Woodie Guthrie may be one of the most important people in terms of speaking on the American Experience. A folk singer, Guthrie captured the essence and pain of the United States during times of strife, from the Great Depression and Dust Bowl to World War II.

What makes Woody stick out is how he wore his soul like every day clothes. When performing his music, the words “This machine kills fascists” rested upon his acoustic guitar as he delivered powerful and electric lyrics. Perhaps his best known work, “This Land is Your Land” faced many cover versions and arrangements that apply to many cultures. 

Guthrie’s work is forever tethered to the likes of John Steinbeck and Will Rogers, all contemporaries of the Great Depression era. Their works stand the test of time regarding the ills of capitalism, poverty, and a nationalistic sense of patriotism.

Professional wrestling can be much the same. The moment a fired-up babyface screwed over many times takes to a microphone, the intense energy reverberates through them.

The granddaddy of them all has to be Dusty Rhodes’s seminal Mid-Atlantic Wrestling speech he gave on October 29, 1985. Anyone who is anyone has heard it and knows it by it’s immortal name:

Hard Times.

It is such a heavy promo that the mere mention quakes the soul.

The story is that Dusty Rhodes, freshly recovered from injury, addressed The Four Horsemen who had attacked him and caused his absence. Time away from wrestling can cause one to go stir-crazy. Someone could take your spot, and you want to do everything to stay in your earned spot. Dusty, the star and vocalist he was, delivered something that would live forever.

What starts as a typical trash-talking promo transforms into something else entirely. This wasn’t an “at [pay-per-view name], I’m going to kick you in the patootie” kind of promo. It didn’t even feel like a promo at all. It was honest, raw, gripping and haunting in its evergreen beauty.

Whenever I see Bob Caudle hold the microphone to Dusty Rhodes, I wonder what it was to be him, to be that close to professional wrestling’s Moses as it happened.

The Son of a Plumber spoke, and as he did, he did so softly. A calm before a storm.

“First of all, I would to thank the many, many fans throughout this country that wrote cards and letters to Dusty Rhodes, The American Dream, while I was down. Secondly, I want to thank Jim Crockett promotions for waitin’ and takin’ the time ‘cause I know how important it was, Starrcade ‘85 it is to the wrestling fans, it is to Jim Crockett promotions, and Dusty Rhodes The American Dream. With that wait, I got what I wanted; Ric Flair, the World’s Heavyweight Champion. I don’t have to say a whole lot more about the way I feel about Ric Flair; no respect, no honor. There is no honor amongst thieves in the first place.”

Dusty’s voice raises, emotion bubbling and boiling and ready to overflow. The pain of being screwed over hasn’t sat right with him. Being sidelined didn’t sit right with him. Anger, righteous anger, coursed through his veins.

“He put hard times on Dusty Rhodes and his family. You don’t know what hard times are, Daddy. Hard times are when the textile workers around this country are out of work, they got four or five kids and can’t pay their wages, can’t buy their food. Hard times are when the auto workers are out of work and they tell ‘em, ‘go home’. And hard times are when a man has worked at a job for thirty years, thirty years, and they give him a watch, kick him in the butt, and say ‘Hey, a computer took your place, daddy’, that’s hard times! That’s hard times! And Ric Flair you put hard times on this country by takin’ Dusty Rhodes out, that’s hard times. And we all had hard times together, and I admit, I don’t look like the athlete of today supposed to look. My belly’s just a lil’ big, my heiny’s a lil’ big, but brother, I am bad. And they know I’m bad.”

With a heart beating and hemorrhaging with the human experience, the American Dream agonized the struggles of the working class in a way that’s eerily still relevant, just to cap it off with some self-deprecating humor. Speaking with relatability and empathy towards the common folk, Dusty called upon them. He needed hope and the people needed hope. That innate desire to see someone so good earn the same good they so deserve.

The anger in Dusty’s voice then smooths over to intense passion, as he calls upon the people. His voice is still rasp with intent.

“There were two bad people… One was John Wayne and he’s dead brother, and the other’s right here. Nature Boy Ric Flair, the World’s Heavyweight title belongs to these people. I’mma reach out right now, I want you at home to know my hand is touchin’ your hand for the gathering of the biggest body of people in this country, in this universe, all over the world now, reachin’ out because the love that was given me and this time I will repay you now. Because I will be the next World’s Heavyweight Champion on this hard time blues. Dusty Rhodes tour, ‘85.”

The shudder that Rhodes elicits with his “reach out” comment is palpable. These woes of poverty string us all together in a web of togetherness, no matter how alone we feel, waiting to be plucked by the guitar pick that is Dusty’s voice calling out to us. We feel as though we can touch his hand and sense the world is a bit easier now we have others to lean on. 

Though the notion of Dusty Rhodes winning the title as though to save the people from the greed of multi-billion dollar corporations and shady billionaires is farfetched, the symbolism was not. The public simply relates to the strife and grief Dusty faced, accepting him as their own, needing to see someone succeed.

“And Ric Flair, Nature Boy,” Dusty continued this time with a softer, more intimate tone. “Let me leave you with this. One way to hurt Ric Flair, is to take what he cherishes more than anything in the world and that’s the World’s Heavyweight title. I’m gon’ take it, I been there twice. This time when I take it Daddy, I’m gon’ take it for you. Let’s gather for it. Don’t let me down now, ‘cause I came back for you, for that man upstairs that died 10-12 years ago and never got the opportunity to see a real World’s Champion. And I’m proud of you, thank god I have you, and I love you. I love you!”

The promo to end all promos.

With a personal speech delivered from the heart, the sea of people in the background are raucous, a cacophonous orchestra. Riled up, riotous and ready for Starrcade ‘85. In due time, these fans would be treated to the outcome they prayed for as Dusty won the title from Flair at the event, and once more in 1986 at the Great American Bash. The night after 1985’s Starrcade, however, the ruling was reversed, causing Dusty to have won via disqualification, with Flair remaining champion.

The hard times were not yet over.

But man, what a powerful delivery. An iconic performance that squeezes the heart until all emotion is wrung dry. When wrestlers cut a promo like Dusty did on this night, the adrenaline levels spike. The hope of the working class in the 1980s needed moments like this, we all need moments like this.

While times have changed, they are still hard. While not everyone still works at a textile factory or is given a watch on their way out, the working class still faces these struggles amid capitalistic greed. 

In 2023, an unemployment wave has been spreading throughout America, leaving many scrambling to find jobs. The rise of artificial intelligence from both a psychological and business standpoint has filled workers with fear and uncertainty; the computer could quite literally take your place. 

Many workers have gone on strike this year, just for a more livable wage; the most prominent case of the strikes related to the writers and actors, which SAG-AFTRA was able to clear just this autumn. Whilst companies can throw away money people are starving, fighting for jobs so they can pay the bills or feed their families, let alone be financially stable.

The righteousness of good, honest people who try to live their lives with some modicum of control looks unattainable on the surface, a small solace that they are never alone in this. Not when we have others like Dusty who can speak the truth into our souls like a gospel hymn delivered from on high. 

As long as eternal voices such as Woody Guthrie, John Steinbeck, Will Rogers, and yes, Dusty Rhodes have spoken, the vision will never die.

Because hard times can be made better.