The first time I worked a 9 to 5 job was after I got out of graduate school. My parents wanted me to focus on school above work in high school so I never got a full time job, but I did work. In high school, I was a piano accompanist, and got gigs playing at weddings and churches. In college, I worked teaching lessons and also made some scratch arranging music. My work often kept me busy but it wasn’t ever structured in a full 8 hour day.
I’m in my third year of work 9 to 5, which is more like 7 to 3 as a teacher, first in high school and now in elementary school and it is a challenge. I love my job, but there are times when the 8 hour, 5 day a week thing gets to you and when a three day weekend roles around it’s like greatest thing ever.
I’m not sure if the 9 to 5 structure is the best thing for productivity but from my observations, mostly from people around my age (twenty-somethings) it can be a grueling and grate at your spirit especially since an 8 hour day is rarely actually 8 hours. This combined with the fact that most people do not have perfect works situations makes just getting from 9 to 5 a struggle.
Dolly Parton released “9 to 5” in 1980 which has became anthem for the struggles of all of us who work. It was featured in the film of the same name that stared Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin and Jan Fonda. This was a song that people all across America could relate to and topped the pop, country and adult contemporary charts at the same time. “9 to 5” speaks about the every day struggle from getting out of bed to dealing with an annoying boss and she does it a way that comforts us and reminds us of our self-worth.
Through her exuberant personality and hard work, Dolly Parton has made a mark on the popular culture as one of the most well-known and loved musicians. Her influence is so wide that when the first cloned mammal was born on July 5th, 1996, the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh scientists named the sheep Dolly after country singer Dolly Parton. Was this because of Dolly Parton’s scientific contributions? No, of course not, it was because Dolly was cloned from breast tissue and Dolly Parton 40DD’s are some of the most famous breasts in our culture.
Dolly Parton is more then her breasts. She is one of most successful people in popular music history. She is an accomplished composer and musician and have charted on the pop, country and adult contemporary charts. Her most famous song that she composed is “I Will Always Love You,” that Whitney Houston recorded for the 1992 film, The Bodyguard (here's Dolly singing it, which I prefer). She has appeared in film, television shows and been nominated and won for numerous awards for acting accomplishments.
Dolly Parton is incredible business woman who owns a theme park called Dollywood as well as Sand Dollar productions which have produced film and television including Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin and the greatest television ever, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She is also a philanthropist working with her literacy program “Imaginary Library.”
When people complain about work, sometimes they are angry, sometimes they are sad and other times there is a level of humor. This level of humor can be a result of a situation that is so hopeless that laughing is the only way to cope. Other times, people complain with a quiet a smile. People do this more to point out the good things and the hope in the situation and only complain about the bad things as a way to say “things are hard, but it’s not that bad and we can persevere.” This is exact what Dolly Parton is expressing in “9 to 5”
The song starts describing the start of the day. There is struggle in getting out of bed but also a sense of hope, “cup of ambition.” The upbeat instrumentation and the rising melody line underlines the general optimism in this song that foreshadows the second verse. In the chorus, Dolly describes work, as something that we give to and get little back which is enough to drive you crazy.
In the second verse Dolly reminds us of our dreams and that we are not only in our struggles.
They let your dream
Just a watch the shatter
You’re just a step
On the boss mans a ladder
But you got dream hell never take away
On the same boat
With a lot of your friends
Waiting for the day
Your ship’ll come in
And the tides gonna turn
An its all gonna roll you away
Even though others may shatter dreams, they are something that the boss can’t take away. Also the sense of fraternity, knowing others are going through the same struggle makes us feel better about our emotions knowing that we are not alone. This song has a great supportive feeling that reflects our experiences and our feelings in a brighter light.
This song for woman is a statement of solidarity. In 1980 when Dolly Parton released “9 to 5” singing about work from a woman’s perspective with such a deep understanding of the 9 to 5 workday proved that woman were as just a part of the workforce as men were.
I’m lucky in the fact that no matter how hard my day at least one students does something or says something that makes me smile that helps me get through the day. The little things make the struggle of out of bed in the morning worth it. If you don’t have those little things getting you through the day try to remember that the weekend is always just right around the corner and never forget your dreams.
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