MUSIC PLAYLIST

Working-Class Songs for Working-Class Heroes — Part 1

And anyone else who likes good music

A monument created by Tangut Öktem for the coal miners of Zonguldak, Turkey. Photo: Dosseman. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

When you scrape off my veneer, you’ll find that I’m a coal miner’s granddaughter. Blue-collar blood runs through my veins. People in my family worked hard and provided hard, which is why I’m where I am today.

So, while this piece would have been better timed for Labour Day, I’ve come up with a playlist in honour of those who work, strike and struggle all in the name of a better life.

Full disclosure: I got this idea from my favourite music podcast, Sombrero Fallout, which I took as a kind of writing prompt. I came up with my own list of working-class songs, of course, but do listen to the podcast for a great selection.

Working in the Coal Mine by Lee Dorsey (1966)

“Five o’clock in the morning, I’m already up and gone.
Lord, I’m so tired. How long can this go on?”