In 1990, she was the bestselling country artist in Canada, outselling even Garth Brooks and Clint Black. She is also the only female singer ever to have three separate albums chart in the same year in Australia.
A native of Big Pond, Cape Breton County, MacNeil first performed on stage in 1971, and recorded her first album, Born a Woman, in 1975. She performed at folk festivals throughout the 1970s and 1980s, culminating in her major label debut and pop breakthrough in 1987.
MacNeil hosted a CBC Television variety show, Rita and Friends, from 1994 to 1997. The show won a Gemini Award in 1996. She also runs a tea room in her hometown of Big Pond, which has become one of Cape Breton Island's most popular tourist attractions.
She was made a Member of the Order of Canada in 1992 and was awarded the Order of Nova Scotia in 2005.
MacNeil wrote her memoirs On A Personal Note with Anne Simpson in 1998, which was published by Key Porter Books.
Flying On Her Own, a play based on MacNeil's life and featuring many of her songs, premiered at Live Bait Theatre in Sackville, NB in 2000. Written by Canadian playwright Charlie Rhindress, it was subsequently produced by Neptune Theatre in Halifax, NS in 2002 and published by Playwrights Canada Press in 2008.
WORKING MAN
Rita MacNeil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun
Or for any length of time
I can hold it in my mind
I never again will go down under ground
At the age of sixteen years
Who vowed they'd never see another one
In the dark recess of the mines
Where you age before your time
And the coal dust lies heavy on your lungs
It's a working man l am
And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun
Or for any length of time
I can hold it in my mind
I never again will go down under ground
At the age of sixty four
Oh, he'll greet you at the door
And he'll gently lead you by the arm
Through the dark recess of the mines
Oh, he'll take you back in time
And he'll tell you of the hardships that were had
It's a working man l am
And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun
Or for any length of time
I can hold it in my mind
I never again will go down under ground
It's a working man l am
And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun
Or for any length of time
I can hold it in my mind
I never again will go down under ground
It's a working man l am
And I've been down under ground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun
Or for any length of time
I can hold it in my mind
I never again will go down under ground
God, I never again will go down under ground
Rita MacNeil's song "Working Man" is a poignant tribute to the men who work in coal mines. The song is a story of a miner who has spent most of his life toiling underground. The miner is filled with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness that comes from working underground. He struggles with the idea of never seeing daylight if he continues down this path. The song speaks to the idea of a working man's struggle, his accomplishments as well as his regrets.
The first verse of the song introduces the singer of the song who is a working man. He has spent his life working underground and has come to dread the life he lives. He swears that he will never again go underground after seeing the sun for the first time. This moment marks a shift in his life.
The second and third verses take a closer look at a miner's life. The singer describes the hardships and struggles that miners must face as they work in the mines. At age sixteen, he quarrels with his peers who vow to never work in the mines again. But the miner knows that there may be no other choice for him. By sixty-four, the miner is faced with health problems from his years of working underground.
Overall, Rita MacNeil's "Working Man" speaks to the struggles of working-class individuals, particularly those who work in the coal mines. It is a tribute to the men who work tirelessly to support their families and their communities.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a working man l am
I am a person who works hard for a living
And I've been down under ground
I have worked in the mines underground
And I swear to God if l ever see the sun
I promise that if I ever get to see the light of day
Or for any length of time
Even for a short while
I can hold it in my mind
I will remember it forever
I never again will go down under ground
I won't work in the mines again
At the age of sixteen years
When he was just sixteen years old
Oh, he quarrels with his peers
He argued with his friends
Who vowed they'd never see another one
Who promised that they would never work in the mines again
In the dark recess of the mines
In the deep, dark part of the mines
Where you age before your time
Where the work makes you grow old before your time
And the coal dust lies heavy on your lungs
And the coal dust makes it hard to breathe
At the age of sixty four
When he is sixty four years old
Oh, he'll greet you at the door
He will welcome you at his door
And he'll gently lead you by the arm
He will take your arm and guide you
Through the dark recess of the mines
Through the deep, dark part of the mines
Oh, he'll take you back in time
He will tell you about the past
And he'll tell you of the hardships that were had
And he will talk about the difficult times they went through
God, I never again will go down under ground
I swear to God I will never work in the mines again
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RITA MACNEIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Deenie
on Black Rock
My father had a tape player in his old Honda. I always requested "Black Rock" when I was dealing with depression sadly. He was so kind, that all he would say was..."Now how did I know you'd pick that song?" He spoke softly and smiled.