Parton began performing as a child, singing on local radio and television in East Tennessee. At age 12 she was appearing on Knoxville TV, and at 13, she was recording on a small label and appearing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. When she graduated from high school in 1964 she moved to Nashville, taking many traditional elements of folklore and popular music from East Tennessee with her.
Parton's initial success came as a songwriter, with her songs being covered by Kitty Wells, Hank Williams, Jr., Skeeter Davis, and a number of others. She signed with Monument Records in late 1965, where she was initially pitched as a bubblegum pop singer, earning only one national chart single, "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby," which did not crack the Billboard Top 100. Additional pop singles also failed to chart.
The label agreed to have Parton sing country music after her composition "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" as recorded by Bill Phillips (and with Parton, uncredited, on harmony) went to No. 6 on the country charts in 1966. Her first country single, "Dumb Blonde" (one of the few songs during this era that she recorded but didn't write), reached No. 24 country 1967, followed later the same year with "Something Fishy," which went to No. 17. The two songs anchored her first full-length album, Hello I'm Dolly, that same year.
In 1967, Parton was asked to join the weekly syndicated country music TV program hosted by Porter Wagoner, replacing Norma Jean. She also signed with RCA Records, Wagoner's label, during this period, where she would remain for the next two decades. Wagoner and Parton immediately began a hugely successful career as a vocal duet in addition to their solo work and their first single together, a cover of Tom Paxton's "The Last Thing on My Mind," reached the top ten on the U.S. country charts in late 1967, and was the first of over a dozen duet singles to chart for them during the next several years.
Parton is a hugely successful songwriter, having begun by writing country songs with strong elements of folk music in them based upon her upbringing in humble mountain surroundings. Her songs "Coat of Many Colors" and "Jolene" have become classics in the field, as have a number of others. As a composer, she is also regarded as one of country music's most gifted storytellers, with many of her narrative songs based on persons and events from her childhood.
In 1982 Dolly Parton sang her song "I Will Always Love You", for the movie "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", starring Parton and Burt Reynolds. The song - originally composed around 1974 - made few ripples, but it wasn't until Whitney Houston re-recorded it for "The Bodyguard" a decade later, that the song made yet another international hit for Dolly Parton. She later put out her own version on the 1996 album of the same name.
In 1987, Parton left her longtime label, RCA, and signed with Columbia Records, where her recording career continued to prosper, but by the mid 1990s, Parton, along with many other performers of her generation, found that her new music was not welcome on country radio playlists. She recorded a series of critically acclaimed bluegrass albums, beginning with "The Grass is Blue" (1999) and "Little Sparrow" (2001), both of which won Grammy Awards. Her 2002 album "Halos and Horns" included a bluegrass version of the Led Zeppelin classic Stairway to Heaven. In 2005, Parton released Those Were The Days, her interpretation of hits from the folk-rock era of the late 1960s through early 1970s. The CD featured such classics as John Lennon's "Imagine," Cat Stevens' "Where Do The Children Play," Tommy James' "Crimson & Clover," and the folk classic "Where Have All The Flowers Gone", as well as the title track.
In 2007, Dolly paved new musical ground by forming her own record label, Dolly Records. The label's first release - Backwoods Barbie - debuted at #2 on the Billboard country albums charts and marks Parton's first mainstream country album in 17 years. Parton is touring North America and Europe throughout 2008 in support of her latest release.
1955
Nine To Five
Dolly Parton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pour myself a cup of ambition
And yawn and stretch and try to come to life
Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumping
Out on the street the traffic starts jumping
With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5
Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living
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
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 lotta your friends
Waiting for the day your ship'll come in
And the tide's gonna turn and it's all gonna roll your way
Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living
Barely getting by, it's all taking and no giving
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 putting money in his wallet
9 to 5, whoa what a way to make a living
Barely getting by, it's all taking and no giving
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
Dolly Parton's "9 to 5" is a song that explores themes of dissatisfaction with a mundane, unfulfilling job, with the feeling that the worker is being exploited for their time and effort. The first verse highlights the daily routine of an average worker, waking up early, trying to come to life and then rushing to work, facing the grind and monotony of the daily commute, eventually beginning another repetitive day on the job. The chorus is a repetition of the idea of working 9 to 5 as a means to make a living, but feeling like the job is taking all of a worker's energy and resources without adequately compensating them.
