Kill Floor

by: Nicole Upchurch & The Awful Purdies

"Kill Floor came at the request of Sean Lewis, the playwright of All Recipes are Home. Early in the writing process, Sean knew he would incorporate meat packing plants into the play and hoped Awful Purdies could write a song to support that. I saw this as a challenge since, personally, I have never felt compelled to write about this subject. One evening at George’s bar, Reagan Yoder explained to me the difference between a bull and a steer, a boar and a barrow. The next night at Purdies practice, the song came together easily between us all."

~ Nicole Upchurch

Gristle and bone, hoof and horn
Hanging weight leaving me torn
Home

Discarded back strap
Got to save, got to send my dollars back
Home

No bull, no boar on the kill floor

Singing a work day song
To help move the day along
I hope it won’t be long
Till I go home

Blood of the beast
Feeding the feast
Shoeing the feet
of my family back home

No bull, no boar on the kill floor