Quotes / Working Class Anthem

Live-Action TV

Squire #1: And who does all the planning?
Galavant: Yeah
Squire #2: Who does all the work?
Galavant: True
Squire #3: Who gets no vacation?
Squire #4: Not one pay raise, not one perk?
Galavant: Good point
Squire #2: Whose third-rate insurance
Goes without a dental plan?
Galavant: Your average humble squire?
All squires: Not the meathead in a can!

— Galavant episode "Two Balls", "Jackass in a Can"

Music

The next place of employment's no better than this
My first day thinking this some fuckin' "Office Space" shit
But not me boss, these conditions ain't suitable
Hide the pen and pad, writing rhymes in a cubicle
Automated phone click, dial tone, phone calling
Hoping for some gullible folks to take the offer
A mission for commission, tuition for college
"Please put our number on your do not call list"
Half the whole staff graduated with honors
And you're trying to tell me telemarketing's your best job option?

— Blue Scholars, "Proletariat Blues"

Tommy used to work on the docks, union's been on strike
He's down on his luck, it's tough, so tough
Gina works the diner all day working for her man
She brings home her pay, for love, for love

— Bon Jovi, "Living on a Prayer"

All the world that's owned by idle drones is ours and ours alone.
We have laid the wide foundations; built it skyward stone by stone.
It is ours, not to slave in, but to master and to own.
While the union makes us strong.

— Ralph Chaplin, "Solidarity Forever"

A big ol' pile of shiiiii...ft work

— Kenny Chesney, "Shift Work"

Now I got them
Steadily depressin'
Low-down mind messin'
Working at the car wash blues.

— Jim Croce, "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues"

Your desire for free will is unproductive
Your frustration with your life is irrelevant
Work yourself down to the bone to produce nothing
Give yourself unto the system till you die

— Derelict, "Shackles of Indoctrination"

Well, I've worked among the spinners, and I breathe the oily smoke.
I've shovelled up the gypsum and it nigh on makes you choke.
I've stood knee deep in cyanide, got sick with a caustic burn.
Been workin' rough, I've seen enough to make your stomach turn!
And it's go boys, go,
They'll time your every breath,
And every day you're in this place
You're two days nearer death,
But you go...

— Great Big Sea, "The Chemical Workers' Song"

Most of my Latino and black people who are struggling to get food
Clothes and shelter in the hood, are so concerned with that
That philosophising about freedom and socialist democracy
Is usually unfortunately beyond their rationale
They don't realize that America can't exist
Without separating them from their identity
Because if we had some sense of who we really are
There's no way in hell we'd allow this country to push
It's genocidal consensus on our homelands
This ignorance exists, but it can be destroyed

— Immortal Technique, "The Poverty of Philosophy"

To be poor is a crime, whoa well
Woman haffi know dat inna dis ya time
I'm tired of be pushed around
Won't Jah help me to get off the ground
They want to see me go down
It's really hard for some of us to stay around

— Freddie McGregor, "To Be Poor is a Crime"

Well, that foreman, he's a regular dog
The line boss, he's a fool
He got a brand new flat top haircut
Lord, he thinks he's cool
One of these days I'm gonna blow my top
And that sucker, he's gonna pay
Lord, I can't wait to see their faces
When I get the nerve to say
Take this job and shove it
I ain't workin' here no more.

— Johnny Paycheck, "Take This Job and Shove It"

My paycheck's not big enough to wipe my tears...

— The Mumlers, "Coffin Factory"

9 to 5, for service and devotion
You would think that I would deserve a fair promotion
Want to move ahead but the boss won't seem to let me
I swear sometimes that man is out to get me

— Dolly Parton, "9 to 5"

Baby there's nights when I dream of a better world
But I wake up so downhearted girl
I see you feeling so tired and confused
I wonder what it's worth to me or you

— Bruce Springsteen, "Jackson Cage"

Be faithful and pray
We'll repay what you invest
Behave as you slave
For humanity's interest

— The Stupendium, "The Fine Print"

You load sixteen tons, what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store.

— Merle Travis, "Sixteen Tons"

We're the first ones to starve, we're the first ones to die,
We're the first ones in line for that pie in the sky
And we're always the last when the cream is shared out
For the worker is working when the fat cat's about!

— The Longest Johns, "The Workers' Song"

Western Animation

We are the working dead
And we lurch for minimum wage
But I'd really rather be
Eating your brain!

—Sadie Killer and the Suspects, Steven Universe episode "Sadie Killer", "The Working Dead"

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