You don’t think of the Rolling Stones…at least I don’t… when it comes to delivering socially-conscious messages in song. But I can’t, for the life of me, think of a more appropriate tune for Labor Day. So, it’s in that spirit that I give you “Salt of the Earth.” (lyrics here)
It’s interesting to note that Jagger dismissed this song as one written in “total cynicism.” While that may be true, I prefer to derive my own meaning from the lyrics… and in MY interpretation, those “hard working people” are indeed the “Salt of the Earth.” Screw a bunch of cynics.
On the other hand… I could have posted this tune (Hell, I’m gonna post it anyway), which is kinda-sorta appropriate for Labor Day, innit? Both of these songs are from “Beggars Banquet,” which… apropos of nothing… just might be The Stones’ best album.
Factory girls: God Love ‘Em!
Have a good Labor Day, Buck. I'll be at work myself (how appropriate!)
ReplyDeleteNo rest for the wicked!
Eh, I'm personally of the opinion that Labor Day is one of the stupider holidays that we've got. A holiday to celebrate...going to work? By all means, take pride in your job, especially if you've got a "job that builds America." I put that in sarcasm quotes, but there is a certain amount of pride that comes with working a menial labor, non-office job...that's one of the many things that four summers working landscaping has taught me.
ReplyDeleteHowever, you shouldn't need a holiday to tell you as much. And as for all the other office jobs, I don't think a holiday is gonna really help you get excited about your job.
Can't we just name the holiday to Mob/Democratic Party support network Day and be done with it? I mean, really...isn't that pretty much all that unions do nowadays anyway?
Mike has definitely given this holiday a lot more thought than I have. I have always just viewed it as a good opportunity to have a couple of beers by the pool.
ReplyDeleteI will admit, however, that I probably look a little harder for those opportunities than some others might. :)
Any holiday that gives me a break from my labor, I'm all for it. Haev a great Labor Day, Buck! I'll be hurricane tracking all day. No rest for the weary, eh?
ReplyDeleteHurricane update! All is well here in Fort Walton Beach. Water is coming over highway 98, but not serious, Many thunderstorms and a lot of tornado warnings and some sightings, one heading to Eglin as I write. Winds range from calm to 35-45 mph. Calm and sunny as I look from the window but likely to change in a few minutes. What we expected.
ReplyDeleteChristina sez: No rest for the wicked!
ReplyDeleteI hear that... I worked a lot of holidays in my time. No more, LOL!
Mike sez: Eh, I'm personally of the opinion that Labor Day is one of the stupider holidays that we've got. A holiday to celebrate...going to work?
O, Mike! So young. So cynical. ;-)
You're right about unions. I have no use for 'em and believe they've outlived their purpose. They certainly ARE Democrat-heavy. But they DID do great things in the early part of the 20th century... so I look at this holiday as a historical occasion.
Amy: You have the right idea!
Becky sez: I'll be hurricane tracking all day. No rest for the weary, eh?
I was up until 0600 this morning watching the coverage. I know it's evil of me, and I don't really mean it... but isn't there SOME way Gustav could kill Anderson Cooper and Sheppard Smith? Sheesh. The best part of the news last evening was when they were asleep.
Dan: I'm glad you're out of harm's way. Things ain't lookin' too good in N'Awlins... but better than Katrina, so far. Today's gonna be a long day for the Big Easy. That said: it looks like state and local gub'mint had their act together this time.
Thanks for the visit to my blog and for the comment about me and my time there being 14 years before you got there.
ReplyDeleteHokkaido was unique to me when I got there in the fall of 1953.
From Yokohama, by train; and crossing the strait in the train on the ferry that capsized a few weeks/months earlier, was spooky.
I practically ate cigarettes until we got on the other side. Then it was on to Sapporo. Not much of a city. An Army truck picked me up at the station and hauled me out to Camp Crawford.
Sapporo still looked in pretty good shape and was not destroyed like most cities in Japan by B-17s and B-29s.
Sendai was bombed so often that the streets burned and there wasn't anything green growing even along the Hirose River. They were planting trees when I transferred there in 1954. Those trees have made the city well known as the "City of Trees."
I got some photos showing the results of those raids and cars look more like twisted chunks of metal with wheels burned off than cars.
It was an interesting time for me. A kid, 9000 miles from home. Free to drink and visit a house of ill repute if I wanted to without my mom and dad finding out. What a difference that made in my mind.