9 to 5
Sheena Easton Lyrics


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Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen
Pour myself a cup of ambition
Yawn and stretch and try to come to alive
Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin'
Out on the street the traffic starts jumpin'
With 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!

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
Waitin' for the day your ship'll come in
an' 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 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

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

Overall Meaning

The song "9 to 5" by Sheena Easton talks about the daily struggles of the working class who are tied down to their jobs from nine to five every day, who barely make enough to support their lives and are never recognized for their hard work. The lyrics capture the monotony felt by the workers whose daily routine consists of getting up early in the morning, pouring themselves a cup of coffee in the hope that it will wake them up, and going through the motions of stretching, showering, and commuting to work. The first stanza paints the picture of how one's day begins, while the second and third stanzas lament the difficult situations workers face while on the job.


The chorus, with its cynical tone, highlights how the workers' lives are just about "making a living," with no sense of fulfillment despite working tirelessly day in and day out, with no recognition from their superiors. They're stuck in jobs they don't enjoy, underpaid and undervalued, with the bosses only using their mental abilities and never giving them the credit they deserve. The line, "they just use your mind, and you never get the credit," is an indictment of the capitalist system, which uses the labor of the working-class to drive profits, without recognizing or rewarding their efforts.


In conclusion, Sheena Easton's "9 to 5" is a heartbreaking portrayal of the lives of the working-class, caught in a system that exploits their labor for the enrichment of the wealthy. The song speaks to the feeling of being trapped and undervalued, while yearning for a better life that is just out of reach.


Line by Line Meaning

Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen
I get out of bed tiredly and head to the kitchen, clumsily.


Pour myself a cup of ambition
I make myself a cup of coffee to try and wake myself up.


Yawn and stretch and try to come to alive
I yawn, stretch and try to wake up properly.


Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin'
I take a shower and it helps me to feel more awake and energized.


Out on the street the traffic starts jumpin'
Outside, the busy traffic gets intense.


With folks like me on the job from 9 to 5
People like me are heading to work for the regular hours of the day.


Workin' 9 to 5, what a way to make a livin'
Working regular hours can be predictable but tough.


Barely gettin' by, it's all takin' and no givin'
I struggle to make ends meet and feel underappreciated.


They just use your mind and they never give you credit
The management takes advantage of my hard work without giving me proper recognition.


It's enough to drive you crazy if you let it
This feeling of under-appreciation can really bring someone down if they allow it to.


9 to 5, for service and devotion
I provide outstanding service and loyalty while adhering to regular hours.


You would think that I would deserve a fat promotion
It seems like I should be eligible for a promotion by now because of all my hard work.


Want to move ahead but the boss won't seem to let me
I'm eager to climb up the ladder, but my boss isn't open to the idea.


I swear sometimes that man is out to get me!
I'm convinced that my boss is working against me.


They let you dream just to watch 'em shatter
They give you false hope only to crush your dreams.


You're just a step on the boss-man's ladder
You're just another rung on the corporate ladder, easily replaceable.


But you got dreams he'll never take away
But you still have dreams that he can't take away.


You're in the same boat with a lotta your friends
You and many of your friends are in the same position.


Waitin' for the day your ship'll come in
You're waiting for your big break to come your way.


an' the tide's gonna turn and it's all gonna roll your way
When fortune and opportunity finally come, everything will change for the better.


9 to 5, yeah they got you where they want you
Your job has you trapped right where they want you.


There's a better life, and you dream about it, don't you?
You have aspirations for a better life outside of this current job.


It's a rich man's game no matter what they call it
No matter what the job title or position, it's always the wealthy who win in the end.


And you spend your life puttin' money in his wallet
You spend your life working just to line the pockets of the company's wealthy owner or boss.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dolly Parton

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@bentonrp

It only SEEMS like you grew up on songs like this because now that you're older, you...
...
... um, ...because it was so long ago that now your mind makes it seem like...
...
...your mind makes it seem like after all that time that these are the same songs...
...
...
...the same songs that they were when...
...
...when...
...back when y-you heard them growing up, and...
...
...uummmm, ...
...
...
...Aughhh, okay, I got nothing. Okay, yeah, y-you actually Did grow up on songs like this... 😐.



All comments from YouTube:

@jgrillo638

All Manchester Untied Fans from Ohio, stand for our National Anthem

@theunchainedtruthsleuth

Old school Sheffield United players would be disgusted that blades took the knee first. Disgraceful

@tintan0990

Eurotrip xD

@wojciechnagorski3668

hahaha

@tessamohler3021

Finally someone from Ohio.

@felixleiter9123

And vinnie jones loved utd? They must have paid him crazy money....

88 More Replies...

@andyknight1

Still sounds great in 2023. A timeless classic.

@offbeat65

It sounds like an outtake from a musical.

@Rafael-qt1up

En 2024 la tendremos en Viña

@richalderson6069

One of the most unpretentiously joyous pop songs of all time. Sheena is so adorable in this clip.

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