9 to 5 Lyrics – 9 to 5

Song Overview

Clock radios buzz, coffee pots hiss, and the Nine to Five curtain flies up. The song text—crafted by Dolly Parton—explodes into a caffeine-charged overture for office warriors everywhere. Alison Pill, Charlie Pollock, Megan Hilty, Stephanie J. Block, and a fist-pumping ensemble volley the Lyrics like sticky notes across a cubicle maze, turning drudgery into Broadway bravado. Under the neon glow of corporate daylight, every power-chord and brass stab feels like a paper-jam finally clearing.

Song Credits

• Featured Cast Vocals: Alison Pill (Judy Bernly), Charlie Pollock (Joe), Megan Hilty (Doralee Rhodes), Stephanie J. Block (Violet Newstead), plus Broadway Ensemble
• Producers: Dolly Parton, Stephen Oremus
• Writer & Composer: Dolly Parton
• Album: 9 to 5: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
• Release Date: July 14, 2009
• Genre: Country-Pop Show-Tune / Power Ensemble
• Length: 4 min 08 sec (album opener)
• Instrumentation: Shuffle kit drums, slap bass, honky-tonk piano, twangy electric guitar, punchy horn section, stacked gospel-style backing vocals
• Label: Dolly Records / Masterworks Broadway
• Recorded At: Legacy Recording Studios, NYC
• Orchestration & Vocal Arrangement: Stephen Oremus
• Copyright © 2009 Magnolia Hill Music & Warner Chappell

Song Meaning and Annotations

Parton’s original 1980 hit already rattled staplers; this stage reboot supersizes the anthem. The track unspools like a commuter montage: alarm-clock guitar riff, percolating hi-hat, then a unison shout that could double as subway-platform echo. Each principal takes a verse—Violet juggling single-mom panic, Doralee stomping misogyny in rhinestone heels, Judy vowing reinvention—yet they weave one shared battle cry: “It’s enough!”

Musically, the score glides from Nashville shuffle to Broadway belt without spilling a drop of coffee. Syncopated horns mimic honking taxis; a walking bass line conjures elevator dings. Call-and-response layers build a sonic high-rise where the chorus lives on the penthouse floor. By the final refrain every desk drone in the mezzanine is a backup singer.

“They just use your mind and they never give you credit”

That line lands like a Post-it to the forehead—equal parts grievance and galvanizer. Harmonies swell a half-step beneath the word “credit,” underscoring the invisible labor theme with a literal lift.

Verse Highlights

Opening Solo (Joe & Daphne)

A playful duet updates Dolly’s signature opening. Instead of lone narrative, we hear dual voices—mirroring how modern burnout is rarely a solo act.

Violet’s Verse

Block’s mezzo growl punctuates unpaid overtime angst. Listen for the sly triplet in “my two lives have got me hoppin’”—it feels like a skipped heartbeat between daycare drop-off and board meeting.

Doralee & Dwayne’s Bridge

Twangy guitar slaps and a gospel clap section paint optimism in warm Southern hues. “Tide’s gonna turn” modulates up a semitone—the musical equivalent of finally seeing daylight through mini-blinds.

Similar Songs

1. “One Day More” – Les Misérables Ensemble
   Both pieces crank a revolving-door cast into choral thunder. Where “Nine to Five” spotlights cubicle confines, “One Day More” tackles revolution, yet each song layers solo spotlights over an engine-room ensemble, trading melodies like coworkers swapping memos.
2. “Hard Knock Life” – Annie Orphans
   Factory whistles become orphan buckets; either way, the verses hammer relentless labor. Each chorus flips struggle into solidarity, using percussive household sounds—bucket bangs or stapler snaps—to animate the beat.
3. “She Works Hard for the Money” – Donna Summer
   Disco floor replaces orchestra pit, but the pulse of workplace resilience matches. Both tracks celebrate under-praised laborers and weld hooky refrains to punch-clock lyrics—earworms that double as rally chants.

Questions and Answers

How does the stage version differ from Dolly Parton’s original single?

The musical stretches the runtime, hands verses to multiple characters, and threads narrative snippets between choruses, turning a solo anthem into a communal manifesto.

Why open the show with this song?

It’s instant exposition: workplace woes, character quirks, and tone all land before the first office phone rings. Plus, the familiar hook lures audiences like the smell of fresh donuts in the lobby.

Is there live typewriter tapping on stage?

Yes—ensemble cast members hammer period typewriters in rhythmic sync, adding real clackety percussion beneath the band.

What key is the big ensemble chorus?

The climactic repeat modulates to B-flat major, giving sopranos a roof-raising high-B and injecting fresh adrenaline into the final “It’s enough!”

Did Dolly Parton coach the Broadway cast?

She attended early rehearsals, offering phrasing tips—especially on the signature “hoo-hoo-hoo”—and reportedly brought boxes of glazed doughnuts for morale.

Awards and Chart Positions

The cast album landed a Grammy® nomination for Best Musical Show Album (2010). While Nine to Five didn’t chart as a separate single, its curtain-raiser status cemented the record’s debut at No. 7 on Billboard’s Top Cast Albums list.

Fan and Media Reactions

“Best alarm clock substitute ever—I bounce out of bed like I’ve got stock options.” @TimesSquareTammy

“Block’s ‘fat promotion’ riff is my new ringtone for company emails.” @CubicleCadenza

“The ensemble hand-jive on typewriters? Chef’s kiss of office satire.” @StageLeftStan

“Every time they yell ‘It’s enough!’ I finish another spreadsheet column.” @ExcelAndTheCity

“Spotify calls it Broadway; I call it professional therapy.” @DeskJockeyDiva

Critics chimed in with equal gusto. One noted the number “turns fluorescent lighting into footlights,” another hailed it as “a time-clock punch heard round the mezzanine.” Clearly, these Lyrics still clock in on time—and leave audiences clock-watching for the encore.