Women Around the World at Work

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a stark picture of women's labor, contrasting the overt violence of war with the often-unseen, foundational work women perform. It immediately sets up a dichotomy: men prove their worth through conflict, while women sustain life by growing food, a task that paradoxically puts soldiers in a "dangerous mood." This highlights how essential, yet often overlooked, female contributions are, even when they indirectly fuel male aggression. The song then shifts to a different kind of labor, focusing on a manager who "must be sixty-five" and controls others' lives. The narrator observes that these controlled individuals are "so busy they don't give a damn," suggesting a dehumanizing effect of certain work environments. This contrasts with the earlier image of women growing food, implying that while both are forms of work, the nature and impact on the worker can be vastly different. The most jarring element appears with the reference to a "May '81" newspaper clipping detailing "girls of twelve still sold for love today." This brings in the horrific reality of exploitation and commodification, directly linking it to male desire: "Just so men can have their bloody way." The repetition of "Women around the world at work" takes on a heavier, more tragic resonance here, encompassing not just sustenance and management, but also the grim reality of forced labor and sexual trafficking. What makes these lyrics hit so hard is their unflinching presentation of varied forms of women's work, from the vital to the exploitative, all framed by male-dominated spheres of war and control. The seemingly simple refrain "Working, working" becomes a powerful, almost weary acknowledgment of this constant, often unacknowledged, female effort across vastly different contexts, culminating in a devastating indictment of how male power can manifest.