“Monkey on a Wire” by Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson – An alt-country post-industrial updating of “Sixteen Tons”

A great song and interesting video with animation that on the surface seems to speak of the “workaday” life of many of us in the modern world. The Kinks sang “All life we work but work is a bore, if life’s for livin’ what’s livin’ for?” This song portrays that “work” as something of much greater potential for disillusionment and dehumanization than mere boredom presents.

Bob Dylan’s “Land of permanent bliss” – The irony of human desire and false utopias

There’s only one step down from here, baby
It’s called the land of permanent bliss
What’s a sweetheart like you doin’ in a dump like this?

The ironies of life – “Strong Hand of Love” – by Mark Heard via Bruce Cockburn

Here is one of the most simple and beautiful songs about life I have ever heard, written by the late Mark Heard and sung here by Bruce Cockburn on a tribute project to Mark following his passing. The overall theme of the song seems to be about the ironies of life.