He has never toured the United States, where he is best known for the 1978 single "Fool (If You Think It's Over)", which reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, earning him a Grammy nomination as Best New Artist in 1978. A decade later, "Working On It" topped the Mainstream Rock chart. He has sold more than 40 million records worldwide.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Rea
Studio albums
Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? (Magnet, 1978)
Deltics (Magnet, 1979)
Tennis (Magnet, 1980)
Chris Rea (Magnet, 1981)
Water Sign (Magnet, 1983)
Wired to the Moon (Magnet, 1984)
Shamrock Diaries (Magnet, 1985)
On the Beach (Magnet, 1986)
Dancing with Strangers (Magnet, 1987)
The Road to Hell (WEA, 1989)
Auberge (EastWest, 1991)
God's Great Banana Skin (EastWest, 1992)
Espresso Logic (EastWest, 1993)
La Passione (soundtrack, EastWest, 1996)
The Blue Cafe (EastWest, 1998)
The Road to Hell: Part 2 (EastWest, 1999)
King of the Beach (EastWest, 2000)
Dancing Down the Stony Road/Stony Road (Jazzee Blue, 2002
Blue Street (Five Guitars) (Jazzee Blue, 2003)
Hofner Blue Notes (Jazzee Blue, 2003)
The Blue Jukebox (Jazzee Blue, 2004)
Blue Guitars (Jazzee Blue, 2005)
The Return of the Fabulous Hofner Bluenotes (Jazzee Blue, 2008)
Santo Spirito Blues (Jazzee Blue, 2011)
Road Songs for Lovers (Jazzee Blue, 2017)
One Fine Day (Rhino, limited release, 2019)
Working on It
Chris Rea Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Take the day and fly
But oh this job, it's got the best of me
Tell you why, tell you why
Somebody above is in a desperate state
Some kind of urgency, the kind that won't wait
I say tomorrow, he say today
Keep working
I got eight little fingers and only two thumbs
Will you leave me in peace while I get the work done
Can't you see I'm working
Oh, oh I'm working on it
Oh, oh I'm working on it
Well they're coming from above me
And they're coming from below
Yea they're in there right behind me
Everywhere that I go
And my buddy, he's screaming down the telephone line
He say gimme, gimme, gimme
I say I ain't got the time
Oh, oh can't you see I'm working on it
Oh, oh I'm working on it
Yea, yea, oh tell 'em
How I'd love it girl, just you and me
Take the day and fly
But oh, this job it's got the best of me
Tell you why
Well they're coming from above me
And they're coming from below
Yea they're in there right behind me
Everywhere that I go
My buddy, he's screaming down the telephone line
He say gimme, gimme, gimme
I say I ain't got the time
Oh, oh can't you see I'm working on it
Oh, oh I'm working on it
Oh, oh I'm working
Oh, oh can't you see I'm working on it
The lyrics of Chris Rea's "Working on It" describe the frustration that comes with dealing with responsibilities that prevent one from doing the things they truly enjoy. The singer longs for a break from work to spend some time with his love interest. However, he is held back by the demands of his job and the urgency with which he needs to deal with them. The chorus of the song emphasizes this struggle as the singer pleads with those around him to give him some space and time to focus on his work.
The reference to "somebody above" being in a "desperate state" suggests that the demands of the job are coming from higher-ups, who are putting pressure on the singer to get things done quickly. This pressure is also reflected in the lines "the man in my head, well he tell me no way" which highlights the inner voice of the singer pushing him to keep working. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the idea that the singer is really trying to get the work done but is being harassed by people all around him, and this makes it difficult to focus.
Overall, the song is a commentary on the challenges of balancing work and personal life. The lyrics describe the intense pressure people often face in the workplace, and how it can impact their relationships and personal aspirations.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh how I'd love it girl, just you and me
Take the day and fly
But oh this job, it's got the best of me
Tell you why, tell you why
I wish we could spend time together, just the two of us, but this job has taken over my life. Let me explain why.
Somebody above is in a desperate state
Some kind of urgency, the kind that won't wait
I say tomorrow, he say today
And the man in my head well he tell me no way
Keep working
Someone is pressuring me to do something urgently, and even though I want to postpone it until tomorrow, I have to do it today. My inner voice is telling me to keep working.
I got eight little fingers and only two thumbs
Will you leave me in peace while I get the work done
Can't you see I'm working
Oh, oh I'm working on it
Oh, oh I'm working on it
I have limited capacity to work, and I need some quiet time to focus. Please let me work in peace. I am actively trying to complete the task at hand.
Well they're coming from above me
And they're coming from below
Yea they're in there right behind me
Everywhere that I go
And my buddy, he's screaming down the telephone line
He say gimme, gimme, gimme
I say I ain't got the time
Oh, oh can't you see I'm working on it
Oh, oh I'm working on it
There are distractions and demands coming at me from all directions, and my friend on the phone wants something from me, but I don't have the time. Please understand that I'm trying to accomplish something here.
Yea, yea, oh tell 'em
How I'd love it girl, just you and me
Take the day and fly
But oh, this job it's got the best of me
Tell you why
Please let them know that I would love to spend time with you, but my job has me completely overwhelmed. Let me explain why.
Oh, oh can't you see I'm working on it
Oh, oh I'm working on it
Oh, oh I'm working
Oh, oh can't you see I'm working on it
I'm still actively working on the task at hand, and I need everyone to understand that and respect my need to focus.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: CHRISTOPHER ANTON REA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind