Labour & Pop Culture: Proud to be a union man

This week’s installment of Labour & Pop Culture is “Proud to be a union man” by Neil Young. On the surface, the lyrics are a pretty straight up expression of support for unions (specifically, the American Federation of Musicians or “A F of M”). The AFM represents about 80,000 professional musicians in the US and Canada.

While young often pushes progressive causes, I can’t get past the slightly sarcastic tone of the lyrics and his voice, such as:

I make those meetings when I can, yeah
I pay my dues ahead of time
When the benefits come
I'm last in line, yeah.

My google-fu was weak and I could dig up no bad blood between Young and the AFM to support that interpretation.

I couldn’t find a video for this—just an audio over top some pictures. Being from 1980, it pre-dates videos. It is also a touch more country than Neil Young usually is.



I'm proud to a union man
I make those meetings when I can, yeah
I pay my dues ahead of time
When the benefits come
I'm last in line, yeah.

I'm proud to be a union man.

Every fourth Friday at 10 am
There's a local meeting
of the A F of M, yeah!

This meeting will now come to order
Is there any new business?

Yeah, I think 'Live music are better'
Bumper stickers should be issued.

What was that?

'Live music is better' bumper stickers
Should be issued

The gentleman says
'Live music is better' bumper stickers
Should be issued
All in favor of what he said
Signify by sayin' "ay"

Ay!

If, however, you are opposed
Signify by saying "no".

I'm proud to be a union man.

-- Bob Barnetson