Blackberry Smoke is an American southern rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. T… Read Full Bio ↴Blackberry Smoke is an American southern rock band from Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Charlie Starr (Lead Vocals, Guitar), Richard Turner (Bass, Vocals), Brit Turner (Drums), Paul Jackson (Guitar, Vocals), and Brandon Still (Keyboards).

They have performed throughout the United States as both headliner and as the supporting act for artists such as Zac Brown Band, Eric Church, ZZ Top & Lynyrd Skynyrd. On August 26, 2012, they performed at a charity benefit called the Boot Ride with the cast of Sons of Anarchy, partnered with The Boot Campaign at the Happy Ending Bar and Grill in Hollywood, California. They performed 20+ dates with Zac Brown Band nationwide in the summer of 2011. Their album Little Piece of Dixie has been featured by Paste magazine and other publications.

The band was formerly signed to Zac Brown's record label Southern Ground. On November 5, 2014, the band announced that it had left Southern Ground and signed with Rounder Records.

Workin' for a Workin' Man
Blackberry Smoke Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Stand in line to get your brand new blues
How you gonna win when we were born to lose
The last man I saw standing
He could barely stand at all
I might ease out into the ether
Before anybody knows I'm gone

This bait and switch it's a son of a bitch

It ain't workin' for a workin' man
I got to shuck and jive just to even survive
It ain't workin' for a workin' man

Here we go again it's the same damn thing
Everything they give is on the end of a string
I want the biggest side of the wishbone
All I got is already gone
I need a little good with the bad now brother
You can't get no blood from a stone

This bait and switch it's a son of a bitch
It ain't workin' for a workin' man
I got to shuck and jive just to even survive
It ain't workin' for a workin' man

Feeling shot at and missed

Or maybe shit at and hit
It ain't workin' for a workin' man

Overall Meaning

The song "Workin' for a Workin' Man" by Blackberry Smoke highlights the struggles and frustrations of the working class. The lyrics emphasize the never-ending cycle of hard work and poverty, where people stand in long lines just to get their hands on the blues. The line "How you gonna win when we were born to lose" suggests that society's system is rigged against the average worker, making it nearly impossible to get ahead. The image of the last man barely standing shows the exhaustion and hardship that comes with being a working-class citizen.

The singer expresses the feeling of being trapped by the bait and switch system that keeps them struggling to make ends meet. They have to shuck and jive just to survive, meaning they must continually adjust and adapt to changes beyond their control. The line "All I got is already gone" suggests that no matter how hard one works, it's never enough, and the system keeps taking more. Finally, the line "You can't get no blood from a stone" represents the struggle of trying to get something from a situation where there is none, and the hopelessness that comes with it.

Overall, "Workin' for a Workin' Man" is a powerful song that reflects the experiences of many working-class people who feel like they are going nowhere despite their hard work. The lyrics paint a bleak picture of a society where the promise of the American Dream is just out of reach for many. The song's raw emotion and hard-hitting lyrics make it a relatable and important anthem for anyone who has ever felt stuck in a dead-end job with little hope for the future.

Line by Line Meaning

Stand in line to get your brand new blues
Waiting in a long line to get something that will just bring more hardship and sadness.

How you gonna win when we were born to lose
Feeling like it is impossible to succeed when life is set up for failure.

The last man I saw standing
Referring to someone who has been beaten down to the point of collapse.

He could barely stand at all
Physical and emotional exhaustion making it difficult to keep going.

I might ease out into the ether
Considering giving up and disappearing into oblivion.

Before anybody knows I'm gone
Wanting to escape without anyone noticing.

This bait and switch it's a son of a bitch
Referring to the deceptive practice of offering something and then taking it away or giving something completely different.

It ain't workin' for a workin' man
This approach to life is not effective or sustainable for someone who has to work hard to get by.

I got to shuck and jive just to even survive
Having to constantly adapt and hustle in order to make ends meet.

Here we go again it's the same damn thing
Feeling stuck in a cycle of struggle with no real progress being made.

Everything they give is on the end of a string
Feeling like any help or support given is not genuine and always comes with strings attached.

I want the biggest side of the wishbone
Desiring the best and biggest slice of the pie, but not having the means to obtain it.

All I got is already gone
Feeling like everything that has been earned or gained has already been taken away or used up.

I need a little good with the bad now brother
Desiring some positivity and support in the midst of a difficult situation.

You can't get no blood from a stone
It is impossible to extract something (like money or resources) from a person or situation that has nothing left to give.

Feeling shot at and missed
Experiencing a sense of relief or luck that a difficult situation did not turn out worse.

Or maybe shit at and hit
Feeling like everything that can go wrong is going wrong, and the situation is only getting worse.

It ain't workin' for a workin' man
Continuing to express frustration and dissatisfaction with a system that does not support hardworking individuals.

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Charlie Starr

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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