lyrics for labor day

11 THINGS: Lyrics for Labor Day

Thursday, August 31, 2006

1. "Maggie's Farm" (Bob Dylan): "I got a head full of ideas that are drivin' me insane./ It's a shame the way she makes me scrub the floor./ I ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more." Theme: He ain't gonna work on Maggie's farm no more. Runners-up: Anything by Leadbelly or Pete Seeger.

2. "Summertime Blues" (Eddie Cochran): "Well, I'm gonna raise a fuss, and I'm gonna raise a holler. / About workin' all summer just tryin' to earn a dollar." Theme: Work is hard work. Runner-up: The Who's version.

3. "This Ain't No Picnic" (Minutemen): "Punch in punch out / 8 hours 5 days a week / Sweat pain and agony / on Friday I'll get paid." Theme: Nothing's free. Runner-up: Jesus and Tequila.

4. "Takin' Care of Business" (BTO): "If you ever get annoyed / Look at me, I'm self-employed / I love to work at nothing all day." Theme: Quit job. Join band. Runner-up: "Working for the Weekend" (Loverboy).

5. "Making Plans for Nigel" (XTC): "And if young Nigel says he's happy / He must be happy / He must be happy in his work." Theme: Nigel's annoyed. Runner-up: "Love on a Farm Boy's Wages."

6. "Don't Worry About the Government" (Talking Heads): "I'll be working, working but if you come visit / I'll put down what I'm doing, my friends are important." Theme: Make time for friends. Runner-up: "Found a Job."

7. "Government Center" (Modern Lovers): "We gotta rock-a rock-a rock-a nonstop tonight / Uh huh, at the government center / Make the secretaries feel better / When they put the stamps on the letters." Theme: Help secretaries. Runner-up: "My Career as a Home-wrecker" (Jonathan Richman).

8. "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" (The Smiths): "I was looking for a job, and then I found a job / And heaven knows I'm miserable now." Theme: Morrissey's miserable. Runner-up: "You've Got Everything Now."

9. "Adventures in Failure" (MC 900 Ft. Jesus): "Nothing can diminish my total enjoyment / Except when I pass my place of employment." Theme: Avoid workplace. Runner-up: "I Go to Work" (Kool Moe Dee).

10. "Clampdown" (The Clash): "The men at the factory are old and cunning / You don't owe nothing, so boy get runnin' / It's the best years of your life they want to steal." Theme: Ponder quitting. Runners-up: "Janie Jones," "Career Opportunities."

11. "A Hard Day's Night" (The Beatles): "It's been a hard day's night, I should be sleeping like a log / But when I get home to you / I find the things that you do / Will make me feel alright." Theme: Ponder staying. Runner-up: "Working Class Hero" (Lennon).

Tim Sullivan, tsullivan@sfchronicle.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/31/NSGI3KQOEI1.DTL

This article appeared on page H - 3 of the San Francisco Chronicle