Song: Bus Rider

Artist: The Guess Who

This song is basically about how people care too much about money, don't spent enough time with their families, and get caught up in their work too much.

"Leave the house at six o'clock to be on time
Leave the wife and kids at home to make a dime
Grab your lunch pail check for mail in your slot
You won't get your cheque if you don't punch the clock
Bus Rider"

This song is convincing because it is catchy and it uses some slang terms that would be popular with the kiddies.

Song Meaning

This song isn't about any specific event person or place. It just talks about how businessmen and women get too caught up in their work and lose sight of what really matters. It dates back to 1993.

"Get up in the mornin' get on the bus
Get up in the mornin' like the rest of us
Places to go, important people to meet
Better not get up or you might lose your seat
Bus Rider"

It basically tells of a normal businessman's morning, about leaving his family at home for his work day, to make even more money he doesn't need. "Better not get up or you might lose your seat" could be a metaphor for not leaving his job open for any other takers, and not to let up on his assertive actions at work or someone could take his place.

Grab the evenin' paper and sit down in your chair
Grab yourself a taupe, cause you're losing' your hair
Doesn't matter what you do you've nothin' to lose
I'm so awful goddamn glad I'm not in your shoes
Bus Rider

In this verse, "Bus Rider" is at home, but perhaps the Guess Who is trying to say that he isn't having quality family time because he just wants to read his paper. The taupe mentioned might mean that Bus Rider is vain, and maybe in the middle of a midlife crisis. The songwriter is obviously pleased with his lifestyle very much, and couldn't picture being happy in any other area of work, so he is probably just putting down another job because he knows that he himself wouldn't be content with it.

Conclusion

I can see where he's coming from on this. A businessman/woman's lifestyle seems very money-centered, and it seems that a lot of manipulation between people goes on. It's a very dog-eat-dog and assertive type of job, but as long as those jobs are open, people must fill them. It may be a displeasing industry to some people, but those in it seem happy enough, so why write a protest song about a certain type of job?