh
C
Woh, oh, oh, oh
C
Woh, oh, oh, oh
C                 N.C.
Woh, oh, oh, oh

[Interlude]
C   Bb   F   C   G

[Guitar Solo]
C   Bb F C    Bb F C
Bb F C   Bb F C   Bb F C
Bb F C

Feel free to use our free Chord Shape Generator to see every chord in this song on guitar, ukulele and piano.

[Verse 3]
C
Anticipating what you're gonna do
                         F
Still waiting for a sign from you
       C
Come together,
are we wasting our time?
         F           G       C
And I'll always be a one man band
     F           G       C
I'll always be a one man band
     F           G       Bb
It's lonely in a one man band

[Bridge]
C
Woh, oh, oh, oh
C
Woh, oh, oh, oh
C
Woh, oh, oh, oh
C
Woh, oh, oh, oh

[Outro]
C   Bb F C   Bb F C   Bb F C
Bb F C    Bb F C    Bb F C
Bb F C    Bb F C    Bb F C
Bb F C    Bb F C    Bb F  C

How to play One Man Band: key, chords and progression

These are the chords for One Man Band by Status Quo on Piano, Ukulele, Guitar, and Keyboard

One Man Band by Status Quo is built around F major (one flat: B♭), with 4 chords in all: C, Bb, F and G.

The backbone of the song is C – Bb – F – C (V – IV – I – V in F major). In solfa, that is soh – fah – doh – soh. Practise these 4 changes until they feel natural and you can play most of it.

Easier on guitar: put a capo on the 3rd fret and play the shapes A, G, D, E (100% of the chords become easy open shapes, against 50% without a capo). It sounds exactly the same.