| Working Man | |
|---|---|
| by Rush | |
| Released | March 04, 1974 |
| Recorded | October 13, 1973 |
| Genre | Hard rock heavy metal |
| Length | 7:06
7:10 (Remastered version) 7:15 (Vault edition) |
| Writer = Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee | Label = Moon, Anthem/Mercury | Producer = Rush |misc=Template:Extra music sample }}
"Working Man" is a song by rock band Rush from its debut album, Rush. The song deals with people in the working class and their lives. Its blue-collar theme resonated with hard rock fans in Cleveland (where the song was regularly played on WMMS), and this newfound popularity led to the album being re-released by Mercury Records in the United States. Despite its popularity, it has never been released as a single, possibly due to its length (7:07). On the live album All the World's a Stage, the song segues directly into "Finding My Way" and one of Neil Peart's drum solos.
The middle of the song features an extensive instrumental jam with two guitar solos by Alex Lifeson and freestyle bass playing by Geddy Lee. It was voted 94th in Guitar World magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitar solos.
In other media[]
Two versions of the song are available as downloadable tracks for the music video game series Rock Band. One is a cover based on the original recording, while the other is a previously unreleased released master track with an alternate guitar solo.[1] The alternate version proved so popular that the band released it on the iTunes Store, under the title "Working Man (Vault Edition)."
The song is featured films and TV series Westworld, The Towering Inferno, The Doors, The Last Boy Scout, Soldier, Blood Diamond, Time Bandits, Spaceballs, Wayne's World, Josie and the Pussycats, Sid and Nancy, This Is Spinal Tap, Airheads, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Dude, Where's My Car?, Empire Records, High Fidelity, Rock Star, The Rocker, The Full Monty, Napoleon Dynamite, Idiocracy, Speed, Broken Arrow, Entrapment, Lethal Weapon 4, Exit Wounds, Mad Max: Fury Road, That '70s Show, Flushed Away, Chicken Little, Goon, My Name is Earl and Supernatural.
In 2014 Walmart television advertisement.
Variations[]
- Difference: Live/Part of a medley/drum solo.
- Difference: Live
- Difference: Live
"R30"
- Difference: Live/ reggae ending
"Working Man: Vault Edition"
- Difference: Different solos
________________________________________________________________________________
Credits[]
Geddy Lee: Vocals/ Bass
Alex Lifeson: lead guitar
John Rutsey: drums
Trivia[]
In early concerts, (during the "Rush" Tour) Alex Lifeson would play a unique alternate solo for this song. One of them was re-worked into "By-Tor and the Snow-Dog"
References:[]
1.) http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=2991
- ↑ DLC Week of July 8th. Rock Band Forum (accessed July 7, 2008).