# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/121 "2020-05-02T04:58:07Z")
> [@Aspidistra](#): > > If we’re allowing musical theatre, there’s a great song about being a [dentist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOtMizMQ6oM) Well that reminds me. Allan Sherman is [The Painless Dentist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hv_UnjeucU). ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/122 "2020-05-02T05:54:10Z")
An undercover FBI agent staking out a Prohibition Era speakeasy: [Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP94PlEtsEQ) by The Hollies. Saturday night I was downtown Working for the FBI Sittin’ in a nest of bad men Whiskey bottles piling high. A hired gun with twenty notches on his pistol, who’s ready to quit the business: [Running Gun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTehgtJpPvw) by Marty Robbins. I rode out of Kansas City, going south to Mexico I was running dodging danger,left the girl that I loved so Far behind lay Kansas City and the past that I had earned Twenty notches on my six gun marked the lessons I had learned. Many times I sold my fast gun for a place to lay my head Till the nights began to haunt me by the men that I left dead Couldn’t stand it any longer with the life that I’d begun So I said good-bye to Jeannie and became a running gun. An Arizona Ranger takes out an outlaw with twenty notches on his pistol. Could it be that same hired gun who fled from Kansas City? [Big Iron](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NuX79Ud8zI) by Marty Robbins. Now the stranger started talking made it plain to folks around Was an Arizona ranger wouldn’t be too long in town He came here to take an outlaw back alive or maybe dead And he said it didn’t matter he was after Texas Red After Texas Red No, it appears that the outlaw taken down by the Arizona Ranger isn’t the same outlaw who left Kansas City, even though they both had twenty notches. The Running Gun shoot-out takes place in Amarillo, while the Arizona Ranger did his business with his big iron in Agua Fria. ---
**Author:** ![Wolf333](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf333/32/3460_2.png) [@Wolf333](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolf333)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/123 "2020-05-02T15:00:50Z")
Rocket From the Crypt - [Ditch](https://youtu.be/QyiwWYRCiAs) The Breeders - [When I Was a Painter](https://youtu.be/YzzbYhAHS2A) ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/124 "2020-05-02T16:01:40Z")
Going back to the Dylan well, “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts” has a lot of occupations: Cabaret dancers Actors Bank robbers (is that an occupation? It pays well) Diamond mine owner Backstage manager Hangin’ judge ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/125 "2020-05-02T16:35:39Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > > [@Aspidistra](#): > > > > If we’re allowing musical theatre, there’s a great song about being a [dentist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOtMizMQ6oM) > > Well that reminds me. Allan Sherman is [The Painless Dentist](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hv_UnjeucU). Another dentist: [Dr. Longjohn](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rchiR93csY8)😃 ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/126 "2020-05-02T16:42:44Z")
Bruce Springsteen, in “Dancing in the Dark,” says “I’m tired of sitting around here trying to write this book.” Could be his literal occupation, or a figurative observation about his life in general. ---
**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:** [May 2, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/127 "2020-05-02T16:52:15Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > A Gypsy fortune teller gives Gordon Lightfoot a reading that he finds . . . disturbing. > > [The Gypsy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooC87DjXwNY) by Gordon Lightfoot. > > Then when I came home that night > To lie awake in bed > I thought of that old Gypsy > And the words that she had said. > > And now I see, with due respect, > The more we learn, the worse we get, > So if you feel you’ve no regrets, > Go have your fortune read. > > Do you dare to hear YOUR fortune? Do YOU have any regrets? Are you sure? Is this the same “Dark Lady” was messing around with Cher’s beau? 😃 ---
**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 2, 2020, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/128 "2020-05-02T17:15:50Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > A Gypsy fortune teller gives Gordon Lightfoot a reading that he finds . . . disturbing. > > [The Gypsy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooC87DjXwNY) by Gordon Lightfoot. > > Then when I came home that night > To lie awake in bed > I thought of that old Gypsy > And the words that she had said. > > And now I see, with due respect, > The more we learn, the worse we get, > So if you feel you’ve no regrets, > Go have your fortune read. > > Do you dare to hear YOUR fortune? Do YOU have any regrets? Are you sure? [Fortune Teller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortune_Teller_(song)) was a staple for British bands of the sixties, a song with a surprising outcome. [Here’s the Who’s version from Live At Leeds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnCCg3U0tHA). ---
**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 2, 2020, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/129 "2020-05-02T17:56:21Z")
Speaking of trucker songs, I just realized no one has mentioned “Eastbound and Down” yet, which is yet another song about truck driving. And more Weird Al: The main character in “Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota” works at Big Roy’s Heating And Plumbing. His exact job isn’t specified but I think we can safely assume he’s either a plumber or HVAC repair technician. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/130 "2020-05-02T21:53:34Z")
