Looking for songs where some kind of profession is central to the message of the song? Well, we’ve got you! There is a wide spectrum of genres that include songs about a profession that has captured the heart of the fans for decades.
Singers and songwriters had brought to life stories or experiences related to jobs. And they may be referenced in the lyrics to draw meaning and some kind of inspiration.
Many of these songs have become classics that are still being loved to this day. Whether they are alluding to the exact profession or an imitation of it. Nothing can be taken for granted, and nothing comes easy in life. You must strive to improve and remain devoted to whatever you pour your time into.
Hopefully, this list of songs could help clear your vision and give you a better understanding of the sacrifices and hardships of every person in their profession.
Several of these songs address the political, social, and socioeconomic issues of society. Now, we will explore 15 fantastic songs, in no particular order from a variety of musical eras, including alternative, pop, and classic rock that conveys various difficulties associated with every worker.
Below are some of the well-researched songs about a profession that you’d surely love to listen to!
1. Cream by Politician
The song “Cream” by Politician is noted for its message in the lyrics, which makes it rather distinctive in many aspects. The instrumental can be read in a variety of ways, but it could reflect the many disasters that politics has brought to America and the rest of the globe, over the years.
Surprisingly, the guitar solos in this song might also depict the political parties’ perplexity and conflicts. Furthermore, the songs might be considered to demonstrate how many politicians fail to reach a compromise with one another and their constituents.
2. She works hard for the money by Donna Summer
This one’s a no-brainer, a superb pop song that cleverly mixes the social issue of the ever-increasing influx of women entering the workplace with plain old-fashioned wage-earner struggles in the 1980s.
Expert Tip: The lines of the song recount the struggles of a working-class woman trying to make ends meet, and there’s a tenderness to the way the song’s protagonist finds a way to believe her job is important.
3. A hard day’s night by The Beatles
The Beatle’s ”A hard day’s night”, which topped the charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom is an iconic song from the 1970s that is still being loved today.
They were the most famous band of their time, and the universality of their songs was a major factor in their global popularity, as evidenced by the fact that they are still recognized by newer generations.
This song about a profession talked about depleting careers that many people have scooped up since they absorb their time and they have no idea how quickly their time is being consumed by a job they don’t even find enjoying.
4. Shift work by Kenny Chesney and George Strait
Kenny Chesney sings about working ’round-the-clock shifts’ in this country song. He extols blue-collar jobs as stressful and physically demanding, with the sole benefit being the money.
Science agrees with him to some extent. Shiftwork Sleep Disorder is a condition that affects employees whose work hours coincide with the hours when most people are sleeping.
5. Morning Train (Nine to Five) by Sheena Easton
Our early-80s Sheena Easton masterpiece portrays work in a more excruciating way than any other song on this list. After all, work is the one thing that keeps her impoverished, train-riding sweetheart away from Easton’s love-starved narrator’s seemingly continuous joy at home.
But then we’re talking about Sheena Easton here, or at least a fictionalized dream version of one of the most appealing female music performers in history.
6. Mr. Policeman by Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley, one of the most renowned country artists, has used this song about the profession to show how difficult it is for police officers to pursue criminals who commit crimes for enjoyment.
Being a criminal justice officer is a difficult profession that few individuals want to do because of the high-risk, low-reward environment. Their song, like every other of its like, does not say much nice about police officers, but it does stress the hardships they encounter and how this profession should not be taken lightly.
7. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) by Styx
In this 1978 rock song, the narrator, facing unemployment, only wants a chance to show himself. He wants a better life and isn’t scared to work long hours and tough jobs to gain the stability and respect that comes with a successful career.
8. Take This Job and Shove it by Johnny Paycheck
This 1977 classic song about a profession would not be complete without its inclusion on the list! “Take this Employment and Shove It”, written by David Allan Coe and released by Paycheck depicts a sensation we’ve all felt about a bad job or another.
Interestingly, Coe took a jab at Paycheck when he recorded his own version a year later, dubbed “Take this Job and Shove it too” since Paycheck had misled people about who composed the song.
9. Bartender by Lady Antebellum
Lady Antebellum’s literary work “The bartender” is the lyrical work of American country music vocalist Lady Antebellum. In the video of this song, which was played in a pub the bartender challenges a woman and her companions to forget his name.
The companions, however, end up beating up the bartender. This song was composed by Dave Haywood, Hillary Scott, and Charles Kelley.
10. Work hard, play harder’ by Gretchen Wilson
Forget about manicures and spray-on tans, the woman in this 2010 country song works too hard to have time for them. She works as a bartender and server throughout the week, doing extra shifts to make ends meet.
11. Fashion by Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga, the pop queen herself, released the single “fashion” in an attempt to educate the youth about what goes on in the fashion industry and how this profession is far from easy. Lady Gaga herself had many rejections as a designer, and it took her nearly half a decade in the music industry to even get noticed in the fashion world.
Similarly, if you have such ambitions, you must be willing to endure numerous mistakes and learn from them in order to succeed in such a competitive industry of fashion.
12. Workin’ for a Livin by Huey Lewis and the News
The comparison between the challenges of a hard-working bar brand and the typical working stiff nearly comes across as believable in this unappreciated 1982 effort from a bar-band-gone-pop Huey Lewis and the News.
13. Blowin Smoke by Kacey Musgraves
The waitresses in this 2013 country song about a profession sing loudly about how one day they’ll abandon their jobs at the diner-like their coworker did when she fled away to Vegas between the lunch and the dinner rush. For the time being, they’ll have to settle for being single moms and low-wage laborers who chat and speculate over smokes.
14. Heigh-Ho by the Seven Dwarfs, Disney
This song, named after the word “heigh-ho”, which was first used in the 1600s is a homage to the drowsiness and yawning associated with labor and everyday tedious routines.
They return home and give forth sighs that indicate their exhaustion and weariness.
Expert Tip: Because of its universality, it is one of Disney’s most iconic and beloved expressions.
In this 2010 country song, the gentleman is grateful for the temporary employment at the local plant since it allows him to fulfill his ambition of being a family man. He can pay for his used truck, mortgage, and maintain his child and wife thanks to that employment.
15. Family Man by Craig Campbell
That work may not be much, but it means everything to him since it pays for his evening prayers and “I love yous” at home.
Conclusion
Since the beginning of time, musicians have been fascinated by professions and jobs. The feelings that labor permits a person to elicit are not attained in life to leisure. Artists have used excellent lyrics and globally relatable phrases to put them into words and music for their audience to groove to and put on their work.
The profession as the subject of music has brought everyone to the highest place of relaxation and companionship, learning from the experiences of others. Not only does it bring lessons to the listener, it also stirs the world into complex realities which bring an ultimate inspiration to those who can actually listen to it.
As you browse, there are still a lot of songs about a profession that you can find and lurk into. However, the 15 finest songs listed above are ones that you may want to listen to at any moment and be entertained. We hope you enjoy listening to any of them and learn a little bit about the musicians as well.