About The Song
At the end of 1980, Dolly Parton became an actress, starring in the movie “9 to 5.” She portrayed the character named Doralee Rhodes, a secretary of a lecherous boss. Parton’s co-workers and co-actress were Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. Jane was the one who hand-picked Dolly to be in the movie.
Incidentally, Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton happened to share a trip to New York. It was the first time they’ve met and had a conversation for a while. During their conversation Jane Fonda said to herself, “That’s her – that’s Doralee!” Evidently, Dolly made a big impression on Jane, so much that Jane felt she sounded like the missing fit for the Cinderella shoe. Thereafter, Jane Fonda went to see one of Dolly Parton’s concerts, she was knocked over by her charm, warmth, and charisma. So, Dolly Parton was hired for the movie “9 to 5” as “Doralee.” Buoyed by the snappy song title, Dolly wrote a song to overcome boredom on the set.
A lot of actors will say that the hardest things about making movies are the long waits between shots. Not only that, it was the hours of sitting in make-up and costumes. Those things were driving Dolly Parton crazy because it was the first time in her life that she was forced to sit around and just do nothing. So, she decided to make the dead time profitable by writing songs. Her song, “9 to 5,” was based on her role in the film. The song was a product of these writing sessions and the producers immediately snapped it up for the movie’s theme song.
The movie premiered at Opryland’s Roy Acuff in Nashville on December 5, 1980. After two weeks, it was opened at more than 700 theaters around the country. Dolly Parton’s song reached the summit of Billboard’s country singles chart with ease. The song also earned chart-topping status on the Billboard Hot 100 pop listings which made Dolly Parton the first female country artist since Jeannie C. Riley to score a no. 1 pop single. Dolly Parton received a Grammy Award for “9 to 5.” The song also became her second million-selling single.
Parton claimed a Grammy award for “9 to 5,” which also became her second million-selling single. Her sister, Rachel Dennison, took the role of “Doralee” when the movie became a TV series in 1982.
Video
Lyrics
Tumble out of bed
And 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 streets, the traffic starts jumpin’
For 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 fat promotion
Want to move ahead
But the boss won’t seem to let me
I swear sometimes that man is
Out to get me, hmmm
They let you dream
Just a watch ’em shatter
You’re just a step on the boss man’s ladder
But you 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
And it’s all gonna roll you away
Workin’ 9 to 5
What a way to make 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 were 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
Putting money in his wallet
9 to 5
Oh, 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
Putting money in his wallet
9 to 5