9 to 5 Lyrics

[Verse 1]
Tumble out of bed and I stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
And yawn and stretch and try to come to life
Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin'
Out on the street, the traffic starts jumpin'
With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5

[Chorus]
Workin' 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin'
Barely gettin' by, it's all takin' and no givin'
They just use your mind and they never give you credit
It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it
9 to 5, for service and devotion
You would think that I would deserve a fair promotion
Want to move ahead but the boss won't seem to let me
I swear sometimes that man is out to get me
Mmmm

[Verse 2]
They let you dream just to watch 'em shatter
You're just a step on the bossman's ladder
But you've got dreams he'll never take away
In the same boat with a lot of your friends
Waitin' for the day your ship'll come in
And the tide's gonna turn an' it's all gonna roll your way
[Chorus]
Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin'
Barely gettin' by, it's all takin' and no givin'
They just use your mind and you never get the credit
It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it
9 to 5, yeah, they got you where they want you
There's a better life and you think about it don't you
It's a rich man's game no matter what they call it
And you spend your life puttin' money in his wallet
9 to 5, what a way to make a livin'
Barely gettin' by, it's all takin' and no givin'
They just use your mind and they never give you credit
It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it
9 to 5, yeah, they got you where they want you
There's a better life and you think about it don't you
It's a rich man's game no matter what they call it
And you spend your life puttin' money in his wallet

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About

Genius Annotation

“9 to 5” was the theme song to the 1980 film Nine to Five, a story of gender inequality in the workplace. Parton starred in this film along with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.

This song not only reached number one on the country charts, but also, in February 1981, reached number one on the pop and the adult-contemporary charts, giving her a triple-number-one hit. Parton became one of the few female country singers to have a number-one single on the country and pop charts simultaneously.

It also was a top 10 hit in Austria, Sweden, Belgium and New Zealand, and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, won two Grammys, and remains a workers' anthem. The basic rhythm pattern for the song was inspired by the sound that Parton’s fingernails make when rubbed together. In fact, they were recorded and featured in the song.

Sidenote: The Disney version of the performance gave some a very deluded and fanciful notion of the workplace, who only wish Minnie and Daisy had pink desks next to theirs. There are not nearly enough adorable musical numbers in my office!

Q&A

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning

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