Labor Day is a bittersweet holiday in America. It’s a time for celebrating with friends and family, a three-day weekend that is always appreciated by everyone. But it also means that the summer has once again come to an all-too abrupt end. In celebration of workers everywhere, Hard Rock Daddy presents the Top 10 Hard Rock Labor Day Songs (listed below the YouTube playlist)…
10 – “Dirty Jobs” (THE WHO) – A lesser known track off of their epic Quadrophenia album, “Dirty Jobs” shows that, despite the different jobs that people have, many feel the same way about what they do, largely because of unappreciative bosses.
9 – “Working For The Working Man” (BON JOVI) – Clearly, Bon Jovi is not one who needs to worry about where his next paycheck is coming from, but many people today live under the constant pressure of trying to make ends meet. “Working For The Working Man” addresses the sobering reality of the unemployed.
8 – “Working Class Hero” (OZZY OSBOURNE) – A song about the value of being a part of the working class, “Working Class Hero” was written by John Lennon over 40 years ago, but the message still rings true today. Ozzy’s distinct style truly brings the song to life, which isn’t surprising given what his life was like before he became a rock legend.
7- “Workin’” (LYNYRD SKYNYRD) – It is said that if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. Logically speaking, the opposite is also true. If you do what you do just for a paycheck, you will work nearly every day of your life. “Workin’” is about just paying the bills, and the perfect example of why Labor Day is such a valued holiday.
6 – “Friday Night” (VANDENBERG) – It stands to reason that those who are passionate about what they do are more easily motivated than those who are simply punching a clock to pay the bills. “Friday Night” illustrates that monetary gain is not as great a motivator as pursuing passions.
5 – “Peace Of Mind” (BOSTON) – Most people want to get to where they’ll eventually be as soon as possible, believing that true happiness is found in a destination. “Peace Of Mind” offers another perspective…success is in the eye of the beholder, and happiness is not necessarily achieved by “climbing to the top of the company ladder.”
4 – “Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)” (STYX) – The grass is always greener on the other side for many people. They see only the positives of the life that they perceive without ever considering the downside….”Paradise, can it be all I heard it was? I close my eyes, and maybe I’m already there.”
3 – “Three And A Half Letters (I Need A Job)” (CHICKENFOOT) – Sammy Hagar is a huge success, both on and off the stage, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t relate to the plight of those that are suffering through hard times. There is a perception by many people that those who are unemployed are lazy, and happy to be receiving government assistance. While it’s true in some cases, it is not true in many others. “Three And A Half Letters (I Need A Job)” is a great song in its own right, but its high ranking in the Top 10 is due in large part to the powerful message being conveyed.
2 – “Working Man” (RUSH) – Released nearly 40 years ago, “Working Man” still gets regular radio airplay. It is the only song that casual Rush fans know of that predates the Neil Peart era. It captures the feeling that many 9-5 workers have about their lives so succinctly that it is usually the first song that comes to mind for hard rock music fans when they think of work-related songs. No one would argue if this was ranked as the number one song on the list, and many might argue that it should be first.
1 – “Slave To The Grind” (SKID ROW) – How many people celebrating Labor Day today think of their job as “the grind?” How many of those same people feel as though they are “slaves to the grind?” Sebastian Bach captures the rage felt by disgruntled workers better than anyone. But what makes the title track off of the band’s second album so impactful is the fact that it inspires people to not resign themselves to the life that they have, but rather to pursue their dreams to live the life that they desire…”I won’t be the one left behind. You can’t be king of the world, if you’re slave to the grind!”
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