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Music has played a central role in defining work for centuries, from medieval harvest songs to Top 40 hits about working life. This collection of songs tells the story of working in the modern world.

Rock and Pop Songs

Jimmy Buffett, “You’ll Never Work In Dis Bidness Again” (1986)

Iggy Pop, “Life of Work” (1982)

Jim Croce, “Railroads and Riverboats” (1975)

Iggy Azalea, “Work” (2014)

The Fall, “Paint Work” (1985)

Carey Bell, “Hard Working Woman” (1997)

They Might Be Giants, “I Never Go to Work” (2005)

Amerie, “Gotta Work” (2007)

Natalie Merchant, “Which Side Are You On” (2003)

Florence Reese, “Which Side Are You On” (1931)

Pete Seeger, “Which Side Are You On” (written by Florence Reece) (1931)

Pete Seeger, “Roll the Union On” (1941)

Utah Phillips, “There is Power In The Union” (1983)

Jody Stecher and Kate Brislin, “Miner’s Lullaby” (written by Utah Phillips) (2005)

Arlo Guthrie, “Union Maid” (1940)

Lou Reed, “Don’t Talk to Me About Work” (1983)

Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee, “Nice Work If You Can Get It” (1962)

Maxwell, “Woman’s Work” (2001)

The Kinks, “When Work Is Over” (1975)

Steely Dan, “Dirty Work” (1972)

Ministry, “Work for Love” (1983)

“Working Man,” Rush (1974)

De La Soul, “The Work” (2012)

Zhu (feat. Skrillex and They), “Working For It” (2016)

Bon Jovi, “Work for the Working Man” (2009)

Prince, “Let’s Work” (1981)

Billy Squire, “The Work Song” (1989)

Pete Seeger, “No Irish Need Apply” (1954)

John Legend, “Caught Up” (2013)

The Rolling Stones, “Dirty Work” (1986)

Paul McCartney, “On My Way to Work” (2013)

Harry Nilsson, “(Thursday) Here’s Why I Did Not Go to Work Today” (1976)

Drive-By Truckers, “Working This Job” (2010)

Charles Jordan, “The Lumbermen’s Alphabet” (1967)

Lead Belly, “Can’t You Line ‘Em” (unknown recording date)

Les Paul, “Danger, Men at Work” (1947)

Tom Waits, “I Can’t Wait to Get Off Work (and See My Baby on Montgomery Avenue)” (1976)

Kid Rock, “God Bless Saturday” (2010)

Harry Belafonte, “John Henry Song” (1988)

The Seven Dwarfs (Disney), “Heigh Ho” (1937)

Adriana Caselotti, “Whistle While You Work” (1937)

Lower Than Atlantis, “Working for the Man by Day, Sticking It to the Man by Night” (2011)

Speech Debelle, “Working Week” (2009)

Bruce Springsteen, “Working on the Highway” (1984)

Cilla Black, “Work is a Four-Letter Word” (1968)

Peter Seeger, “I’ve Been Working On The Railroad” (1964)

Thursday, “For The Workforce, Drowning” (2003)

Sonata Arctica, “Cloud Factory” (2014)

Little Boots, “Working Girl” (2015)

Cold Chisel, “Bow River” (1982)

Brother Ali, “Work Everyday” (2012)

The Weakerthans, “Civil Twilight” (2007)

Creedance Clearwater Revival, “Door to Door” (1972)

Jungle, “Busy Earnin'” (2014)

Little Boots, “Business Pleasure” (2014)

Van Morrison, “Cleaning Windows” (1982)

SZA, “Broken Clocks” (2018)

Beyonce, “6 Inch” (2016)

The Clash, “48 Hours” (1977)

John Lennon, “Working Class Hero” (1970)

The Vogues, “Five O’Clock World” (1965)

Devin The Dude ft. Snoop Dogg & Andre 3000, “What A Job” (2010)

Ray Charles, “I’ll Do Anything but Work” (1950)

T-Bone Walker, “Too Lazy To Work and Too Nervous to Steal” (1952)

Rose Royce, “Car Wash” (1976)

RuPaul, “Supermodel (You Better Work)” (1993)

Fifth Harmony ft. Ty Dolla $ign, “Work from Home” (2016)

David Ruffin, “A Day in the Life of a Working Man” (1973)

Wake Up Dead Man – Hammer Ring (Work Song in a Texas Prison) (1965)

Valerie June, “Workin’ Woman Blues” (2012)

Blind Boy Fuller, “Working Man Blues” (1937)

Rihanna, “Work” (2016)

De La Soul, “Bitties in the BK Lounge” (1991)

Ed Lewis & unidentified Parchman inmates, “I’ll Be So Glad When the Sun Goes Down” as recorded by Alan Lomax (2010)

The Isley Brothers, “Work To Do” (1972)

The Silhouettes, “Get A Job” (1958)

The Offspring, “Why Don’t You Get A Job?” (1998)

Mississippi John Hurt, “Payday” (1966)

Sam Cooke, “Chain Gang” (1960)

Johnny Cash, “Sixteen Tons” (1987)

Todd Rundgren, “Bang on the Drum All Day” (1983)

Dire Straits, “Money for Nothing” (1985)

Sheena Easton, “Morning Train (Nine to Five)” (1981)

Cam’ron, “I Hate My Job” (2009)

Elvis Costello, “Welcome to the Working Week” (1977)

Fountains of Wayne, “Bright Future In Sales” (2003)

Michael Jackson, “Working Day and Night” (1979)

The Clash, “Career Opportunities” (1977)

Drive-By Truckers, “This F—king Job” (2010)

Bruce Springsteen, “Working on the Highway” (1984)

Cher, “Working Girl” (1987)

Huey Lewis & The News, “Workin’ for a Livin” (1982)

Styx, “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)” (1978)

Bangles, “Manic Monday” (1986)

Bachman-Turner Overdrive, “Takin’ Care of Business” (1974)

Johnny Paycheck, “Take This Job and Shove It” (1977)

Donna Summer, “She Works Hard for the Money” (1983)

Sam Cooke, “Chain Gang” (1960)

Britney Spears, “Work B**ch” (2013)

Dolly Parton, “Nine to Five” (1980)

Loverboy, “Working for the Weekend” (1981)

The Beatles, “A Hard Day’s Night” (1964)

Country Songs

Keith Urban, “I Never Work on a Sunday” (1991)

Alan Jackson and Jimmy Buffett, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” (2003)

Josh Thompson, “Beer on the Table” (2010)

Gretchen Wilson, “Work Hard, Play Harder” (2009)

Craig Campbell, “Family Man” (2010)

Alan Jackson, “Hard Hat and a Hammer” (2010)

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, “Workin Man [Nowhere To Go]” (1988)

Alabama, “Forty Hour Week (For A Livin’)” (1985)

Aaron Tippin, “Working Man’s PH.D.” (1993)

Randy Montana, “Assembly Line” (2011)

Chris LeDoux, “Working Man’s Dollar” (1991)

Creed Fisher, “Life of a Workin’ Man” (2017)

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, “Workin’ Man (Nowhere to Go)” (1988)

Kid Rock, “God Bless Saturday” (2010)

Kacey Musgraves, “Blowin’ Smoke” (2013)

Alabama, “Forty Hour Week (For A Livin’)” (1985)

Brooks & Dunn, “Hard Workin’ Man” (1993)

Kenny Chesney and George Strait, “Shiftwork” (2007)

Podcasts

Podcasts on working and the lives of workers, from the 1970s to today.

Working Then and Now

A series based on Studs Terkel’s 1970s interviews with ordinary working people.

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