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'Hi-Ho' and other songs that lead the way on Labor Day

Stamping Hams is hard work.
Wisconsin Historical Images
Stamping Hams is hard work.

It's a shame that the only thing a person can do for eight hours a day is work. Can't eat for eight hours; can't drink for eight hours; can't make love for eight hours. The only thing a person can do for eight hours is work.

So it makes sense that we would have a national holiday dedicated to work and working people, and an episode of iconic and quirky worky songs.

Some of the hardest workers in show-biz have to be the Seven Dwarfs. These guys were always busy doing something and loved to sing about it: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aURThUaRjCc

Another mining song, this time it’s coal with Tennessee Ernie Ford

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Joo90ZWrUkU

One of the most beloved working classics has to be Harry Belafonte and “Day-O”, or “The Banana Boat Song”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AjovHGK-TA

Not to be missed is this rare animation of Stan Freberg’s 1957 parody of “Day-O”: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PBO7YE7vjE

A professional bassist for over 20 years, John has been at KNKX since 1999 where he hosts All Blues on Saturday and Sunday nights. He was previously a senior producer of BirdNote for 19 years, and the primary recording engineer for hundreds of KNKX Studio Sessions.
John Maynard started working in radio in the seventies as a DJ at Seattle’s KJR AM which at the time was the dominant AM station in the Seattle market. After a brief stint as a restaurateur and night club owner, Maynard returned to radio with Robin Erickson, creating the hugely popular “Robin and Maynard Show.” In the more than 20 years under that marquee, Maynard flew with the Blue Angels, piloted the Goodyear Blimp, sang with Donny Osmond and hung out in a Universal Studios bar with Kojak (Telly Savalas).