If you like the wellerman, try on this classic
The Chemical Worker’s Song. Not far off our current days’ wage slave experience. I’m telling you, you need Union Songs.
Sailors aboard a ship used to hum to warn the captain they were THIS close to a mutiny and didn’t like conditions AT ALL. Because humming was something others could keep doing when you stopped. Anyone comes close you stop, but the hum of the rest keeps on and they can’t prove who, exactly, is doing it.
Just saying.
Sea shanties are a gateway drug to work/labour songs of all kinds, labour songs always end up including union songs, and that’s how you end up extremely hardcore for organised labour.
And if people want more information, this particular song is called “The Chemical Worker’s Song (Process Man)”, written by the Canadian folk group Great Big Sea.
Sea shanties and labour songs are an active tradition! Are you pissed? Sing about it.
The Chemical Worker’s Song is iconic (and in fact a longtime staple of UK LARP filk!) but while Great Big Sea did a cover of it, it was in fact written by Ron Angel in the UK, in 1964. Originally called the ICI Song, it referred to the grim working conditions in an Imperial Chemical Industries factory in north-east England.
The lighting in this video takes it from great to awesome.
I have officially concluded that this woman is a siren. My evidence:
1) Outstanding vocal ability no mere mortal could hope to achieve 2) Haunting lyrics that speak to deep and depressing truths of the world 3) No way to prove she has legs 4) I feel so enchanted listening to her sing that I’d probably let her drown me
Here’s a full version of The Chemical Worker’s Song, for anyone who’s curious
This whole song hits like a sledgehammer, but the stanza that sticks out to me lately is this one:
There’s overtime and bonus opportunities galore The young men like their money and they all come back for more But soon you’re knockin’ on and you look older than you should For every bob made on the job, you pay with flesh and blood
