Labour & Employment: Tom Cat Prowl

This week’s installment of Labour & Pop Culture is “Tom Cat Prowl” by Doug and the Slugs. This video was shot in Vancouver workplaces (often with the barest of permissions) in the late 1980s (note the mullets). I think it was also used in the film Iron Eagle (or Iron Eagle 2)?

Doug and the Slugs have always positioned themselves as a working man’s party band and this song directly speaks to that experience.

I've been punching out a clock since fifteen.
I've been living on a working wage.
Ya keep paying me and I'll keep lifting.
I keep a-lifting 'til the end of the day.

The song contains some rather puerile double entendres (the ‘80s were a lyrically subtle time… of course, nobody was twerking in the videos, either). But, much like last week’s song by Loverboy, Doug’s plan to cope with the difficult jobs he’s doing (watch the video!) is to have a few drinks and try to get lucky. Maybe you could stretch the lyrics to suggest that he’s also looking to find a sugar momma, although I think the case there is kind of sketchy.



Been working like a dog gone crazy,
Been giving everything I've got,
I need something short and sweet to save me.
A little something that can hit the spot.

I've been living like a man in a prison.
I've been living like a monk in a cave.
I need a woman with a good position.
I start searching at the end of the day.

Pack it in and go to town
When the sun goes down.
And do the Tomcat prowl
When the sun goes down.

I've been punching out a clock since fifteen.
I've Been living on a working wage.
Ya keep paying me and I'll keep lifting.
I keep a-lifting 'til the end of the day.

Then pack it in and go to town
When the sun goes down.
Do the Moondog howl
When the sun goes down.
Do the Tomcat prowl
When the sun goes down.

Gotta find a way to ease that pressure.
Gotta find a way to ease that pain.
Gotta find myself some buried treasure.
Gotta find it before the sun comes up again.

It doesn't matter if you're sane or crazy.
It doesn't matter if you're weak or strong.
It doesn't matter if your past is hazy.
It doesn't matter, you can all come along.

Pack it in and go to town
When the sun goes down.
And do the Tomcat prowl when the sun goes down
(down down down - sun goes down)

Pack it in and go to town when the sun goes down
(sun goes down, yeah)
And do the Tomcat prowl when the sun goes down
Do the Moondog Howl when the sun goes down
Oh .. I'm howlin' baby!

-- Bob Barnetson