Still more Weird Al: in “I Lost on _Jeopardy!_” the other players are a plumber and an architect. ---
**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 2, 2020, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/131 "2020-05-02T23:21:53Z")
Frank Zappa’s _Willie the Pimp_ is a pimp. The narrator of _Montana_ is planning to grow dental floss on his ranch and become a dental floss tycoon, and also raise some bees, but not for the honey. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/132 "2020-05-02T23:29:35Z")
Even more Weird Al [She Never Told Me She Was A Mime](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQGw3gA41Zo) [Skipper Dan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0cCRRFi1aA)-Actor and amusement park jungle tour guide [Party In The CIA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-CG5w4YwOI) Agent ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/133 "2020-05-03T08:27:43Z")
Apologies if this has already been posted: “Rocket Man” by Elton John is about an astronaut. I guess. (“It’s just my job five days a week…”) ---
**Author:** ![LLCoolL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/llcooll/32/3596_2.png) [@LLCoolL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LLCoolL)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2020, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/134 "2020-05-03T08:34:20Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > …Kraftwerk - [The Model](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFq2pU21cNU) > Steely Dan - [Peg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwyTrWJ7Djw) “I’ll Wait” by Van Halen is about a model that David Lee Roth was dating at the time. _Are you for real It’s so hard to tell From just a magazine Yeah, you just smile and the picture sells…_ ---
**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 3, 2020, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/135 "2020-05-03T11:39:11Z")
> [@LLCoolL](#): > > “I’ll Wait” by Van Halen is about a model that David Lee Roth was dating at the time. > > _Are you for real > It’s so hard to tell > From just a magazine > Yeah, you just smile and the picture sells…_ That reminded me of the J. Geils Band’s “[Centerfold](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqDjMZKf-wg)”. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2020, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/136 "2020-05-03T19:27:51Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > How about David Bowie’s [Space Oddity](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D67kmFzSh_o) (note: I linked to an earlier 1969 version of the song, with video by Bowie… check it out)… More early Bowie - [Uncle Arthur](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2MxWVrVnoY) was a shopkeeper. j ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/137 "2020-05-04T00:04:42Z")
Pete Townshend’s [Keep On Working](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ54CefyLfc) Talking Heads - [Don’t Worry About the Government](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM9LOtjmdHM) Oh, how about “Working Man”, by Rush? ---
**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 4, 2020, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/138 "2020-05-04T00:14:41Z")
> [@Guest-starring\_Id](#): > > Pete Townshend’s [Keep On Working](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ54CefyLfc) > > Talking Heads - [Don’t Worry About the Government](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM9LOtjmdHM) > > Oh, how about “Working Man”, by Rush? In that vein, John Lennon’s [Working Class Hero](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMewtlmkV6c). ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/139 "2020-05-04T00:41:05Z")
Steely Dan’s eponymous [Cousin Dupree](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY-zUkWwS50) “kicked around a lot since high school, I’ve worked a lot of nowhere gigs From keyboard man in a rock’n ska band to haulin’ boss crude in the big rigs.” And in “Everything Must Go” they’re all going out of business although it’s not specified who has what job aside from “Dave in Acquisitions.” Also by Steely Dan. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901/140 "2020-05-04T02:31:18Z")
Can’t remember if Rod Stewart’s _Steal my daddy’s cue and make a livin from playin pool._ (“Maggie Mae”) has been mentioned yet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occupations-in-songs/852901.md?page=8)