Group nembers:
Jack Ashford, Kenji Brown, Kenny Copeland, Walter Downing, Freddie Dunn, Henry Garner, Lequeint Jobe, Michael Nash, Rose Norwalt, Terral "Terry" Santiel, Wah Wah Watson, and Michael Moore
Carwash
Rose Royce Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You might not ever get rich
But let me tell ya it's better than diggin' a ditch
There ain't no tellin' who you might meet
A movie star or maybe even an Indian chief
(Workin')
At the car wash
Come on and sing it with me
(Car wash)
Sing it with the feelin' y'all
(Car wash, yeah)
Ooh!
Come summer the work gets kinda hot
This ain't no place to be if you planned on bein' a star
Let me tell you it's always cool
And the boss don't mind sometimes if you act a fool
At the car wash
Whoa whoa whoa whoa
Talkin' about the car wash, yeah
Come on, ya'all and sing it for me
(Car wash)
Wooh oooh oooh
(Car wash, yeah)
(Work and work)
Well, those cars never seem to stop coming
(Work and work)
Keep those rags and machines humming
(Work and work)
My fingers to the bone
(Work)
I can't wait till it's time to go home
(Hey, get your car washed today)
Fill up and you don't have to pay
Come on and give us a play
(Do the wash, right away)
(The car wash)
Talkin' 'bout the car wash
Car wash, yeah
Come on, y'all, let's sing it with me
(Car wash)
Sing it with feelin', y'all
(Car wash, yeah)
Whoa whoa whoa whoa
(Car wash)
Those cars never seem to stop comin'
What'd I say
Keep those rags and machines hummin'
(Car wash)
Let me tell you, it's always cool
And the boss don't mind sometimes if you act a fool
At the car wash
Workin' at the car wash yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Car wash
Talkin' about the car wash
Car wash
Car wash yeah
Car wash
Car wash yeah
Car wash
Car wash yeah
Car wash
Car wash yeah
"Car Wash" is a classic fun, upbeat song that serves as a tribute to the hard-working individuals who have to toil in menial jobs to make ends meet. Through the lyrics, Rose Royce reminds us that there is dignity in all forms of work and often it is better to have a job, no matter how low paying, than not having one at all. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the theme, “Ooh ooh/You might not ever get rich/But let me tell ya, it's better than diggin' a ditch." The next line, “There ain't no tellin' who you might meet/A movie star or maybe even an Indian chief” acknowledges that there is always the possibility of meeting someone of note. The song describes a day in the life of a car wash attendant - the ups and downs, the monotony, and the occasional craziness that comes with being in the position. Nevertheless, the workers manage to keep their spirits high and have a good time. They sing, “Come summer the work gets kinda hot/This ain't no place to be if you planned on bein' a star/Let me tell you it's always cool/And the boss don't mind sometimes if you act a fool."
The chorus is the running theme of the song, where the words ‘Car Wash' is repeated multiple times in a fast-paced rhythm. The song is not only a tribute to the hardworking people but also an inspiration to the listeners to have a positive attitude towards their job, no matter what it is. The message of the song remains relevant even today, after almost five decades since its initial release. "Car Wash" is an entertaining and energetic piece of music that has stood the test of time.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh ooh
Expressing excitement and enthusiasm
You might not ever get rich
Working at a car wash may not lead to financial wealth
But let me tell ya it's better than diggin' a ditch
Working at a car wash is more favorable than working in hard manual labor
There ain't no tellin' who you might meet
Working at a car wash may provide opportunities to meet interesting people
A movie star or maybe even an Indian chief
There is a possibility of meeting people from prominent backgrounds
(Workin')
At the car wash
Workin' at the car wash, yeah
Come on and sing it with me
(Car wash)
Sing it with the feelin' y'all
(Car wash, yeah)
Encouraging people to join in and sing while working at the car wash
Come summer the work gets kinda hot
Working at the car wash during summer can be hot and uncomfortable
This ain't no place to be if you planned on bein' a star
Working at a car wash is not an ideal career choice for those who seek fame and fortune
Let me tell you it's always cool
