My Gen X Playlist: Working in a Coal Mine – DEVO

Growing up, hard work was more of an expectation than a choice. My parents gently laid down unspoken rules early on. I was fortunate to follow in my two older brother’s footsteps, both were great role models to lead the way. Work hard. Do your best. Regardless of outcome, effort counted the most.

Other lessons were peppered in along the way. Growing up, I helped out at my father’s small business as early as ten years old. I remember he would tell me:

Spend the time and do it right the first time. Otherwise, you’ll spend far more time fixing things when things goes wrong.

Of course I said, “Yeah, yeah, yeah” and took the short cut. Ultimately he was always right and I spent frustrated hours fixing things when they went wrong. Some things are learned the hard way.

I remember countless times him telling me:

Don’t just sit around doing nothing. There is always something to do. Find ways to be productive.

This didn’t mean run around looking for mindless things to do. Keeping busy for the sake of being busy is a waste of time. He wanted me to think through what needed to be done and then act accordingly. I can still hear his voice:

Use your brain. Think things through.

When you are a kid, you hear your parents harp at you over and over and you can’t help but roll your eyes when they’re not looking. But if you hear something often enough, it begins to sink in. I didn’t know it at the time, but these lessons would become my work ethic. My father wanted to instill hard work as a habit, not an exception to the rule. I owe a lot of my father. He was a big influence on my life.

DEVO was a quirky 80s new wave band who covered Lee Dorsey’s 1966 hit Working in a Coal Mine. Why on Earth they choose this song to cover is beyond me. But it turned into one of their biggest hits and was even featured on the soundtrack of two movies. I’ve worked some pretty difficult jobs in my lifetime, but nothing compares to a coal mine. Whatever the job, props to all those who wake up early every morning and put in a long, hard day’s work. I know it ain’t easy.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Well, I been working in a coal mine 
Going down, down 
Working in a coal mine 
Whew, about to slip down 

Working in a coal mine 
Going down, down 
Working in a coal mine 
Whew, about to slip down 

Five o'clock in the morning 
I'm up before the sun 
When my work day is over 
I'm too tired for having fun 

Well, I been tired but I been
Working in a coal mine 
Going down, down 
Working in a coal mine 
Whew, about to slip down 

Working in a coal mine 
Going down, down 
Working in a coal mine 
Whew, about to slip down 

Lord, I am so tired 
How long can this go on? 

Well, I been working in a coal mine 
Going down, down 
Working in a coal mine 
Whew, about to slip down 

Working in a coal mine 
Going down, down 
Working in a coal mine 
Whew, about to slip down 

Five o'clock in the morning 
I'm up before the sun 
When my work day is over 
I'm too tired for having fun 

Well, I been tired but I been
Working in a coal mine
Going down, down 
Working in a coal mine 
Whew, about to slip down 

Working in a coal mine 
Going down, down 
Working in a coal mine 
Whew, about to slip down 

Lord, I am so tired 
How long can this go on? 

I been a-working, going, working 
Whew, about to slip down 

Working, going, working 
Whew, about to slip down 

Working, going, working 
Whew, about to slip down 

Working, going, working 
Whew, about to slip down 

Working, a-going, working 
Whew, about to slip down 

Working, going, working 
Whew, about to slip down 

Working, going, working 
Whew, about to slip down