Songs About People's Jobs

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Are there pop songs (preferably happy, but whatever) about the everyday ins and outs of going to your job (preferably non-musician, but whatever)? I come up with "Day-O" and that's it. And not just passing mentions, like "Now I work down at the car wash"--I want to know what he DOES at the car wash, besides pining.

― Josh Langhoff (josh langhoff), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"Dead End Job" by the Police

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

"Welcome Interstate Managers" by Fountains of Wayne is a whole album about this. Search!

― Ben Boyer (Ben Boyer), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:26 (twenty-two years ago)

"Craftsmanship" by Buck 65 is a pretty detailed account of what it's like to be a shoeshine.

― My Huckleberry Friend (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Talking Heads: "Found a Job" (television production)
Bon Jovi: "Wanted Dead or Alive" (cowboy, on a steel horse he rides)

― Matos W.K. (M Matos), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:26 (twenty-two years ago)

'Matthew & Son' by Cat Stevens is a perfect example of his early genius and a perfect example of an upbeat song about the 'everyday ins and outs of going to your job'.

― Jim Robinson (Original Miscreant), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

"Working In A Coalmine"

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

ween, "pumpin' 4 the man"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

and speaking of fountains of wayne - "sick day," which should get bonus points for being about both (a) the job and (b) commuting to the job.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sixteen Ton" - Tennessee Ernie Ford

― Elliot (Elliot), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)

"Session Man" Kinks

― My Huckleberry Friend (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:32 (twenty-two years ago)

"Take This Job & Shove it" by....is it Johnny Paycheck?

"Letter Bomb" by the Circle Jerks is about an administrative assistant in an office environment who takes revenge. Sit Me on your Desk, act like a king -- TREAT ME LIKE A HUMAN BEING! Gimme the worst jobs, I'm getting mad! WHEN YOU'RE DEAD -- I'LL BE GLAD!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:32 (twenty-two years ago)

"I Wanna Go Home" Ugly Duckling

― My Huckleberry Friend (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Sam Cooke -- Chain Gang

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:42 (twenty-two years ago)

"working for the man" roy orbison

― My Huckleberry Friend (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:43 (twenty-two years ago)

It all begins with a song about finding a job first ;-)

Rogue Male - Job Centre

― Roger T (Roger T), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Thanks! Also "Working on the Highway"--not sure how I forgot this, since its album inspired me to ask the question.

― Josh Langhoff (josh langhoff), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Huey Lewis - Workin' for a Livin'

― pete from the street, Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Bruce Springsteen -- Highway Patrolman (and probably lots of other Bruce songs, somebody here must know some others).

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

"I am a lineman for the county..."

"Oh the postman is a person in your neighborhood
in your neighborhood
in your neigh-bor-hood
the postman is a person in your neighborhood
a person that you meet each day"

I'm not sure that it's really a job, but...
"I am the adversary" -Crime & the City Solution

― dave225 (Dave225), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 18:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Please Mr Postman - The Marvelletes (cheers dave)

― Jim Robinson (Original Miscreant), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 19:03 (twenty-two years ago)

"Car Wash"

― LondonLee (LondonLee), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Mr. Lif "Live From the Plantation" in which, during the course of any other workday, he wanders off into daydreams of killing his boss.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 19:07 (twenty-two years ago)

primus: "john the fisherman" + "jerry was a race car driver"

― dyson (dyson), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Probably lots of rap--I also forgot about Lyrics Born's "Cold Call," and I'm sure the Coup has some. (I really need to hear Buck 65.) Careful with Springsteen, though--most of his just mention their job and hint that they're dissatisfied with it, and then they go off cruising little girls or something.

― Josh Langhoff (josh langhoff), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Back In Flesh - Wall of Voodoo

― jazz odysseus, Wednesday, 18 February 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Mono Puff's "Night Security"
arguably, TMBG's "Snowball in Hell"

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

"Between the Wars" and whole bunch of other Billy Bragg songs

"Ten Years of Service"- Dropkick Murphys (yeah, I know, but I have a soft spot for this song)

and it doesn't quite fit the topic, but how about "Do They Owe Us a Living?" by Crass?

― dieblucasdie (dieblucasdie), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 19:57 (twenty-two years ago)

Weezer- My Name is Jonas.

I don't care bout no backlash, that's still a great song on a great album.

"Workers are going home..."

― Scott, Wednesday, 18 February 2004 20:02 (twenty-two years ago)

"Smuggler's Blues" Glen Frey

― BrianB (BrianB), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 20:07 (twenty-two years ago)

"she's a secretary," celebrate the fun
"echo beach," martha and the muffins ("my job is very boring/i'm an office clerk")

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 20:16 (twenty-two years ago)

"gangsta, gangsta" ("takin' a life or two, that's what the hell i do") and "dopeman"

― Eiscubebär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 20:16 (twenty-two years ago)

"Lovely Rita."

