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Work Song (Single Version)

from What's This? 1976​-​1979 by Skafish

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  • Buy the Full Digital Album

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Six-panel digipack with 36 page booklet featuring liner notes by rock legends Cheap Trick, rare and previously unseen photos and complete lyrics.

    Includes unlimited streaming of What's This? 1976-1979 via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 7 days

      $14 USD or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    Six-panel digipack with 36 page booklet featuring liner notes by rock legends Cheap Trick, rare and previously unseen photos and complete lyrics, personally autographed by Skafish.

    Includes unlimited streaming of What's This? 1976-1979 via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days

      $25 USD or more 

     

  • Poster/Print

    11" x 17" limited edition poster, personally autographed by Skafish, shipped in a sturdy poster container.
    ships out within 3 days

      $8 USD or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    A limited edition promotional CD in a cardboard sleeve marked "Property of 829 Records."

    Includes unlimited streaming of What's This? 1976-1979 via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days

      $10 USD or more 

     

  • T-Shirt/Apparel + Digital Album

    This shirt was designed and manufactured specifically to promote the What’s This? 1976-1979 album. LIMITED QUANTITY AND LIMITED SIZES

    T-shirt lettering says:

    WHAT’S THIS FREAKIN’ $%&!?
    www.skafishwhatsthis.com

    These are from a limited edition item of 300 and after they are gone, this T-Shirt will never be manufactured again. So far, we have only used this item for promotional purposes and this is the first time we are opening it up for sale. We have 200 shirts to sell. Normally, we would sell this T-Shirt for $25, but we are offering this item to you at the introductory price of $20.

    The T-Shirt is:
    100% cotton
    Black T-Shirt with white, distressed lettering
    Pre-shrunk
    Machine wash and tumble dry
    Substantial quality
    In a sealed plastic bag with air holes for freshness
    Made by Tennessee River

    Includes unlimited streaming of What's This? 1976-1979 via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.     ... more
    ships out within 3 days
    edition of 200 

      $20 USD or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    6
    releases

    Get all 6 Skafish releases available on Bandcamp and save 25%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of Conversation & The Rejects, Nothing I Can Do, SKAFISH (Remastered Reissue), BOOTLEG 21-35, What's This? 1976-1979, and Tidings of Comfort and Joy: A Jazz Piano Trio Christmas. , and , .

    Purchasable with gift card

      $36.75 USD or more (25% OFF)

     

about

(Single Version) (Recorded July/August 1978 - Previously released November 1979.) With an introduction that foreshadowed the industrial movement, multiple sections make this complex musical / vocal piece a social commentary for the working man, featuring an intricate group vocal performance.

lyrics

Work Song (Single Version)

What’s the average guy gonna do?
What’s the average guy gonna do?
He just has a labor job
He can’t find a better job
Work all day in the steel mill
Be a cop or drive a truck
Get a four-year college degree
End up in the factory
Be the man who works all day
You get your pay
Spend it on a Friday night

Life’s not great but it’s not bad
You don’t think much about being sad
You just do what you have to do
Work all day you got a job to do
Muscles work
Your body is as hard as rock
Hit him like a rock tonight

Drive the car through morning traffic
Punch the clock and start the day
The loud machines ring in your ear
The air is grey your body’s aching
When does it stop so you can relax?
Get up every morning work for your money

There’s a bar right down the street
After the work the guys meet
They’re dirty and hot they want a beer
They watch the baseball game here
Chicago Cubs will play today
They’re gonna shout “Hey! Hey!”
Blacks and whites and Mexicans
Ethnic men from Poland
Call your friends
You’ll have some fun when you get drunk
Drinking with the guys tonight

Drive the car through morning traffic
Punch the clock and start the day
The loud machines ring in your ear
The air is grey your body’s aching
When does it stop so you can relax?
Get up in the morning work for your money
No one help you out
You’re stuck like millions working everyday
Just work work work work
Work work work work
Work work work work work
It won’t stop
All the men work they’re stuck in the middle
Nowhere near richness
But they aren’t starving
Taxes, food, car payments, electric bills
Oh but you’re not starving

Now you’re an old man
Do you get to retire or do you die soon from a heart attack?
You worked your whole life and broke your back
Every day just seems the same you did your work
Work work work work
Work work work work

Written in 1977 by Skafish
© 1978 Skafish (Skafish Music/BMI)

credits

from What's This? 1976​-​1979, track released April 1, 2008
Personnel:
Skafish – Lead Vocals, Piano, Lead Guitar
Larry Mazalan - Guitar, Slide Whistle, Vocals
Karen Winner - Guitar, Adapted Slide Guitar, Vibraslap,
Vocals, Chorus and End Section Co-Lead Vocal
Mark Winner - Electric Piano, Organ, Vocals
Greg Sarchet – Bass Guitar, Bugle, Vocals
Larry Mysliwiec - Drums

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

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Skafish Chicago, Illinois

Chicago and Indiana's first punk, new wave, alternative, indie and underground rock artist, and a pioneer of these art forms internationally. Skafish made his first record in 1970, has released 7 LP’s, toured/performed with such artists as The Police, Ramones, Iggy Pop, XTC, UB-40, Stranglers, The Cramps, English Beat, Sha Na Na, Scorpions, & U-2, and appeared in the film "Urgh! A Music War! ... more

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