In honor of Labor Day Weekend coming up here in the US, l thought it might be fun to post songs about good, salt of the Earth, blue collar workers doing what they do to keep the world running, and often not being properly compensated or appreciated for it.
I’ll begin with a tasty live version of Rush’s “Working Man” that starts out slow and Reggae-fied, then rocks it up at about the 1:30 mark:
Alabama-Forty Hour Week
Blue Collar Man by Styx
Workin’ Man Blues
Hey, don’t just brush off the white collar people, or indeed the pink collar people.
Sure, as long as the song is about people putting in an honest day’s work, all collar colors accepted.
Maybe just, no songs about hedge fund managers and such, is that fair?
Here’s Johnny Cash on how precarious paycheck to paycheck jobs can be:
I’m a Worried Man
Sure, here’s another less well known song about my sisters in suffering.
Van Morrison reminiscing about his youth, cleaning windows in Belfast:
This one was on the tip of my tongue…
She Works Hard For The Money - Donna Summer
Working for the Man · Roy Orbison
Tennessee Ernie Ford - 16 Tons
Easybeats - Friday On My Mind
Here’s one about work stresses and violence, from the Roaring 20’s, no less:
Wilmer Watts and the Lonely Eagles - Been on the Job Too Long