The second verse is a reflection of how even though employees might work very hard and put in a lot of effort to achieve a promotion, it still may not be enough to convince the boss to appreciate their effort. The song presents a powerful critique of the workforce system, where people are promised upward mobility, however, that dream is often shattered as they remain just a step on the boss man's ladder, feeling stuck in the same boat as their friends. The chorus is repeated again, emphasizing the extent to which the job is sufficiently driving someone mad.
The third and final verse emphasize the greater dissatisfaction with the system, as workers begin to realize that they are caught in a cycle with no end in sight. They are working long hours, barely getting by and not getting any credit while living in the shadow of the boss's wealth. The song's hook is repeated once more, driving home the message that the job is a rich man's game, and employees all have dreams of a better life than what they're currently experiencing.
Line by Line Meaning
Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen
I wake up and groggily move towards the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
I make coffee to power up for the day ahead
And yawn and stretch and try to come to life
I stretch to shake off sleep and try to feel more alert
Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumping
I take a shower to wake up my senses and get my day started
Out on the street the traffic starts jumping
The hustle and bustle of the street comes alive
With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5
I'm working a typical 9-5 workday like many others
Working 9 to 5, what a way to make a living
Working a typical 9-5 job isn't the most fulfilling way to make a living
Barely getting by, it's all taking and no giving
It's difficult to get ahead financially with this type of job, and it feels like the work is endless without reward
They just use your mind and they never give you credit
The job requires mental effort and creativity, but the employer never recognizes or rewards it
It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it
If you allow yourself to become consumed with work, it can have a negative impact on your mental health
9 to 5, for service and devotion
The expectation is to show up and work the assigned hours with dedication
You would think that I would deserve a fat promotion
With the amount of work and effort put in, it feels deserving of a promotion
Want to move ahead but the boss won't seem to let me
Despite wanting to advance in the company, the boss is not allowing for such opportunities
I swear sometimes that man is out to get me
It feels like the boss is actively working against progress and success for personal reasons
They let you dream just to watch 'em shatter
The employer sometimes makes it seem like there is potential for growth, but then shows there isn't
You're just a step on the boss man's ladder
The employee is just another rung on the ladder to the boss man's success
But you got dreams he'll never take away
Despite the circumstances, the employee still has personal goals and aspirations
You're in the same boat with a lotta your friends
Many other people face similar struggles in the work environment
Waiting for the day your ship'll come in
Hoping for a time when things will improve or opportunity will present itself
And the tide's gonna turn and it's all gonna roll your way
Eventually, things will improve and success will come
9 to 5, yeah they got you where they want you
The job expects you to work a set schedule and is in control of your time and resources
There's a better life, and you think about it, don't you?
Despite the challenges of the job, there is still hope for a better future
It's a rich man's game no matter what they call it
The corporate world ultimately benefits the wealthy, even if it's not explicitly stated
And you spend your life putting money in his wallet
The employee sacrifices time and effort for the benefit of the employer's financial gain
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dolly Parton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@missdrgirlfriend
this is the happiest song about hell i've ever heard
@uncolaman99
I agree; it's pretty weird if you think about it.
@TailcoatGames
I disagree
@TailcoatGames
Alastor’s reprise might top this
@abbymarievlogs
DrGyalfren what do you mean it’s about h?
@godesofdnyte
😭😭😭😭😭😭 this is awesome
@skyy9763
she’s the best nail player i’ve ever seen
@ellebelle6439
I don't hear it tho lol
@DarkMatterX1
@@ellebelle6439
Seriously? The tapping sounds you hear from 0:05 and onward throught the song? That's her fingernails tapping.
@lanaandthediamonds3651
She is the only nail player I heard