# Songs about Work **URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895 **Category:** Cafe Society **Tags:** music **Created:** [September 1, 2021, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895 "2021-09-01T12:47:29Z") **Posts on this page:** 20 **Page:** 3
### Author: ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/41 "2021-09-01T15:18:29Z")
A song about a school teacher which **Police** lead singer **Sting** was before he found success in music [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KNIZofPB8ZM/maxresdefault.jpg "The Police - Don't Stand So Close To Me") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNIZofPB8ZM) TCMF-2L ---
### 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: [September 1, 2021, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/42 "2021-09-01T15:18:37Z")
A good question… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0dxHOUT_uQU/maxresdefault.jpg "Who Gets to Live Like This") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dxHOUT_uQU) ---
### Author: ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/43 "2021-09-01T15:22:50Z")
Robert Wyatt (and Elvis Costello) worrying about the shipyards closing [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Res3-YX4X8g/hqdefault.jpg "Robert Wyatt - Shipbuilding") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Res3-YX4X8g) TCMF-2L ---
### Author: ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/44 "2021-09-01T15:26:20Z")
In the UK in the 1980s **One In Ten** were without a job and to claim unemployment benefits they had to fill in the **UB40** form. Hence the song and the band name [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/quTIjiw1xGE/hqdefault.jpg "HQ - UB40 - One in Ten - Top of the Pops 1981") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quTIjiw1xGE) TCMF-2L ---
### Author: ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/45 "2021-09-01T15:34:42Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LM1aeZlzIGU/maxresdefault.jpg "Bruce Springsteen - Pay Me My Money Down (The Seeger Sessions)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM1aeZlzIGU) ---
### Author: ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/46 "2021-09-01T15:36:04Z")
_Just A Gigolo_ - Louis Prima [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/uY-EzZPzCv8/maxresdefault.jpg "Just a gigolo/Ain't got nobody - Louis Prima (LYRICS/LETRA) [Original] [50s]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY-EzZPzCv8) …life goes on without me. ---
### Author: ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/47 "2021-09-01T15:39:32Z")
It more an anti war song but it has ‘working’ in the title plus it’s great (although not as great as the perfect Into The Valley) here’s **The Skids** and **Working For The Yankee Dollar** [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/LCiWXktdyTQ/hqdefault.jpg "Skids - Working For The Yankee Dollar") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCiWXktdyTQ) TCMF-2L ---
### Author: ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/48 "2021-09-01T15:41:59Z")
Dire Straits, Money For Nothing. Selling microwaves and color TV’s. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wTP2RUD_cL0/maxresdefault.jpg "Dire Straits - Money For Nothing (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTP2RUD_cL0) ---
### Author: ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/49 "2021-09-01T15:43:32Z")
**Glen Campbell** is a lineman for the county [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AxSarBcsKLU/maxresdefault.jpg "Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxSarBcsKLU) TCMF-2L ---
### Author: ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/50 "2021-09-01T17:01:13Z")
Billy Joel - The Downeaster Alexa [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LVlDSzbrH5M/maxresdefault.jpg "Billy Joel - The Downeaster 'Alexa' (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVlDSzbrH5M) Also his Allentown [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BHnJp0oyOxs/maxresdefault.jpg "Billy Joel - Allentown (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHnJp0oyOxs) ---
### Author: ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/51 "2021-09-01T18:21:18Z")
That was going to be my submission. BTW, R.E.M. toured in support of the Document album… it was called the Work Tour. My submission, with my favorite Strummer lyric: “Let fury have the hour, anger can be power/D’ya know that you can use it?” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_lt4O-EHNnw/maxresdefault.jpg "The Clash - Clampdown (Official Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lt4O-EHNnw) ---
### 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: [September 1, 2021, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/52 "2021-09-01T18:23:17Z")
I was expecting different song by Dolly Parton with a similar name: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UbxUSsFXYo4/maxresdefault.jpg "Dolly Parton - 9 To 5") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbxUSsFXYo4) ---
### Author: ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/53 "2021-09-01T18:27:34Z")
Workin’ at the Car Wash, yeah… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/eB0aROCl530/maxresdefault.jpg "Rose Royce - Car Wash (1976)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eB0aROCl530) ---
### Author: ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/54 "2021-09-01T18:28:03Z")
I listened to a bunch of Bow Wow Wow yesterday… [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fzgzwjO6QgA/hqdefault.jpg "Bow Wow Wow - W.O.R.K. (N.O. Nah No No My Daddy Don't) [Extended] \*[RARE]\*") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzgzwjO6QgA) ---
### Author: ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/55 "2021-09-01T18:34:35Z")
Some people who Never Go To Work… [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/geTSBFb_GR4/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGogaihqMA8=&rs=AOn4CLB43vz-0wPwxly_h-1J-BIdE4L6ig "They Might Be Giants - Seven Days of the Week (I Never Go to Work) official video") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geTSBFb_GR4) …but just want to Bang on the Drum all day. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gO17hN-YvBc/maxresdefault.jpg "Bang the Drum All Day (2015 Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO17hN-YvBc) Maybe they should just Get a Job. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ysKhbaLyIFw/maxresdefault.jpg "THE SILHOUETTES - "GET A JOB" (1957)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysKhbaLyIFw) ---
### Author: ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/56 "2021-09-01T18:37:34Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > I was expecting different song by Dolly Parton with a similar name In the U.S., the Sheena Easton song was re-named “Morning Train (Nine to Five),” to avoid confusion with Dolly’s song, which had been released just a few months earlier. ---
### Author: ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/57 "2021-09-01T18:41:51Z")
Another song called “Get A Job” by The (English) Beat! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/FsJEFlbpUXY/hqdefault.jpg "The Beat - Get a job - 1981 studio rehearsal") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsJEFlbpUXY) ---
### Author: ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/58 "2021-09-01T18:48:05Z")
Before getting a job (a real one), you first need to get a hair cut… [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3l2Vo1z260) ---
### Author: ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow) #### Post date: [September 1, 2021, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/59 "2021-09-01T18:49:15Z")
Also essentially the entire oeuvre by The Jam. Let’s start with Eton Rifles… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/C7kUDkK70qQ/maxresdefault.jpg "The Jam - The Eton Rifles") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7kUDkK70qQ) ---
### 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: [September 1, 2021, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895/60 "2021-09-01T18:53:46Z")
And of course: [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In7z7B87Puc) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-about-work/949895.md?page=4)