Labour & Pop Culture: God Bless Saturday

This week’s instalment of Labour & Pop Culture is Kid Rock’s “God Bless Saturday”. This a fairly typical “common man” rock anthem that suggests workers cope with the tedium of a 52-hour work week by getting loaded on Saturday night.

Now Kid Rock is skeevy as hell, but he writes very successful songs that tap into common experiences (e.g., the sepia-toned All Summer Long). G od Bless Saturday captures the grind of work (working 9 to 9/Losing my mind, watching Father Time) in a blue collar job.

He also touches on the questions workers have about the system when they take time to reflect on it:

They tell me I'm living the American dream
Just working for the man
But 52 hours in a stamping plant
Sometimes I don't understand

In his song, the workers’ cope by getting wasted (fair enough). But why don’t they just get organized? One line of explanation is that pro-union songs don’t become anthems and sell out arenas (acknowledging exceptions like Billy Bragg).

Another potential explanation is that the system (i.e., capitalism) is extremely powerful and it is often easier for workers to cope than seek change. Who knows what Kid Rock was thinking when he wrote this (and to what degree the production process may have rounded off some of the edges) but he’s clearly smart enough to see how the system works.



In the hustle and grind, working 9 to 9
Losing my mind, watching Father Time
It's the same ole same, this ball and chain
With only one day to ease my pain

'Cause Monday's just a bitch, Tuesday's such a bother
Wednesday's like watching dead flowers grow
Thursday ain't for shit, Friday's getting hotter
But on Saturday night you know

We let it rock and keep the drinks pouring
Let it roll until the early morning
We're underpaid but we still give thanks and praise
God bless Saturday

They tell me I'm living the American dream
Just working for the man
But 52 hours in a stamping plant
Sometimes I don't understand

'Cause Monday's just a bitch, Tuesday's such a bother
Wednesday's like watching dead flowers grow
Thursday ain't for shit, Friday's getting hotter
But on Saturday night you know

We let it rock and keep the drinks pouring
Let it roll until the early morning
We're underpaid but we still give thanks and praise
God bless Saturday

Let it rock and keep the drinks pouring
Let it roll until the early morning
We're underpaid but we still give thanks and praise
God bless Saturday

Saturday, God bless Saturday
Saturday, God bless Saturday
Ooh yeah, Saturday, God bless Saturday
Oh yeah, God bless Saturday, yeah, yeah
God bless Saturday, Saturday, Saturday, yeah, yeah
God bless Saturday, God bless Saturday
Saturday, ooh yeah, God bless Saturday, ooh

-- Bob Barnetson