Honest Work

[Todd Rundgren]

Honest Work is a song by Todd Rundgren that he sang on his 1985 album A Cappella.

Maddy Prior sang Honest Work on her 1997 album Flesh and Blood. She commented in her sleeve noted:

I am not often moved to sing other writer’s songs—especially If I don’t know them personally. I find that what I like is much in their performance as in the song. Here I make an exception, and have stayed close to the original, because Todd Rundgren’s song of unemployment is such an unusual and touching piece, so devoid of preaching and easy answers, and yet deeply poignant.

Hannah James of Lady Maisery learnt Honest Work from Maddy Prior’s singing. They recorded it in 2016 for their album Cycle and they noted:

We loved this song as soon as we heard the wonderful Maddy Prior singing it. To us, it is a heartfelt lament for the collapse of old industry, the lives thrown onto the scrapheap when their work is done and the new challenges faced by workers in the post-industrial area.

This video shows Lady Maisery at the Acoustic Sessions at Stanley Halls on 27 March 2018:

Lyrics

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