Although Uncle Tupelo broke up before it achieved commercial success, the band is renowned for its impact on the alternative country music scene. The group's first album, No Depression, became a byword for the genre and was widely influential. Uncle Tupelo's sound was unlike popular country music of the time, drawing inspiration from styles as diverse as the hardcore punk of The Minutemen and the country instrumentation and harmony of the Carter Family and Hank Williams. Farrar and Tweedy lyrics frequently referenced Middle America and the working class of Belleville.
Shaky Ground
Uncle Tupelo Lyrics
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Who dragged himself to work
And worked himself to deathworking for someone else
We follow each other around on shaky ground
His life had become to him
Worthless in many ways
An expired product off the shelf
We follow each other around on shaky ground
The nature of his work
Gave him a minstrel color
Twenty hours a day
Little time he had for others
We follow each other around on shaky ground
Never got to see the world
He got a funeral and this miner's song
There is no right or wrong
Now it's down to the wire
Facing six feet under
Can only wonder and stare
His name was a number
The lyrics of Uncle Tupelo's song Shaky Ground are focused on the lives of working-class miners, who are forced to work tirelessly day and night, often risking their own lives to provide for themselves and their families. The verse "In memory of a miner, who dragged himself to work and worked himself to death working for someone else" creates an image of a miner, who has become a victim of the monotonous and grueling routine of his job. The chorus "We follow each other around on shaky ground" alludes to the unstable nature of their lives, which revolves around a never-ending cycle of work just to survive.
The chorus of the song implies that the miners are leading a life that is marked by a sense of hopelessness, as they continue to work tirelessly day after day, with no end in sight. The line "His life had become to him worthless in many ways, an expired product off the shelf" shows that the miners' lives have lost all purpose, and they have become mere commodities in the system that they are forced to work in. The line "Never got to see the world, he got a funeral and this miner's song" highlights the fact that being a miner was the only life that these people knew, and they never got to experience anything beyond their work. The song ends with "His name was a number," which is a powerful statement that suggests that the miners are mere cogs in the wheel of an exploitative system, where they are reduced to numbers rather than people.
Line by Line Meaning
In memory of a miner
This song is a tribute to a miner who has passed away.
Who dragged himself to work
The miner likely had a difficult life and had to force himself to go to work each day.
And worked himself to death working for someone else
The miner likely worked tirelessly for his employer until it ultimately led to his death.
We follow each other around on shaky ground
As humans, we all live our lives in uncertainty and instability, never knowing what tomorrow may bring.
His life had become to him, worthless in many ways
The miner may have grown disillusioned with his life and job, feeling like he had nothing to show for his hard work.
An expired product off the shelf
Perhaps the miner felt like he was no longer useful or valuable to society, much like an expired product that has lost its worth.
Working for someone else
The miner may have felt like he had no control over his life, having to work for an employer who didn't truly care about his wellbeing.
The nature of his work gave him a minstrel color
The miner likely had dark skin from being constantly exposed to coal dust and other hazardous substances in the mines.
Twenty hours a day, little time he had for others
The miner likely worked long hours and had little time to spend with his loved ones.
Never got to see the world
The miner may have been too busy working to ever have the chance to explore the world and see new things.
He got a funeral and this miner's song
Even though the miner may not have had much in his life, he was still remembered and honored with a funeral and this song dedicated to him.
There is no right or wrong
This line may be referring to the idea that life is uncertain and unpredictable, and there are no clear-cut answers or solutions to the challenges we face.
Now it's down to the wire, facing six feet under
The miner has passed away and is now facing burial, a somber reminder of the finality of life.
Can only wonder and stare, his name was a number
The miner's life may have been so insignificant to his employer that he was known only by a number, and now all that's left is for people to wonder and stare at his grave.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAY STUART FARRAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind