As I prepared for my concert “Bread and Roses: Songs of Work, Labor and Struggle” I created a set list of about 12 songs that give a historical overview of humans and the work they do. However, I was aware that I had left a lot of good songs out. I decided to let my mind wonder and see how many songs I could think of. Within half an hour, I had written fifty song lyrics down that had something profound to say about work.

I performed all fifty of these amazing songs in one giant mash up of music: some songs only had one line included, some a whole verse or more. I hope it provides a meaningful collage.

Here is a list of the songs, along with the source where I learned them (not necessarily the author)

Railroad Man: On the shores of Silver Lake

Waitress: Jane Siberry

Love Wore a Halo Before the War: Nanci Griffith

Pick a Bale of Cotton: Bluffton Elementary School

Lovely Rita Meter Maid: The Beatles

The Young Man Who Wouldn’t Raise Corn: Jeanne Ritchie

Beans and Rice and Pizza: Tom Benevento

Potter’s Wheel: John Denver

She Works Hard for the Money: The 80s

Bring me Little Water Sylvie: Leadbetter/ Sweet Honey in the Rock

Campasina Woman: Lisa Schirch

One more Dollar: Gillian Welch

Pretty Saro: Jeanne Ritchie

One more Dollar (reprise): Gillian Welch

Barandgrill: Joni Mitchell

First Christmas Away from Home: Stan Rogers

Five Hundred Miles: The Proclaimers

Dressmaker: Buffy St Marie

Parents are People: Free to be You and Me

I wanna be a Billionaire: Travie McCoy

Taylor the Latte Boy: Kristen Cheowith

Paperback Writer: The Beatles

Girls Night Out: The Judds

Jute Mill Song: Aunt Pam

Parents are People (reprise): Free to be You and Me

Barrett’s Privateers: Stan Rogers

Honey I’m Home: Shania Twain

Viva la Vida: Cold Play

Garden Song:  wherever

Troubled Fields: Nanci Griffith

John Henry: Pete Seeger

Brother Can you Spare a Dime: Judy Collins

Beeswing: Richard Thompson

For Free: Joni Mitchell

Caroline: Nanci Griffith

Eighteen Wheels and a Dozen Roses: Martina McBride

Working Girl: Nanci Griffith

Can’t Help But Wonder: Arlo Guthrie

Never Comes the Day: Moody Blues

Summer Evening: Greg Brown

Lemonade Stand: Tom Chapin

Nevermind: Nanci Griffith

Love Wore a Halo Before the War (reprise): Nanci Griffith

Life Goes On: The Beatles

Leader of the Band: Dan Folgelberg

Everything is Free Now: Gillian Welch

More than a Paycheck: Sweet Honey in the Rock

Gulf Coast Highway: Nanci Griffith

Pretty Boy Floyd: Arlo Guthrie

Working on a Building: Steel Wheels

Could have Been Me: Holly Near

Johnny Has Gone for a Soldier: subconscious

This Old Guitar: John Denver