13 Songs of Labor

Weavers, blacksmiths, healers, farmers, warriors: the myths tell us the Gods toil as well. Here’s 13 songs in honor of Labor Day, for when labor we are like the Gods.

13. Working Man Blues By Merle Haggard

12. Union Maid by Old Crow Medicine Show

Written by Woody Guthrie in response to a complaint that women were being ignored in labor music, it became one of his most popular labor tunes.

11. John Henry’s Hammer by Johnny Cash

10. Pick a Bale of Cotton by Leadbelly

Influencing Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, Leadbelly is one of my favorite folks musicians.

9. She Works Hard for the Money by Donna Summers

8. Coal Miner’s Daughter by Loretta Lynn

7. The Goddess and the Weaver by Spiral Dance

6. Hills of Connemara by Gaelic Storm

5. Muirsheen Durkin by Luke Kelly

4. The Ballad of Bowser Macrae by David Francey

The story is great but if you want to skip ahead to the song go to 7:55 mark.

3. The Gulf of Mexico by Shawn Mullins

2. Breakfast in Hell by Slaid Cleeves

1. Pie In The Sky by Utah Phillips