John Lennon Working Class Hero-Musical and Labour Analysis
‘Working Class Hero’ by John Lennon is regarded by many one of the most prolific protest songs of its generation in large part to the way that writer could express his ideas through simple lyrics and song writing to people from all classes. This paper will examine the goals, perspective and struggles of workers communicated through the song ‘Working Class Hero’. It will examine how the ‘worker’, ‘owner/boss’ or workplace environment is portrayed within the song. Furthermore it hopes to clarify how employment-related activities are portrayed in the song. It will mention the geographical and historical context in which the song takes place. It will also reveal the relevance of the song to contemporary labour relations.
Some people believe that the ‘worker’, ‘owner/boss’ or workplace environment may be seen as detrimental to the human spirit from birth because parents are constantly at work and unable to spend the time they require with their children. Lennon (1970) communicates this in the lyrics “As soon as you're born they make you feel small by giving you no time instead of it all”
As a result of work that often creates a difficult life for families and people trying to aspire higher in the workplace the resulting problems are revealed in the second and third paragraph of the song. It reveals lyrics that depict problems at school, violence and then the expectation of a career in an environment of hostility and fear. Lennon (1970) sings
“They hurt you at home and they hit you at schoolThey hate you if you're clever and they despise a foolTill you're so fucking crazy you can't follow their rules”
And
“When they've tortured and scared you for twenty-odd yearsThen they expect you to pick a career”
Employment related activities, acquiring a career and aspiring higher may result in disappointment and people getting hurt along the way. This is particularly relevant in the lines. “There's room at the top they're telling you still but first you must learn how to smile as you kill If you want to be like the folks on the hill” (Lennon, 1970).
John Lennon presents historical and geographical clues as well from his lyrics. The words about the ‘folks on the hill’ and ‘But first you must learn to smile as you kill’ may make reference to the social and political changes that resulted because of the government’s decision to go to the Vietnam War and various other conflicts. ‘And you think you’re so clever and classless and free’ may be a reference to the political changes in the 60’s and 70’s that really did not change the class structure as many expected. This can be heard in the lyrics ‘But you're still fucking peasants as far as I can see’.
One must ask if being a ‘working class hero’ has changed in contemporary labour relations. The workplace and the activities conducted in the workplace are still often detrimental to normal working class people. Low wages, dangerous work, discrimination, layoffs, bribery, corruption and unethical work that affects other humans is still creating difficult circumstances for people doing work that many people in powerful positions will not do. This affects family life and creates social problems all throughout the world.
Furthermore the expectation ‘to get a career’ has not changed and the pressure to aspire is enormous due to high costs of education and difficult living conditions for many working class people and nothing has changed from the ‘folks on the hill’ or the government that is still telling us there is ‘room at the top’ or jobs and opportunities when in fact they are repeating the same mistakes from the 60’s and 70’s of setting the bad example of work that is detrimental. Modern wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may be seen as detrimental to the not only the workplace of the government but for the people it affects.
Therefore in labour relations viewing the decisions of people in power critically and asking what influence this decision will have on persons directly but also those without a voice. Will these people be hurt from detrimental work and employment related activities. There must be a consideration of ethics in day to day decision making resulting in improved circumstances for everyone. Following the established norms may risk that the same mistakes from the past are being made in the workplace and broadly within the world we live in. Lennon (1970) sums this up in the last two lines of each paragraph of his song. He sings “If you want to be a hero well just follow me. If you want to be a hero well just follow me”. The lyrics are again meant to be satirical but could mean that following is not the heroical thing in many cases
So the lyrics of the song do not present the messages in a forthright manner and are often satirical in nature. The song answers many questions about workplace relations and helps the listener to think about other broader social problems. It challenges people in the field of labour relations to consider the ethics and implications that decisions make for everyone affected. The song is set against the realities of social and political upheaval and the disappointment of changes to the class system in the 60’s and 70’s. The song portrays a contradiction between what the government is communicating and the everyday reality for working class people. The reality of the lyrics is that the working class and the conditions of work make it difficult to aspire and therefore the workplace is seen as detrimental. Being a ‘working class hero’ is often nothing to aspire to for many. This is true today for people that are involved in difficult labour relations.
Reference List
Lennon, J (1970) Working Class Hero. On John Lennon – Imagine, Working Class Hero [Vinyl] Apple. 26 September – 9 October 1970.
