FORWARD:
Thanks for stopping by to find Songs About Work. I'm glad you stopped by.
But if you want to see a truly comprehensive list of Songs About Work, I recommend you check out my more recent post containing all the songs here, along with 100 more. Click here for the post: Songs About Work, 3-D.
But if you feel like staying here just to get a sampling, feel free to hang out.
Enjoy the original post:
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In 1975, when I was 10, I bought my first album: Elton John's Greatest Hits. Since then it's been a non-stop obsession to discover, listen and collect popular music.
As a result there is a enormous amount of gray matter dedicated to memorizing discographies, musician biographies and song lyrics. There is probably more room devoted to that than there is for HR. Which may explain when I think about HR, I have the tendency to find some connection to popular music.
So I thought for fun I would scan my collection and present a list of songs about work. The songs are about work in general, a specific occupation, work situations, or incidentals of work.
Answer me back with your own list
and/or just click on the links and let me be your DJ.
The Beatles-"Paperback Writer"
-Past Masters-1965
Blur-"Yuko & Hiro"
-The Great Escape-1995
Bob Dylan-"Maggie's Farm"
-Bringing It All Back Home-1965
The Clash-"Career Opportunities"
-The Clash-1977
The Clash-"The Magnificent Seven"
-Sandinista-1980
David Bowie-"Space Oddity"
-Space Oddity-1969
Depeche Mode-"Everything Counts"
-Construction Time Again-1983
Dire Straits-"Industrial Disease"
-Love Over Gold-1982
Dire Straits-"Money For Nothing"
-Brothers In Arms-1985
Elvis Costello-"Welcome To My Working Week"
-My Aim Is True-1977
Elvis Costello & The Attractions-"Goon Squad"
-Armed Forces-1979
The Flaming Lips-"Race For The Prize"
-The Soft Bulletin-1999
Genesis-"I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)"
-Selling England By The Pound-1973
Grant Lee Buffalo-"Bethlehem Steel"
-Copperopolis-1996
Heaven 17-"Penthouse and Pavement"
-Penthouse and Pavement-1981
The Housemartins-"Happy Hour"
-London 0, Hull 4-1986
Huey Lewis & The News-"Workin' For A Livin'"
-Picture This-1982
Joe Jackson-"I'm The Man"
-I'm The Man-1979
Joni Mitchell-"Free Man In Paris"
-Court and Spark-1974
The Kinks-"A Well Respected Man"
-The Ultimate Collection-1965
Marianne Faithful-"Working Class Hero"
-Broken English-1979
The Members-"Working Girl"
-Uprhythm, Downbeat"-1982
Midnight Oil-"Blue Sky Mine"
-Blue Sky Mining-1990
The Moody Blues-"Lunch Break: Peak Hour"
-Days Of Future Passed-1967
Morrissey-"Hairdresser On Fire"
-Viva Hate-1988
Pet Shop Boys-"Opportunities"
-Please-1986
Pete Townshend-"Keep On Working"
-Empty Glass-1980
Pink Floyd-"Have A Cigar"
-Wish You Were Here-1975
Poison-"Nothin' But A Good Time"
-Greatest Hits-1988
The Police-"Synchronicity II"
-Synchronicity-1983
Prince & The Revolution-"Raspberry Beret"
-Around The World In A Day-1985
R.E.M.-"Daysleeper"
-Up-1999
Rose Royce-"Car Wash"
-OMPS Car Wash-1976
Sam Cooke-"Chain Gang"
-Greatest Hits-1960
Simply Red-"Money's Too Tight"
-Picture Book-1985
The Smiths-"Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now"
-Louder Than Bombs-1987
The Vogues-"Five O'Clock World"
-Greatest Hits-1966
The Who-"The Dirty Jobs"
-Quadrophenia-1973
XTC-"Earn Enough For Us"
-Skylarking-1986
Young Knives-"Weekends And Bleak Days"
-Voices Of Animals and Men-2006
The one thing I noticed about this list, is that most of these songs are not very happy. I guess there aren't that many happy songs about work. Is it because work is that bad? Or is it because happiness writes white?
p.s. If you like this list and want more check out the sequel "Son of Songs About Work". Or if you want to hear the songs on Grooveshark, click here.
Posts
13 Comments:
No Loverboy - Working for the Weekend?
R.E.M. - Finest Worksong
New Order - Working Overtime
Devo - Working in a Coal Mine
Tears for Fears - Working Hour
Tori Amos - Happy Workers
Harry Nilsson - (THursday) Here's Why I Didn't Go To Work Today
Matthew-the Devo, REM & Tears for Fears almost made my list. The Loverboy is an obvious choice-its just not in my collection. I'll to check out the others, especially the Nilsson.
Okay, I'm not a pop music person so I can't comment much about what I would like to see included. What I listen to is BROADWAY.
The best Broadway musicals have songs written to explain character or advance the plot, so songs about working are common if the show has anything to do with working or employment. In fact, the entire Broadway musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" is a satire about corporate America in the early 60s. I could list tons of Broadway songs if you were interested.
One last one... "Handshakes" by Metric. Choice lyric, "Buy this car to drive to work/Drive to work to pay for this car."
Joan-please, absolutely add your list. Any genre, style or origin "works".I almost included "Purpose" from Avenue Q.
LOVE this post Paul. Sorry I missed it before doing a blip.fm post to Joan after she tweeted requests for work songs. Loverboy being my personal fav. Nice! I think there are more happy songs about work in the country music genre... and they usually involve drinking.
Bon Jovi--Livin on a Prayer (remember, Johnny used to work on the docs--unions been on strike...)
Frankly, Mr Shankley--the Smiths
Taxman--Beatles
She works hard for the money--Donna Summer
Sisters are doin it for themselves--Aretha and Annie
(Cause I'm a) Woman--Leiber and Stoller (I can bring home the bacon baby...)
Bang on the Drum all day--Todd Rudgren (OK--I guess it is not technically about working but rather non-working!)
Baba O'Riley--The Who
Won't get fooled again--The Who (tap dances on being a work song/ political anthem)
Don't Give Up--Pete Gabriel and Kate Bush
Lyn-I'm glad you enjoyed the post.
Dawn-as my Sec. of State, you have definitely stepped up to the plate--I completely overlooked Bon Jovi, "Frankly Mr. Shankly", Donna Summers in my collection. I love the rest of your list too.
Paul- With each post I relate to you more my friend! My first album when I was 5 (in 1975) was Elton John's 'Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy'. My favorite work song is and has always been 'Bitterfingers'. Here's the lyrics:
Music by Elton John
Lyrics by Bernie Taupin
I'm going on the circuit, I'm doing all the clubs
And I really need a song boys to stir those workers up
And get their wives to sing it with me just like in the pubs
When I worked the good old pubs in Stepney
Oh could you knock a line or two together for a friend
Sentimental tear inducing with a happy end
And we need a tune to open our season at Southend
Can you help us
It's hard to write a song with bitter fingers
So much to prove, so few to tell you why
Those old die-hards in Denmark Street start laughing
At the keyboard player's hollow haunted eyes
It seems to me a change in rhythm is needed
I'm sick of tra-la-las and la-de-das
No more long days hacking hunks of garbage
Bitter fingers never swung on swinging stars, swinging stars
I like the warm blue flame, the hazy heat it brings
It loosens up the muscles and forces you to sing
You know it's just another hit and run from the tin pan alley twins
And there's a chance that one day you might write a standard lads
So churn them out quick and fast and we'll still pat your backs
`Cause we need what we can get to launch another dozen acts
Are you working
OMG! Captain Fantastic was my 2nd album. I love the song "Bitterfingers"! Thanks for adding it to the list.
How does a great list like this exist for almost three months before a dumb newbie like me comes in and mentions...
BTO - Taking Care of Business??
Consider "Job Description" by Alan Jackson. While not technically a work song, Mary Chapin Carpenter's "Grand Central Station" puts an aura around going to/coming from "the pile". A gorgeous song.
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