Man Down

by Rihanna
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Lyrics

I did n’t (Cm)mean to end his life, I know it was n’t right, I can’t (Bb)e ven sleep at night, can’t get it off my mind.

I need (Cm)to get out of sight ’fore I end up be hind bars.

What start ed (Cm)out as a sim ple al ter ca tion, turned in (Bb)to a real stick y sit u a tion.

Me just (Ab)think ing on the time that I’m fac ing makes me (Bb)want to cry.

’Cause I did n’t mean to hurt him, could have been some bod y’s son.

And I took his heart when

I pulled out that gun.

Rum ba ba bom rum ba ba bom rum (Bb)ba ba bom.

Man down.

Rum ba ba bom rum ba ba bom rum (Bb)ba ba bom.

Man down.

(Cm)Ma ma, Ma ma, Ma ma, I just (Bb)shot a man down

in Cen tral (Cm)Sta tion.

In front of a (Bb)big old crowd.

Oh, why?

Oh, why?

Oh, (Ab)Ma ma, Ma ma, Ma ma, I just (Bb)shot a man down

in Cen tral (Cm)It’s a twen ty two, I call her Peg gy Sue.

When she fits (Bb)right down in my shoes, what d’you ex pect me to do?

If you’re play (Cm)ing me for a fool, I will lose my cool and reach for (Bb)my fi re arm.

I did n’t mean to (Cm)lay him down but it’s too late to (Bb)turn back now.

Don’t (Ab)know what I was think ing, now he’s no long er liv ing so (Bb)I’m ’bout to leave town.

Yeah.

shot a man down Will you hear me now?

in Cen Look, tral I (Cm)nev er thought I'd do it, nev er thought I’d do it, (Bb)nev er thought I’d do it, oh gosh.

What (Cm)ev er hap pened to me, ev er hap pened to me, (Bb)ev er hap pened to me?

Why did I (Cm)pull the trig ger, pull the trig ger, pull the trig ger?

Boom.

And (Bb)end a nig ger, end a nig ger’s life so soon.

When I (Ab)pull the trig ger, pull the trig ger, pull it on you, some (Bb)bod y tell me what I’m gon na, what I’m gon na do, hey.

(Cm)Rum ba ba bom rum ba ba bom rum ba ba (Bb)bom, me say one man down, oh, me say.

(Cm)Rum ba ba bom rum ba ba bom rum ba ba (Bb)bom, when me went down town.

’Cause now I am a (Cm)crim i nal, crim i nal, crim i nal.

Oh, Lord, have (Bb)mer cy, now I am a crim i nal.

Man down, (Ab)tell the judge, please give me min i mal, run out of (Bb)town, none of them can see me now, see me now.

(Cm)Ma ma, Ma ma, Ma ma, I just (Bb)shot a man down

in Cen tral (Cm)Sta tion.

In front of a (Bb)big old crowd.

Oh, why?

Oh, why?

Oh, (Ab)Ma ma, Ma ma, Ma ma, I just (Bb)shot a man down

in Cen tral (Cm)Sta tion.

(Cm)Sta tion.

Man Down — Visual Piano Sheet Music

9 people have learned this song

"Man Down" in visual bar notation — see every note as a colored bar on the staff. Easier to read than traditional sheet music. Scrolls automatically as you play. Key of Eb, 156 BPM.

Tip: Use the speed control to practice at 70% tempo first. Focus on tricky chord transitions before attempting the full arrangement.

About “Man Down”

Why does "Man Down" show as colored bars instead of notation?
Bar Notation replaces traditional noteheads with colored horizontal bars on a simplified staff — each bar's vertical position is the pitch and its length is the duration. Much easier to read than classic sheet music while still showing the full arrangement of "Man Down".
What key is "Man Down" by Rihanna played in?
Man Down is arranged in the key of Eb on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Man Down"?
The arrangement plays at 156 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Man Down" easy to play on piano?
This is a medium-difficulty arrangement. Most players can learn it within a few practice sessions using the speed control.
Can I download sheet music for "Man Down"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Man Down"?
"Man Down" was originally performed by Rihanna. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What chords are used in "Man Down"?
This arrangement uses 3 chords: Ab, Bb, Cm. Only a handful of chords — beginner-friendly.
What other songs by Rihanna can I play here?
Try "A MILLION MILES AWAY", "REHAB", "S.O.S.". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this real sheet music for "Man Down"?
It's a simplified visual notation using colored bars instead of traditional notes. Each bar's vertical position shows the pitch and its length shows duration — much easier to read for beginners while still showing the complete arrangement of "Man Down".
Can I see all the notes in "Man Down"?
Yes! The Bar Sheet shows every note in the arrangement as a colored bar. The sheet scrolls automatically during playback, or you can scroll manually to study any section. The song is in the key of Eb at 156 BPM.