― mike a, Wednesday, 18 February 2004 20:18 (twenty-two years ago)

"People in Your Neighborhood," from Sesame Street

― Josh in Chicago (Josh in Chicago), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 20:28 (twenty-two years ago)

celebrate the (fun) nun, i meant

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 20:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Amy Rigby's "The Good Girls"

― martin m. (mushrush), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 20:53 (twenty-two years ago)

i can't BELIEVE no-one's mentioned Ernie The Fastest Milkman in The West, by Benny Hill.

― search and delete (searchanddelete), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 21:17 (twenty-two years ago)

m ward-ther undertaker
hank williams had one also

― kephm, Wednesday, 18 February 2004 21:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Kool Keith - The Girls Don't Like the Job (my favorite rap song about administrative assistants)

― Joseph McCombs, Wednesday, 18 February 2004 22:02 (twenty-two years ago)

"Goddamn Job" - Replacements

― scott m (mcd), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 22:06 (twenty-two years ago)

"Five O'Clock World" by the Vogues owns this thread.

― Gear! (Gear!), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 22:11 (twenty-two years ago)

"I hire and fire, give 'em checks on the spot, I hire and fire, give 'em checks when they're hot..." ha ha I love "The Girls Don't Like the Job!"

The Police "Roxanne" dur. And "She Works Hard For the Money" by whoever that's by (Olivia Newton-John maybe?).

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 22:11 (twenty-two years ago)

The Freshies - I'm In Love With The Girl On The Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk

― Joe Kay (feethurt), Wednesday, 18 February 2004 22:16 (twenty-two years ago)

great songs on here so far, 'girls don't like the job' is classic and I haven't heard 'gansta gansta' for too long.

"Take Shit from Work" - King Missile
"Housework for Three" - Scene Creamers
(nice work if you can get it)

― webcrack (music=crack), Thursday, 19 February 2004 04:45 (twenty-two years ago)

"Cleaning Windows"!! - Van Morrison

― Michael Dubsky, Thursday, 19 February 2004 04:56 (twenty-two years ago)

"Wichita Lineman"

― Jeremy (Jeremy), Thursday, 19 February 2004 05:10 (twenty-two years ago)

All these posts, all these scribes of one form or another, and yet no-one mentions "Paperback Writer" !
So no-one round here reads paperbacks anymore huh ?

― george gosset (gegoss), Thursday, 19 February 2004 05:44 (twenty-two years ago)

"wind up workin' at a gas station," frank zappa

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 19 February 2004 05:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Money For Nothing - Dire Straits
Back In The Line - Kinks
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran

― jim wentworth (wench), Thursday, 19 February 2004 05:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Elvis Costello - Welcome to the Working Week
The Fall - Session Musician
The Fall - Container Drivers

― Sasha (sgh), Thursday, 19 February 2004 06:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Headless Chickens, "Gaskrankinstation"

― Jeremy (Jeremy), Thursday, 19 February 2004 08:26 (twenty-two years ago)

King Missile -- "Cheesecake Truck": ok, may not really reflect the "everyday ins and outs" of driving one, but.

Would-Be-Goods -- "Pinstriped Rebel": Her man is a financial speculator! Rock!

― OleM (OleM), Thursday, 19 February 2004 08:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Career Opportunities - The Clash

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 19 February 2004 11:03 (twenty-two years ago)

monty python - the lumberjacksong !?..

smokey robinson & the miracles - got a job

― pete from the street, Thursday, 19 February 2004 13:13 (twenty-two years ago)

"Take Shit from Work" - King Missile

It's take stuff from work, actually.

You're welcome.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:21 (twenty-two years ago)

"Waitress in the Sky" The Replacements

― BrianB (BrianB), Thursday, 19 February 2004 14:24 (twenty-two years ago)

"Piss Factory", Patti Smith
"53 and 3rd", Ramones and "Trouble At The Cup", Black Randy and the Metrosquad--both are about prostitution

― Stephen Boyle (SBoyle), Thursday, 19 February 2004 19:08 (twenty-two years ago)

princess superstar - "CEO"
that mr. lif track about working in an office

if you want to know about 'going to' a job, as question says, check out "death in bromley" by attila the stockbroker. I think there's a recorded version of it

― zebedee (zebedee), Thursday, 19 February 2004 19:16 (twenty-two years ago)

The near entirety of Mike Watt's Contemplating The Engine Room

― christoff (christoff), Thursday, 19 February 2004 19:36 (twenty-two years ago)

"I Was a Male Stripper at a Go-Go Bar"

(well, it is ...)

― Joseph McCombs, Friday, 20 February 2004 03:27 (twenty-two years ago)

"Government Center" - Jonathan Richman (and Modern Lovers, maybe?)

"Bad Babysitter" - Princess Superstar

― ken taylrr, Friday, 20 February 2004 07:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Dead Kennedys "At my job"
Big Black "Steelworker," "Cables"
Kraftwerk "The Model"
Palace "I Am a Cinematographer"
Tori Amos "The Waitress"

― daria g (daria g), Friday, 20 February 2004 08:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Belle & Sebastian - Take Your Carriage Clock and Shove It

― Madchen (Madchen), Friday, 20 February 2004 13:26 (twenty-two years ago)

So, I guess a restatement of the original question: Where are all the songs about taking pride in your work? Most of these, like "Take This Job...", are about sticking it to your boss, which I guess speaks to a lot of people. But aren't there more songs like "Day-O" or "Paperback Writer" (thanks, george) or whatever else some of you mentioned where we get the details of the job, particularly concerning the worker's little productive/creative triumphs?

