# Occupations in Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 30, 2020, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901 "2020-04-30T15:19:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/41 "2020-04-30T20:44:11Z")
Chimney sweeps are mentioned in two songs I can think of - Chim Chimney from Mary Poppins (‘A sweep is as lucky as lucky can be’) and most versions of the traditional song Sam Hall (‘Oh, my name it is Sam Hall, chimney sweep, chimney sweep’). ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/42 "2020-04-30T20:52:33Z")
Dirty Jobs by the Who mentions a pig farmer and bus driver and miners ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/43 "2020-04-30T20:55:57Z")
The Barenaked Ladies “Jane” works at the store. Also, the guy in “Old Straw Hat & Dirty Hank” is a farmer. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/44 "2020-04-30T20:58:05Z")
[My Old Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x92lu0a-boY) - Smothers Brothers - Sailor, anthropologist, refrigerator repairman, cotton-picking, finger-licking chicken-plucker ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/45 "2020-04-30T21:01:47Z")
I forgot - the magnificent [Dat](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FYTL8ydERw), by Pluto Shervington revolves around a discussion between Rasta Ozzy and the **butcher boy** about what to buy. > [@](#): > > (You want goat?) > No I might a kill I queen > (Try beef nuh?) > I no check fi no grass weh green… > > …(Try the tripe nuh?) > Bun mi belly when I pull me pipe > (Alright what about the pork?) > Hush your mouth, mind mi brethren hear > Sell I a pound, of dat thing there - or something like that. Not easy to figure the lyric. This hit #6 in the UK, BTW (!) (The significance of the lyric being, at least in part, that Ozzy is trying to buy (forbidden to rastas) pork without his brethren finding out - as I remember hearing solemnly explained to listeners by a very worthy BBC DJ back in 1976. _The BBC - educate, inform, entertain._ Only much later did I realise that Ozzy wants pork because it’s cheap, and he wants to “save fi buy little weed”. I think I got there before the BBC on that one. Apologies for banging on - I love this record). j ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/46 "2020-04-30T21:09:47Z")
In “The Decision” by the band Young Knives the singer is The Prince of Wales. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/47 "2020-04-30T21:13:27Z")
There is also a fairly well known song about being [Kaiser Bill’s Batman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uoqomKJM1E), attributed to Whistling Jack Smith. Sorry. j ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/48 "2020-04-30T21:16:59Z")
“Grandpa Was a Carpenter” “Willin’” About a truck driver “Waiting For My Man” about a drug dealer “Hot for Teacher” ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/49 "2020-04-30T21:23:48Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Billy Joel is The Piano Man Who mentions John the bartender, Paul the real estate novelist, and Davy the career Navy man. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/50 "2020-04-30T21:30:33Z")
In “[Cleaning Windows](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc9J96f4cDk)”, Van Morrison looks back on his youth days in Belfast working as, well, a window cleaner. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/51 "2020-04-30T21:31:35Z")
Al Yankovic has a bunch. “Theme from Rocky XIII” was about a former boxer who “works at the neighborhood deli.” “King of Suede” is about a businessman whose stores sell suede clothes of all descriptions. “Like a Surgeon”…pretty obvious. “Here’s Johnny!” is about Ed McMahon, in his capacity as a TV host’s on-air sidekick. “Dog Eat Dog” is about an office drone at a big corporation. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/52 "2020-04-30T21:33:52Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > Warren Zevon has several In _Mr. Bad Example_, he works as an altar boy, carpet installer, defense attorney, hair-plug salesman and employment recruiter for Australian opal mines. And, above all, as a con-man. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/53 "2020-04-30T21:38:16Z")
I think this also counts (it’s about a profession): Elvis Costello - [Shipbuilding](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fprYfInkErg) [Robert Wyatt version](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjUkjpJa6bY) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/54 "2020-04-30T21:38:37Z")
_Sky Pilot_ by Eric Burdon and the Animals is about a chaplain. _I Shot the Sheriff_ also mentions the deputy. _Knocking on Heaven’s Door_ is also about a sheriff. [_Song of the Volga Boatmen_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNb54rwDQJM) is about Volga boatmen. _Ol’ Man River_ is sung by a stevedore. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/55 "2020-04-30T21:39:06Z")
“Daddy was a cop” _The Night Chicago Died_ ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/56 "2020-04-30T21:41:56Z")
Another public servant: Bruce Springsteen - [State Trooper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU5MyNuBdhg) ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/57 "2020-04-30T21:44:56Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Who mentions John the bartender, Paul the real estate novelist, and Davy the career Navy man. And his friend from _My Life_ who gives them a standup routine in LA. ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/58 "2020-04-30T21:49:33Z")
David Seville and Alvin and the Chipmonks did Witch Doctor. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/59 "2020-04-30T21:52:55Z")
“The Blacksmith of Brandywine” (traditional) is about a blacksmith. “One Piece at a Time” by Johnny Cash is about an automobile factory worker. “W.O.L.D.” by Harry Chapin is about a radio disk jockey. “In the Navy” by the Village People is about sailors. (or maybe a recruiter) ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/60 "2020-04-30T21:57:55Z")
Well… C.W. McCall - Convoy (Truck drivers) Material Issue (among other bands) - Kim The Waitress On that note, maybe Human League - Don’t You Want Me Baby (former cocktail waitress) Elvis Costello - Oliver’s Army (Mercenary Leader/Recruiter) Duran Duran- Girls On Film (Models I suppose) … … … Couldn’t resist: Don Data & The Res-Tones - Silicon Valley Guy (Tech Support Guy) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901.md?page=4)