For their Labor Day livestream, The Kennedys performed songs about working people. While there were many strong covers, they nailed "Wichita Lineman," best known to most listeners in its Glen Campbell incarnation. Maura Kennedy sang convincingly about the mind-wandering impulses many workers have when doing the same type of work repeatedly, and her husband, Pete, played the telegraph sound perfectly on guitar.
Honorable mention: Another highlight was the duo's take on "Five O'Clock World" by The Vogues. Once again, Maura's vocals captured the relief people often feel when they leave work for the day, and she mastered the yodeling portion of the chorus.
While it's understandable that people are expected to work and contribute to society, those songs state their cases for downtime convincingly. That's the essence of Labor Day--striking a reasonable balance between work and free time. Here's hoping everyone gets to enjoy that balance today.
