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Coffee Break: Workers' Day

May 01, 2018

Ford's use of a moving line reduced a car's assembly time from 12 hours to 93 minutes, but this made the work repetitive for workers like the ones here, who are making flywheels. Ford paid workers $5 a day, an extraordinary amount at the time.AP, via NPR

Thanks to Aaron for writing in with today's theme idea.

May 1 is May Day, a day not just to signify spring and warmer temperatures but also the working class. In the late 19th century, today was chosen as the date for International Workers' Day - a celebration of laborers and the working classes.

So for today's 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear for the working class?

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below, and try to see if you can avoid the songs we chose on this date last year:

Workin' Woman Blues - Valerie June
Salt of the Earth - The Rolling Stones
Nice Work If You Can Get It - Fred Astaire
Working To Work - Field Music
Five O'Clock World - The Vogues
Work Song - Hozier
I've Been Working On The Railroad - Pete Seeger
Factory Girls - Flogging Molly
Maggie's Farm - Bob Dylan
Damn Job - The Replacements
Earn Enough For Us - XTC

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.

Have an idea for a Coffee Break topic? Submit your idea for a future theme and browse past Coffee Breaks in our archive. Or, when you register for a Minnesota Public Radio account, you can send requests via Alexa, too Just say "Alexa, ask The Current to play Song by Artist" e.g. "Alexa, ask The Current to play Left of the Dial by The Replacements."

Songs played

Kirsty MacColl - There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis
Drive-By Truckers - Working This Job
XTC - Love On a Farmboy's Wages
Muddy Waters - Garbage Man
William Shatner - Common People
The Clash - Career Opportunities
X - The Have Nots
Sheena Easton - Morning Train (Nine to Five)