# 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:** 4
**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, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/61 "2020-04-30T22:06:03Z")
Tom Waits has some unconventional ones \*Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis Pasties and a G-String\* is about strippers. _Step Right Up_ is about a huckster/con man ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/62 "2020-04-30T22:07:54Z")
Calypso - John Denver, is a tribute to his good friend and ocean researcher Jacques Cousteau and his ship Calypso. Abraham, Martin and John - Dion, about two presidents and a civil rights activist. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/63 "2020-04-30T22:43:57Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > There was Meri Wilson’s ouvre: > > [Telephone Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndwIxHkVIkE) > [Peter the Meter Reader](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWP1Ix653Nk) Damn, beat me to it! [Charlotte the Harlot by Iron Maiden](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBR-A_YfxJ8). Charlotte is a prostitute. A number of songs have been written about Casey Jones the train driver. Here are a couple: [Casey Jones by The Grateful Dead](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x2m6i4KFqg). [Casey Jones by Johnny Cash](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7AKH_lPuKU). ---
**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, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/64 "2020-04-30T22:52:20Z")
The Police _Roxanne_ prostitute, _Don’t Stand so Close to Me_ young teacher. Traveling Wilburys _Tweeter and the Monkey Man_ undercover cop, racketeer, etc. Steve Miller Band _Take the Money and Run_ detective. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/65 "2020-04-30T22:52:46Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Other Beatles songs: > > _Paperback Writer > Tax Man > Dr. Robert > Please Mr. Postman > Mr. Kite_ was an acrobat > _Her Majesty_ was a queen And Mr. Mustard’s sister Polythene Pam works in a shop, although they don’t mention her exact job. Maxwell Edison is a medical student. “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” also mentions a teacher, policeman, and judge, though they don’t have names. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/66 "2020-04-30T22:53:22Z")
A bartender, in [Bartender’s Blues](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=bartenders+blues). And, well, [unemployed](https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=taking+care+of+business), but he loves to work at nothing all day. ---
**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, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/67 "2020-04-30T23:17:24Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > Well… > C.W. McCall - Convoy (Truck drivers) Little Feat - [Willin’](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcrEWRLk3CE) (and a thousand others) > [@](#): > > Material Issue (among other bands) - Kim The Waitress > On that note, maybe Human League - Don’t You Want Me Baby (former cocktail waitress) Belle And Sebastian - [Dear Catastrophe Waitress](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHZbWxVqDjM) > [@](#): > > Duran Duran- Girls On Film (Models I suppose) Kraftwerk - [The Model](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFq2pU21cNU) Steely Dan - [Peg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwyTrWJ7Djw) ---
**Author:** ![Civil\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d78d45/32.png) [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2020, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/68 "2020-04-30T23:44:42Z")
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald - commercial sailors 16 Tons - coal miner Band On The Run - County judge, Sailor Sam, jailer man Rocketman, and a few others - astronaut ---
**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, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/69 "2020-04-30T23:52:06Z")
> [@SirRay](#): > > Duran Duran- Girls On Film (Models I suppose) > [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Kraftwerk - [The Model](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFq2pU21cNU) > Steely Dan - [Peg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwyTrWJ7Djw) Right Said Fred “I’m Too Sexy” ---
**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, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/70 "2020-04-30T23:57:50Z")
The narrator of _Louie Louie_, to the extent he can be comprehended, seems to be a sailor. The crew of _The Sloop John B_ are sailors but appear to spend most their time drunk. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/71 "2020-05-01T00:13:22Z")
New Order’s “Love Vigilantes” is about a soldier. Getting back to Weird Al, the second verse of “Headline News” is about rival ice skaters Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/72 "2020-05-01T00:37:31Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Damn, beat me to it! > [Charlotte the Harlot by Iron Maiden](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBR-A_YfxJ8). Charlotte is a prostitute. > > A number of songs have been written about Casey Jones the train driver. Here are a couple: > > [Casey Jones by The Grateful Dead](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_x2m6i4KFqg). > > [Casey Jones by Johnny Cash](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7AKH_lPuKU). And by [Mississippi John Hurt](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uL_wj9jw38) ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/73 "2020-05-01T00:41:09Z")
More Beatles: Sgt. Pepper was a band leader. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/74 "2020-05-01T01:48:49Z")
NWA _Dopeman_, _F_ck tha Police\* both obvious. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/75 "2020-05-01T01:53:58Z")
Desmond has a barrow in the marketplace. Molly is a singer in a band. ---
**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:** [May 1, 2020, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/76 "2020-05-01T02:12:18Z")
Tim Hardin - [If I Were A Carpenter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3s7mh_Uda6c) ---
**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:** [May 1, 2020, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/77 "2020-05-01T02:16:47Z")
The Rolling Stones’ _You Got Me Rocking_ has a bunch: A butcher A surgeon A pitcher A fighter A boxer A hooker A writer A tycoon ---
**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:** [May 1, 2020, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/78 "2020-05-01T02:20:53Z")
_Coming into Los Angeles_: a customs 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:** [May 1, 2020, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/79 "2020-05-01T02:30:16Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > _Coming into Los Angeles_: a customs man And a dealer. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/80 "2020-05-01T02:48:06Z")
You could be The greatest coal miner of all, [Big Bad John](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnnHprUGKF0) Or simply [Working in the Coal Mine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYxQm9gDRvs) Or shovel [Sixteen Tons](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Joo90ZWrUkU&t=90s) of coal Or even be a [Coal Miner’s Daughter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9eHp7JJgq8) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901.md?page=5)