I wrote the following song-poem in the 1970s. It was about the same time Helen Reddy was singing her hit pop song “I Am Woman” if you are old enough to remember that one.
During the recent presidential campaign, Hillary Clinton seemed to change Helen’s song title to “I Am Woman, You Are Deplorable” indicating that half of the common hard working citizens of America belonged in a ‘basket of deplorable’ Americans.
In contrast the Bible says “Keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them, for such people are slaves not of our Lord Christ, but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting” (Romans 16:17-18).
Feel free to substitute the word “common” with “deplorable” in my song-poem and I’m sure the meaning of the song will better fit the way Hillary and her elite liberal supporters truly viewed the common American worker (male or female). It was Hillary’s viewpoint about the deplorable people which partially led to her stunning defeat by Donald Trump, who became viewed as a champion of the common American worker and he won the job.
And now, as of January 20, 2017 Donald Trump is the 45th President of the United States.
The intention of my song-poem is to “honor” the common hardworking men and women of America, including farm families and all the other blue collar workers across our great nation. These were the very type of people I grew up within my family and community.
Going forward it is the intention of Donald Trump to put as many “common” people as possible back to work in the USA, and to be sure, there is no shame in being common.
The Bible says, “Lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior”(1Timothy 2:2-3).
“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need” (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12).
“But if anyone will not work, neither let him eat, for some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-11).
Also, let us not forget that Jesus Christ was born in a lowly manger, raised in a human family of humble means, and worked hard as a carpenter in the family business until around the age of 30, just prior to his three year ministry. His work as a carpenter (Mark 6:3) would be considered a blue collar job today. The Bible puts it this way, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) Praise God for that!
The Life of a Common Man
Oh, it’s a hard life, but it’s a good life
The life of a common man
Yes, it’s a hard life, but it’s a good life
The life of a common man
A common man has to get up with the sun
He has to labor all day to get his work done
The sweat on his brow and the dirt on his hands
Is the price he pays; his existence demands
You won’t read his name in the front page news
He won’t make history or the book of Who’s Who
He’s just a hardworking man doing the best he can
To make a good life, cause he’s a family man
He will work and pray his whole life long
His back may grow weak, but his faith remains strong
It was men of this kind who built the USA
And it’s still the common man who keeps it going today
Oh, it’s a hard life, but it’s a good life
The life of a common man
Yes, it’s a hard life, but it’s a good life
The life of a common man.
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
Praise God for all the hardworking common men and women in America. They have truly been the backbone of our American nation ever since its founding.
If you can relate to “The Life of a Common Man” song-poem, then I thank God for you!