"Working in the Coal Mine" is a song with music and lyrics by Allen Toussaint. The song was a hit for Lee Dorsey, released in 1966, and peaking at #8 on the Billboard charts. In 1981 Devo covered the song as a bonus track on their album "New Traditionalists;" this version has since been included in the soundtracks of several films and TV shows. The song was covered by the gulag's "Prison King" (Jemaine Clement) in Muppets Most Wanted.