The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Working hard to make a living
Bringing shelter from the rain
A father's son left to carry on
Blue denim in his vein
Oh oh oh, he's a working class man
Well he's a steel town disciple
He's a legend of his kind
He's running like a cyclone
Across the wild mid western sky
Oh oh oh, he's a working class man
He believes in god and Elvis
He gets out when he can
He did his time in Vietnam
Still mad at Uncle Sam
He's a simple man
With a heart of gold
In a complicated land
Oh he's a working class man
Well he loves a little woman
Someday he'll make his wife
Saving all the overtime
For the one love of his life
He ain't worried about tomorrow
'Cause he just made up his mind
Life's too short for burning bridges
Take it one day at a time
Oh oh oh, he's a working class man
Oh oh oh, he's a working class man
Oh yeah
Yes he is
Well he's a working class man
Oh
Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma
I tell you he's a working class man
Working class
Working class man
Yes he is
Working class
Working class man
I want to tell you he's a working class man
Working class
Working class man
Ma ma ma
Working class
Working class man
I got to tell you he's a working class man
Working class
Working class man
Working class
Working class man
I tell you he's a working class man
Working class
Working class man
Working class
Working class man
I tell you he's a working class man
Working class
Working class man (know he is)
Working class
Working class man
I tell you he's a working class man
Bringing shelter from the rain
A father's son left to carry on
Blue denim in his vein
Oh oh oh, he's a working class man
Well he's a steel town disciple
He's a legend of his kind
He's running like a cyclone
Across the wild mid western sky
Oh oh oh, he's a working class man
He believes in god and Elvis
He gets out when he can
He did his time in Vietnam
Still mad at Uncle Sam
He's a simple man
With a heart of gold
In a complicated land
Oh he's a working class man
Well he loves a little woman
Someday he'll make his wife
Saving all the overtime
For the one love of his life
He ain't worried about tomorrow
'Cause he just made up his mind
Life's too short for burning bridges
Take it one day at a time
Oh oh oh, he's a working class man
Oh oh oh, he's a working class man
Oh yeah
Yes he is
Well he's a working class man
Oh
Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma
I tell you he's a working class man
Working class
Working class man
Yes he is
Working class
Working class man
I want to tell you he's a working class man
Working class
Working class man
Ma ma ma
Working class
Working class man
I got to tell you he's a working class man
Working class
Working class man
Working class
Working class man
I tell you he's a working class man
Working class
Working class man
Working class
Working class man
I tell you he's a working class man
Working class
Working class man (know he is)
Working class
Working class man
I tell you he's a working class man
Lyrics submitted by TheLuckyChicken
Working Class Man Lyrics as written by Jonathan Cain
Lyrics © Word Collections Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Guys it's an American song written by Journey's keyboardist. It's about the "Bruce Springsteen" working class blue collar workers. Check out some of the lyrics (uncle Sam, simple man (lynard skynard), heart of gold (Neil young), etc. The theme was big in the 80s. But Jimmy Barnes liked it alot and made it his own. it wasn't written with Aussie battlers in mind, it just has a global message.
Dressed2Depress: Fuck you, get back in the kitchen and make my dinner bitch... its about a fucken aussie man, not women. a working class man is just an aussie that works a trade like job (electrician, mechanic, etc..) during the day and comes home to his girl... simple as...gotta love jimmy.
awesome logic, chisel, obviously australian men who actually aspire to do more with their lives than repair pipes and faulty circuits or shoot people with a differnt skin colour aren't men. This song is dated and reflects a vision of Australia which is no longer relevant. Australia is one of the most secular western countries. Who the fuck in Australia has any connection to god or a rural existence? I know I don't. I'd like to think this song is not representative of Australian men, but it probably is. It perpetuates and glorifies false myths about what it is to be Australian and male.
That is my favourite song of Jimmy Barnes then it's "No Second Prize"
A true Aussie classic, and when sung by Jimmy, it's almost a religious experience.
Adopted as an Aussie blue-collar anthem.
But it most certainly was not written with the "Aussie Battler" in mind. Written by Jonathan Cain, an American, keyboardist with Journey. Cain probably wouldn't know an Aussie Battler if he fell over him.
Still, a great song, performed brilliantly by Barnes.
working class man was originally written by Jonathan Cain but it is famously sung by Jimmy Barnes. The song was written in 1985. This song is Rock, and the song was released in 1985.
A tribute to the working class men of the 1980s, in paticular, men of Australia. A song that has made a nation respect the lives of 'the Aussie battler.'
heard of this song and thought about my father and the amount of hardship he had to go through when we came in australia to support his family. Such a great song.
one of the most popular Aussie songs as it relates to the aussie way of life. may be related to the aussie worker who is struggling.
I can't believe more aussies havn't commented. This is one of the songs that defines, what it is to be Australian.
AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE OI, OI, OI
Go the socceroos!!!
Every comment above is absolutely correct, the aussie battler working hard to make a living and support a family. "Well he loves a little woman Someday he'll make his wife Saving all the overtime For the one love of his life" As this song personally, suits me perfectly.