As another work week winds down, the Song of the Week is focusing on the reason for all worker safety initiatives: the workers themselves. This week’s entry reaches back 51 years to “Working Man,” the breakthrough song for Canadian power trio Rush.
The song is included on the band’s 1974 self-titled debut. Formed in Toronto, Rush’s lineup on its first album included singer/bassist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer John Rutsey, who would leave the band a few months after the album’s release (he was replaced by Neil Peart, who became known as one of the greatest drummers in rock history).
Rush’s album was initially released only in Canada, but after Cleveland radio DJ Donna Halper started playing “Working Man” on WMMS, the band caught the attention of the U.S. music industry and signed a deal with Mercury Records.
“Working Man” is a 7-minute anthem about a blue-collar worker that quickly became a favorite of 9-to-5ers everywhere. Even as Rush’s sound evolved from Led Zeppelin-inspired hard rock to progressive rock to synth-driven to a combination of all three, “Working Man” remained a staple of their live shows right through their final tour in 2015.