We’ve pondered ultimate Canadian classics of late, a conversation that has proved timely with the news that Randy Bachman has recently reclaimed a rare, beloved guitar that was swiped from his hotel room 45 years ago – the very instrument on which he wrote “Takin’ Care of Business” and other timeless Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Guess Who hits.
I won’t recount the story – you can read it in full HERE
– but suffice to say it’s an amazing story of love and loss and international intrigue.
I will, however, recount seeing Bachman perform at the Invictus Games in Toronto a few years back (2017 to be precise), an event that included other (higher recent profile) A-plus-plus performers in both Bryan Adams and Bruce Springsteen, yet it was Bachman slotted in on stage for the finale, belting out a medley of BTO hits culminating in “TCOB.” The anthem was voiced word for word as one in spine-tingling fashion by the 15,000 people in attendance – an honest, unforeseen accounting of one this country’s greatest songs.
My only regret (in hindsight): I wish I could have heard it on the original guitar. In the meantime, a little vintage BTO from 1975. (PS, I want those pants).
Lyrics
You get up every morning
From your ‘larm clock’s warning
Take the 8:15 into the city
There’s a whistle up above
And people pushin’, people shovin’
And the girls who try to look pretty
And if your train’s on time
You can get to work by nine
And start your slaving job to get your pay
If you ever get annoyed
Look at me I’m self-employed
I love to work at nothing all day
And I’ll be
Taking care of business (every day)
Taking care of business (every way)
I’ve been taking care of business (it’s all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime
Work out
If it were easy as fishin’
You could be a musician
If you could make sounds loud or mellow
Get a second-hand guitar
Chances are you’ll go far
If you get in with the right bunch of fellows
People see you having fun
Just a-lying in the sun
Tell them that you like it this way
It’s the work that we avoid
And we’re all self-employed
We love to work at nothing all day
And we be
Taking care of business (every day)
Taking care of business (every way)
We be been taking care of business (it’s all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime
Take good care of my business
When I’m away, every day
Whoooo
You get up every morning
From your ‘larm clock’s warning
Take the 8:15 into the city
There’s a whistle up above
And people pushin’, people shovin’
And the girls who try to look pretty
And if your train’s on time
You can get to work by nine
And start your slaving job to get your pay
If you ever get annoyed
Look at me I’m self-employed
I love to work at nothing all day
And I’ll be
Taking care of business (every day)
Taking care of business (every way)
I’ve been taking care of business (it’s all mine)
Taking care of business and working overtime