MILLWORKER^©

Live 06 Feb 2006 version

My grandfather was a sailor, he blew in off the water
My father was a farmer, and I his only daughter
I took up with a no-good millworking man from Massachusetts
Who dies from too much whiskey, and leaves me these three faces to feed

Now millwork it ain't easy, millwork it ain't hard
Millwork it ain't nothin', but a boring ??? job
I'm waitin on my daydream to take me through the mornin'
And put me in my coffe break where I can eat my sandwich, and remember

That it's me and my machine for the rest of the morning
And the rest of the afternoon, and the rest of my life

Now my mind begins to wander to the days back on the farm
I can see my daddy smiling, I can feel myself swinging on his arm
I hear my grandpop's stories of the storms out on Lake Erie
Where vessels and cargos and fortunes and the lives of young sailors were lost

Yeah but it's me, it's my life's been wasted, and I have been the fool
To let this manifacturer use my body for a tool
I'll ride home in the evening staring at my hands
Swearing to my sorrow that a young girl ought to stand a better chance

So I may work your mills just as long as I am able
Oh I'll never meet the man whose name is on the label

Still it's me and my machine for the rest of the morning
For the rest of the afternoon, and on and on, for the rest of my life

Originally written by James Taylor for the Broadway musical Working. He released his own version on his Flag album in 1979, the same year that he and Bruce would play the MUSE/No Nukes concerts together.

Bruce Springsteen performed this song on 06 Feb 2006 at the LA Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA, during the annual MusiCares Benefit honoring James Taylor, their Person Of The Year. Springsteen took the stage around 10:45, speaking of JT (a Chapel Hill, NC native) as "an authentic Southern voice" before going into MILLWORKER on acoustic guitar and harmonica.

"Bruce's version of 'Millworker' was a completely new and different take," James Taylor said, "much more intense, pointing out the aspect that had to do with workers' conditions."

The MusiCares Benefit concert was released on DVD on 03 Oct 2006, the same day Bruce's We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions - American Land Edition was released. Bruce's rendition of MILLWORKER is exclusive to the DVD, titled James Taylor - A Musicares Person Of The Year Tribute.

The above lyrics refer to Bruce Springsteen's live 06 Feb 2006 performance at the LA Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA. Check out James Taylor's original version.

Thanks Timmy Petersson (Terry at Greasy Lake) for the lyrics and the spoken intro.

Spoken intro on 06 Feb 2006 at the LA Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA:

Thank you! Thanks, I uh... I guess I'm not going to be announced because I think I'm supposed to be a surprise or something, you know. But, I personally, I personally am surprised, I thought this was gonna be a very small dinner and I was the only one playing. So I tend to be a bit on the reclusive side so it's. But uh... tonight is kinda filled with resonance, I'm glad to be here with James and uh... Also the first gig I ever had after I made an album was opening in Pennsylvania for Cheech And Chong*. Alright, this is Millworker.

* This might be a reference to the 28 Oct 1972 show at West Chester College, West Chester, PA, when Bruce Springsteen was a third act for a show headlined by the comedy duo Cheech And Chong.