{{other uses}} {{Infobox song | name = Working Man | cover = | alt = | type = | artist = [[Rush (band)|Rush]] | album = [[Rush (Rush album)|Rush]] | released = {{Start date|1974|03}} | format = | recorded = 1973 | studio = | venue = | genre = [[Hard rock]] | length = {{Plainlist| *{{Duration|m=7|s=06}} *7:10 (Remastered version) *7:15 (Vault edition)}} | label = * [[Moon Records (Canada)|Moon]] * [[Anthem Records|Anthem]]/[[Mercury Records|Mercury]] | writer = * [[Alex Lifeson]] * [[Geddy Lee]] | producer = Rush | misc = {{Audio sample | type = song | file = WorkingMan.ogg | description = "Working Man" }} }} "'''Working Man'''" is a song by Canadian rock band [[Rush (band)|Rush]]. In an interview on the ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' YouTube channel, bassist and lead vocalist [[Geddy Lee]] said that "Working Man" is his favorite song to play live.<ref>{{Citation|title=Rush Answers Your Twitter and Facebook Questions|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFze-Oj2UdA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/GFze-Oj2UdA |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=2019-09-29}}{{cbignore}}</ref> "Working Man" became a favourite among Rush fans;<ref name="rollingstone.com">{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/readers-poll-the-10-best-rush-songs-178108/red-barchetta-171754/|title=Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Rush Songs|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=4 March 2015}}</ref> the guitar solo appeared on ''[[Guitar World]]'' magazine's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos list.<ref name="Solos">[http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatesti.htm ''The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215065256/http://guitar.about.com/library/bl100greatesti.htm |date=2009-02-15 }}. [[Guitar World]] (accessed December 11, 2007).</ref>
==Release and reception== [[Donna Halper]], then a disc jockey and music director at [[WMMS]] in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]], is credited with getting Rush noticed in the United States by playing "Working Man" on the air. The song proved particularly popular in the working-class city. The response resulted in a record deal for the band, who gave her special thanks for her part in their early history and dedicated their first two albums to her.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cleveland.com/popmusic/index.ssf/2011/04/after_donna_halper_gave_workin.html|title=After Donna Halper gave 'Working Man' a spin on WMMS, Rush's career took off|last=Soeder|first=John|date=15 April 2011|work=[[The Plain Dealer]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026113514/http://www.cleveland.com/popmusic/index.ssf/2011/04/after_donna_halper_gave_workin.html|url-status=live|archivedate=26 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patriotledger.com/entertainment/x2043505192/Quincy-woman-still-promoting-Rush-34-years-after-discovering-band|title=Quincy woman still promoting Rush 34 years after discovering band|last=MacLean|first=Chuck|date=9 July 2008|work=The Patriot Ledger|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210204415/http://www.patriotledger.com/entertainment/x2043505192/Quincy-woman-still-promoting-Rush-34-years-after-discovering-band|url-status=dead|archivedate=10 February 2012}}</ref>
Two versions of the song are available as [[List of downloadable songs for the Rock Band series|downloadable tracks]] for the [[music video game]] series ''[[Rock Band (series)|Rock Band]]''. One is a [[Cover version|cover]] based on the original recording, while the other is a previously unreleased master track with an alternate guitar solo.<ref name="Rock Band Unreleased Master">[http://www.rockband.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60350 ''DLC Week of July 8th'']. Rock Band Forum (accessed July 7, 2008).</ref> The alternate version proved so popular that the band released it on the [[iTunes Store]], under the title "Working Man (Vault Edition)".
==Cultural references== The song is featured in episodes of the television series, ''[[Fargo (TV series)|Fargo]]'', ''[[ Wayne (TV series)]]'', ''[[My Name is Earl]]'', ''[[That '70s Show]]'', ''[[Supernatural (American TV series)|Supernatural]]'', and ''[[American Dad!]]'', the 2011 film ''[[Goon (film)|Goon]]'', and a 2014 [[Walmart]] television advertisement.
Major League Baseball player [[Pete Alonso]] of the [[New York Mets]] uses the song as his walk up song.
==Personnel== *[[Geddy Lee]] – bass, lead vocals *[[Alex Lifeson]] – guitar *[[John Rutsey]] – drums
==Notable covers== * Danielle Armstrong covered "Working Man" for the opening credits of ''[[Transporter: The Series]]''. This version was arranged by Jamie Forsyth.<ref name="Blog">[https://tattard2.blogspot.com/2012/12/transporter-series-m6.html ''Thierry Attard's Double Feature'']</ref> * [[American Idol (season 13)|Thirteenth season]] ''[[American Idol]]'' contestant [[Caleb Johnson (singer)|Caleb Johnson]] performed this song during the Top 12 round, and was met with moderate reviews from the judges.
==See also== *[[List of songs recorded by Rush]]
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== <!--* {{MetroLyrics song|rush|working-man}}--><!-- Licensed lyrics provider --> <!-- the above might be licensed, but it does not have the lyrics to this song --> * [http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rush/working+man_20119956.html RUSH LYRICS - Working Man]
{{Rush}} {{Authority control}} [[Category:Rush (band) songs]] [[Category:1974 songs]] [[Category:Songs about labor]] [[Category:Songs written by Geddy Lee]] [[Category:Songs written by Alex Lifeson]]