Is that stuff just harder to write about? Or by the time you become a working musician are you so sick of all your day jobs that you have nothing positive to say about them? (Sorry if yours dealt with this; I mean to hear "Matthew and Son," Buck 65, FOW, and possibly others soon; I'll continue to pretend like the Mike Watt doesn't exist.)

― Josh Langhoff (josh langhoff), Friday, 20 February 2004 13:41 (twenty-two years ago)

"Quit" by The Waitresses is about a (non-specific) work project that goes pear-shaped. Doesn't quite fit Josh's template, but I guess if the protagonist cares enough to stop and sing a song about it I guess they must have taken some pride in their efforts to begin with.

― Jeff W, Friday, 20 February 2004 13:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Beck's "Soul Suckin Jerk"! Details his job duties and goes on to tell a semi-believable tale of how he quit his job.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Friday, 20 February 2004 14:58 (twenty-two years ago)

jane Siberry, 'Waitress'

― derrick (derrick), Friday, 20 February 2004 20:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Killdozer were incredible and prolific purveyors of labor rock.

from "Richard":

My name is Richard / I work at the bank / I foreclose on deliquent loans
Last week we took the farm / of some deadbeat farmer
he slaughtered all of his cattle / before we could auction them off
Let me tell you
That sort of thing really pisses me off

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Friday, 20 February 2004 20:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Stan Ridgway - "I Wanna Be A Boss"

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Friday, 20 February 2004 20:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Paul McCartney - "Temporary Secretary"

― Salmon Pink (Salmon Pink), Friday, 20 February 2004 20:54 (twenty-two years ago)

his name is alive - "waitress"

belle and sebastian - "step into my office, baby"

― ken taylrr, Friday, 20 February 2004 21:28 (twenty-two years ago)

speaking about stan ridgway, i guess "camouflage" is also a song about someone's job.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Saturday, 21 February 2004 07:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Clocked In - Black Flag.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Saturday, 21 February 2004 07:13 (twenty-two years ago)

The Witchita Lineman? Glen Campbell

― Gale, Saturday, 21 February 2004 07:14 (twenty-two years ago)

"That's Living Alright" - Joe Fagan

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 21 February 2004 09:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Big Black "Pete, King of all Detectives"

Dollie Parton "9 to 5"
(both of which I have in my cd case today :/ )

Rush "Working Man"

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Saturday, 21 February 2004 10:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Dollie? :/

Dolly

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Saturday, 21 February 2004 10:17 (twenty-two years ago)

This song (theme tune to The Fall Guy) fits what Josh was looking for. Plenty of detail about the job, positive and negative

The Unknown Stuntman

Well, I'm not the kind to kiss and tell,
But I've been seen with Farrah.
I'm never seen with anything less than a nine, so fine.

I've been on fire with Sally Field,
Gone fast with a girl named Bo,
But somehow they just don't end up as mine.

It's a death defyin' life I lead,
I take my chances.
I die for a livin' in the movies and TV.
But the hardest thing I ever do
Is watch my leadin' ladies
Kiss some other guy while I'm bandagin' my knee.

I might fall from a tall building,
I might roll a brand new car.
'Cause I'm the unknown stuntman that made Redford such a star.

I never spend much time in school
But I taught ladies plenty.
It's true I hire my body out for pay, Hey Hey.

I've gotten burned over Cheryl Tiegs,
Blown up for Raquel Welch.
But when I end up in the hay it's only hay, Hey Hey.

I might jump an open drawbridge,
Or Tarzan from a vine.
'Cause I'm the unknown stuntman that makes Eastwood look so fine.

― Joe Kay (feethurt), Monday, 23 February 2004 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

Can't believe noone has mentioned Slack Motherfucker by Superchunk

― Sym (shmuel), Monday, 23 February 2004 23:41 (twenty-two years ago)

"Where are all the songs about taking pride in your work?"

i repeat.. Ernie The Fastest Milkman In The West

― donny dorko (searchanddelete), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 01:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Vue "White Traffic"

The Faint "Agenda Suicide"

― Adm Mhel (adam michel), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 02:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't been able to stop thinking about this thread. This is the best I can come up with.

― Madchen (Madchen), Thursday, 26 February 2004 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

There's very few songs about the JOY of work because most musician types are EITHER too young to have had anything but a shitty temporary job OR older but too immersed in the world of music to know anything else...

I mean, OBVIOUSLY there's indie classics like "Payday Is The Best Day", "Clubbing In The Week", and "Work's All Right When It's A Proper Job" but *AHEM* i cannot remember who wrote them.

― MJ Hibbett, Thursday, 26 February 2004 16:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Astounding!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 26 February 2004 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

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