Despite the hot weather, the atmosphere at the car wash is always cool and fun
And the boss don't mind sometimes if you act a fool
The employer is lenient and allows for some playful behavior occasionally
Whoa whoa whoa whoa
Talkin' about the car wash, yeah
Come on, ya'all and sing it for me
(Car wash)
Wooh oooh oooh
(Car wash, yeah)
Encouraging everyone to continue singing and having fun while working
(Work and work)
Well, those cars never seem to stop coming
(Work and work)
Keep those rags and machines humming
(Work and work)
My fingers to the bone
(Work)
I can't wait till it's time to go home
Describing the continuous, tiring, and strenuous work that goes on at the car wash
(Hey, get your car washed today)
Fill up and you don't have to pay
Come on and give us a play
(Do the wash, right away)
Advertising the car wash and offering a free service to attract customers
(The car wash)
Talkin' 'bout the car wash
Car wash, yeah
Come on, y'all, let's sing it with me
(Car wash)
Sing it with feelin', y'all
(Car wash, yeah)
Continuing to sing and celebrate the car wash and its culture
Whoa whoa whoa whoa
(Car wash)
Those cars never seem to stop comin'
What'd I say
Keep those rags and machines hummin'
(Car wash)
Reiterating the hard work and non-stop work at the car wash
Let me tell you, it's always cool
And the boss don't mind sometimes if you act a fool
At the car wash
Workin' at the car wash yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Car wash
Talkin' about the car wash
Car wash
Car wash yeah
Car wash
Car wash yeah
Car wash
Car wash yeah
Finalizing the song with a reminder that the car wash is always a cool and fun place to work, and encouraging everyone to continue singing and enjoying themselves
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: NORMAN JESSE WHITFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@alking7655
@@leonardbrown2219, Even more when you do dance moves that replicate working at a car wash. Wax on, wax off.
Don't know how many calories I burned (probably minimal) but it and "Boogie Wonderland" got me moving today. Nice to finally get some Sunday spring sun in Australia and dance in the backyard.
My top 3 fitness music tracks.
- This
- Boogie Wonderland - Earth, Wind, and Fire.
- Neutron Dance by the Pointer Sisters
@tnawcwvictoria
#1 on the Pop Chart 40 years this week and #1 on the Soul Chart as well
God Bless Rose Royce for a job well done
and BTW, I use to listen to this song on The Best of Soul Train on WGN America and The Best of Dick Clark's American Bandstand on VH1
Plus, this song was out when shows like All in the Family, Maude, Good Times, One Day at a Time, The Jeffersons, Happy Days, Laverne & Shirley, Police Woman, Cannon, Kojak, The Streets of San Francisco, Barnaby Jones, The Original Hawaii Five-O, Barney Miller, The Scooby-Doo Show, Superfriends, TattleTales, M*A*S*H, The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie, Clue Club, Jabberjaw, Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids, Sanford & Son, Starsky & Hutch and Charlie's Angels were still on the air
Plus, the late Richard Dawson was still KING of the Family Feud, Peter Marshall was still the Master of The Hollywood Squares, Chuck Woolery & Susan Stafford were still spinning the Wheel of Fortune, Roy Clark was still the King of Hee Haw, the late Jack Narz was still the KING of Concentration, the late Don Cornelius was still the Master Conductor of the Soul Train, the late TV Icon was still KING of the American Bandstand and he and the late Bill Cullen were the KINGS of the Pyramid, the late Casey Kasem was still the KING of the American Top 40 and Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann and the Pittsburgh Steelers STILL RULED the NFL
@genesis0932
I miss funk music. This is great stuff. No computers.
@charliebay9441
My first job as a kid was working at the car wash. Of course this song came out while I was working there. Ahhh, the 70s . . .
@CharlesAitch
Q
@ericgonzalez6366
.. and I loooved your comment, too!
@terryrosa7780
❤
@415JayTee
Wow! about a hundred people seriously need their car washed. Who in the hell would give a thumbs down to this sweet jam??
@eumorpha876
they probably couldn't find the downbeat
@DarthPhallix
Enemies of freedom, that’s who.
@brittanymercier1269
Somebody who definitely hates life would thumbs down this.
@dunbartonspartanz
😂