Working in a Coalmine with Rock Turtleneck on Labor Day

Rock Turtleneck pays tribute to Labor Day and hard-working souls everywhere with the finest worksong ever written: "Working in a Coalmine," written by New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint, made famous by Lee Dorsey, who took it to #8 on the Billboard charts in 1966, and memorably covered by Devo in the early 1980s.

Coalmining seems like the hardest job imaginable - far more demanding than copywriter or blogger. One of the great things about this tune is that the song sounds like coalmining, and it's easy to imagine singing the song whilst mining for coal.

Lee Dorsey, "Working in a Coalmine"
I think that's Jools Holland in the record store.



Here's Mr. Toussaint playing his tune on... Later with Jools Holland.

Q: Are we not coalminers? A: We are Devo
Jools Holland is nowhere to be seen.



Let's go out with this exuberant version featuring Toussaint, Dr. John, Irma Thomas and Miss Dolly Parton from a 1989 TV special.