“The Playlist” Salutes The Working Class Heroes, Musically

As Labor Day passed on Monday - saluting all of us who work hard to try to make ends meet - "The Playlist" has found a way to pay tribute to the yearly September holiday with songs that tie to the working class heroes in all of us.

Labor Day is the celebration of the economic and social contributions of workers in America.  The day first became a national holiday by 1894 when then president Grover Cleveland signed this into law after a labor strike around the railroads saw several people die at the hands of U.S. military.

Today, Labor Day represents the 3-day weekend for the unofficial end of Summer, lots of sales at retail outlets, the kickoff of football in the college ranks, and in the past the Labor Day Telethon with Jerry Lewis.

The week's version of The Playlist found 20 songs that reflects why we are "Working For A Living", what we work for, and all things that tie to our work week grind.  You will find that Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" will not make the cut but another 9 to 5 will be there, and Jersey's working class hero among the 20 songs.  How can we not do this without "The Boss"?  Well ...... we couldn't!!!

Huey Lewis and The News -- Workin' For A Livin' (we are "Takin' what they're Givin'", and Huey took this to a Top-20 hit in 1982)

Men At Work -- Overkill (anyone at work + overtime away from home = Overkill!)

Midnight Oil -- Blue Sky Mine (working there put "Food on the table", and put a #1 Rock hit for the Aussie outfit in 1990)

Pet Shop Boys -- Opportunities (what the unemployed are looking for, and "Make lots of money"!)

Dire Straits -- Money For Nothing (remember the video where the guys were working to move those microwaves, refrigerators, and color TVs?)

Destiny's Child -- Independent Women Pt. 1 (salutes "All the honeys who are makin' money", with their #1 hit in 2000)

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band -- Badlands ("Working in the fields til you get your back burned")

Todd Rundgren -- Bang The Drum All Day ("Every day when I get home from work I feel so frustrated, the boss is a jerk!")

Johnny Kemp -- Just Got Paid (Payday is the best day of any work week!)

Loverboy -- Working For The Weekend (since you Just Got Paid, go have fun!)

The Bangles -- Manic Monday ("Have to catch the early train, have to be at work by 9")

Sheena Easton -- Morning Train {9 to 5} (there is your work day, unless you are 8 to 4 or something)

The Pretenders -- Back On The Chain Gang (what some people feel like at their job)

P. Diddy -- It's All About The Benjamins (what you strive for while your "Living the raw deal")

Bruce Hornsby and The Range -- Every Little Kiss (song begins "Way out here working on the docks")

Donna Summer -- She Works Hard For The Money (treat her right this weekend!)

The Offspring -- Why Don't You Get a Job? (where are the jobs?)

Sting -- Fortress Around Your Heart (to "Build a city" takes the work force to do its thing)

John Mellencamp -- Pink Houses (The American Dream of "Going to work in some high rise, and vacation down at the Gulf of Mexico")

Bon Jovi -- Livin' On A Prayer (you know the story of Tommy working on the dock, Gina at the diner, and a prefect way to wrap up The Playlist for this week)