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Everything you need to know about Dolly Parton’s legendary 1980 song, ‘9 to 5’.
- Song 9 to 5
- Lyrics“Tumble outta bed
And I stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
And yawn and stretch
And try to come to life
-... - Artist(s)
- Album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs
- Released October 15, 1973
- Label RCA
- Songwriter(s)
- Producer(s) Gregg Perry
- Chart Performance No. 1 on Billboard Hot Country Songs (1981), No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 (1981)
The Background
One of Dolly Parton's many legendary songs, ‘9 to 5’ served as the theme-song for the 1980 comedy-film of the same name, starring Jana Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Parton.
It went on to become one of the most recognisable anthems in country music history, with ‘9 to 5’ enjoying a second wind of popularity in August 2026 after Parton's passing.
The song earned Parton an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, as well as two GRAMMY wins for Best Country Song and Best Female Country Vocal Performance. ‘9 to 5’ was also nominated for the GRAMMY for Song of the Year.
It would go on to inspire Parton's musical, ‘9 to 5’, which opened in 2008 and is still running at the time of writing, with numerous artists also covering the iconic hit over the years.
The Sound
‘9 to 5’ is a honky-tonkin’, old school country earworm, with Parton's charismatic vocals combining with the wonderfully twangy, uptempo instrumental to give this a playful feel, despite its pertinent message. Parton famously made the typewriter sound you hear in the background by clacking her nails together.
The Meaning
‘9 to 5’ carries a light-hearted tone, but Parton conveys a much more serious message beneath the levity and celebratory tone. The song captures the core theme of the accompanying film, which addressed issues such as workplace sexism and unequal pay.
Parton cleverly packages these ideas up into colourful, relatable vignettes about stumbling to the kitchen to have your morning coffee and crawling to work in heavy traffic. But make no mistake, ‘9 to 5’ was a vital battle-cry at a time when women's day-to-day workplace standards were well below those of their male counterparts.
Having said that, what's helped ‘9 to 5’ blossom into the global anthem that it is today is the fact that it holds a universally relatable message, one that applies to both men and women. At its heart is the notion that we're all on an interminable career ladder, under the illusion that we'll eventually reach some kind of ‘finishing-point’.
But this is still a Dolly Parton song, so of course, she managed to lace a silver lining into the bleak picture, sharing that, one day, you will receive the credit you deserve for toiling away (“You're in the same boat / With a lot of your friends / Waitin' for the day your ship'll come in / 'N' the tide's gonna turn / And it's all gonna roll your way”).
For the full lyrics to Dolly Parton's ‘9 to 5’, see below:
“Tumble outta 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'
The folks like me on the job from 9 to 5
-
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
-
They let you dream
Just to watch 'em shatter
You're just a step
On the boss-man's ladder
But you got dreams
He'll never take away
-
You're in the same boat
With a lot of your friends
Waitin' for the day your ship'll come in
'N' the tide's gonna turn
And it's all gonna roll your way
-
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 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, whoa
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 dream 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
-
Working 9 to 5”
