Car Wash | Chords + Lyrics
Intro
||: N.C | N.C :||
||: D7 | D7 :|| x12
| D7 | N.C |
Ooh ooh
Verse 1
||: (C#7) D7 | (C#7) D7 :||
You might not ever get rich,
but let me tell ya it’s better than diggin’ a ditch.
There ain’t no tellin’ who you might meet,
a movie star or maybe even an Indian chief.
Chorus 1
||: (C#7) D7 | (C#7) D7 :||
Working at the car wash. Workin’ at the car wash, girl
Come on and sing it with me (car wash). Sing it with the feelin’ y’all.
| (C#7) D7 | D7 N.C |
(Car wash, yeah).
Verse 2
Ooh. Come, some of the work gets kinda hard,
this ain’t no place to be if you planned on bein’ a star.
Let me tell you it’s always cool,
and the boss don’t mind sometimes if you, act the fool.
Chorus 2
At the car wash, whoa whoa whoa whoa.
Talkin’ about the car wash, girl.
Come on, ya’all, and sing it for me (car wash). Ooh ooh ooh
(Car wash, girl).
Verse 3
||: D7 | D7 :||
(Work and work) well, those cars never seem to stop coming.
(Work and work) keep those rags and machines humming.
(Work and work) my fingers to the bone.
(Work) Keep on, I can’t wait ’til it’s time to go home.
Middle 8
| G D/F# Em7 | Em7 | G D/F# Em7 | Em7 |
(Hey get your car washed today) fill up and you don’t have to pay.
| G D/F# Em7 | Em7 | G A |
Come on and give us a play (do the wash, right away).
Chorus 3
(At the car wash) talkin’ ’bout the car wash.
(Car wash, girl) come on, y’all, let’s sing it with me.
(Car wash) sing it with feelin’, y’all.
(Car wash, girl) Whoa whoa whoa whoa.
Chorus 4
||: (C#7) D7 | D7 :||
(Car wash) those cars never seem to stop comin’. What’d I say?
(Car wash, girl) keep those rags and machines hummin’.
(Car wash) let me tell you, it’s always cool.
(Car wash, girl) and the boss don’t mind sometimes if you act the fool.
At the car wash. Working at the car wash, yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
(Car wash) talkin’ ’bout the car wash yeah. Aw!
||: N.C (D B C C#) :|| x16
Outro
||: (C#7) D7 (D B C C#) | D7 (D B C C#) :|| x8
||: Car wash. Car wash, girl :||
End
||: N.C (D B C C#) | N.C (D B C C#) |
| N.C (D B C C#) | N.C (D C B A) :|| x4
Car Wash Chords: Groove with a Static I Progression
The chord progression in Car Wash follows the static I pattern, which is listed as #6 in my top 10 chord progressions. As discussed there, this often features a dominant 7th chord.
To maintain interest, the static D7 is approached by sliding in from C#7. Mix this with some Mixolydian licks, and you can keep playing this groove all night long.
There is one additional chord progression, but it only appears once. The movement starts on G (chord IV), then moves down via D/F# to Em7. This sequence is repeated three times before resolving to IV – V (or G – A).
This creates a modal interchange, where the I chord is Mixolydian, but the rest of the progression follows an Ionian pattern.
Here’s a chord chart I’ve put together for you.
Car Wash Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro
Even though this is mainly about a static chord, there are subtle differences to take into account here and of course, that middle 8 where we harmonically finally go somewhere.
Should you want to download my chart, here’s the PDF: Car Wash chord chart PDF.
If you prefer the iReal Pro format, here’s a link to that file: Car Wash chord chart iReal Pro.
Car Wash has a connection to Motown!
Car Wash is easily Rose Royce’s biggest hit, a feel-good disco/funk classic from 1976. Written and produced by ex-Motown genius Norman Whitfield for the film of the same name, it was crafted to kick-start the band’s career.
Norman had signed the band to his label, Whitfield Records, after leaving Motown. The song became a massive success, reaching #1 in both the U.S. and Canada, and firmly establishing itself as a staple in every disco band’s repertoire.
In 2004, Christina Aguilera released her version of the song, with help from Missy Elliot.
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