The Rolling Stones, U2 and Cliff Richard are all there in our countdown of the Top 10 Workplace Songs for Workers, but who is at No.1?

10: Working in a Coal Mine – Devo

Devo's cover of the 60's Lee Dorsey hit tells it like it is. Gritty song for modern day slaves stuck in the endless cycle of work, blob out, work, and blob out. 

"Five oclock in the mornin
I'm up before the sun
When my work day is over
Im too tired for havin fun
Lord I am so tired
How long can this go on
I been workin goin workin".

9: Brass in Pocket – The Pretenders

Originally popular as a song for revving up sales and marketing people, it has long since become the official anthem for self promoting 'brown nosers' everywhere.

"Gonna use my arms
Gonna use my legs
Gonna use my style
Gonna use my sidestep
Gonna use my fingers
Gonna use my, my, my imagination
cause I gonna make you see
Theres nobody else here
No one like me
Im special so special
I gotta have some of your attention give it to me"

8: It Wasn't Me – Shaggy

Perfect song for those times you are at the hand basin in the loo's. Someone else walks in – sniffs the air, looks at you and incorrectly puts two and two together.

"What you seen and heard, I ain't admitting to it, it wasn't me"

7: We Gotta Get Out of this Place – The Animals

Self explanatory really. We have all had at least one job where getting out fast is the only sane thing to do.

"We gotta get out of this place,
if it’s the last thing we ever do.
We just gotta get out of this place.
There's a better life, there's a better world,
there's a better way".

6: Heard it through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye

More effective than any 'official' communication channels for spreading secret, sensitive information rapidly among the workers.

"Oh I bet you're wondering how I knew
'bout your plans to make me blue…..I heard it through the grapevine".

5: Whiter Shade of Pale – Procol Harem 

For those 'Red Bull' afternoons where jaded workers go into caffeine overload and become the centre of attention. The office becomes very psychedelic - very groovy.   

"We skipped the light fandango
Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor
I was feeling kinda seasick
But the crowd called out for more
The room was humming harder
As the ceiling flew away
When we called out for another drink
And the waiter brought a tray"

4: Devil Woman – Cliff Richard

Comfort song for useless insecure male underlings who work for assertive, successful female managers. Smell the fear.  

"Shes just a devil woman
With evil on her mind
Beware the devil woman
Shes gonna get you"

3: Satisfaction – Rolling Stones

For all those workers who have had to sit through meetings where management have talked for far too long about their cunning plans for world domination.

"He's telling me more and more about some useless information.
Supposed to fire my imagination. I can't get no satisfaction"
 
2: Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For – U2

We are a nation of commuters. This song encapsulates the sheer weight of human endeavour involved in turning up at work each day, which largely goes unappreciated.

"I have climbed highest mountain
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
I have run
I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you"

1: Road to Nowhere -Talking Heads

Great song. It's fatalistic, Optimistic and sarcastic all rolled into one.

"We're on a road to nowhere
Come on inside
Takin that ride to nowhere
Well take that ride
Im feelin okay this mornin
And you know,
We're on the road to paradise
Here we go, here we go"

So there it is – the Top 10 Workplace Songs for Workers

What songs would you add to the list?

Keep an eye out soon for the Top 10 Workplace Songs for Managers