26 Songs About Hard Work, from Sixteen Tons to 9 to 5

What is the most famous song about hard work?

"Sixteen Tons" by Tennessee Ernie Ford is the classic song about hard work, about a coal miner trapped in debt to the company that employs him. "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton is the office worker's anthem, and "Takin' Care of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive is the rock song about working for a living.

Classic songs about work

1. "Sixteen Tons", Tennessee Ernie Ford: written by Merle Travis about life in the coal mines.
2. "Get a Job", The Silhouettes: a doo-wop hit about being told to find work.
3. "Detroit City", Bobby Bare: a factory worker who misses home.
4. "A Hard Day's Night", The Beatles: a long day of work, then coming home to love.
5. "Five O'Clock World", The Vogues: living for the end of the workday.
6. "Wichita Lineman", Glen Campbell: a lonely lineman working the power lines.
7. "Workin' Man Blues", Merle Haggard: a proud working man's anthem.
8. "Coal Miner's Daughter", Loretta Lynn: a family raised on hard work.

70s and 80s working-class anthems

9. "Takin' Care of Business", Bachman-Turner Overdrive: the classic rock work song.
10. "Working Man", Rush: a hard rock song about the daily grind.
11. "Workin' at the Car Wash Blues", Jim Croce: dreaming of a better job.
12. "Car Wash", Rose Royce: a funky song about a day at work.
13. "Take This Job and Shove It", Johnny Paycheck: the ultimate quitting song.
14. "Blue Collar Man", Styx: a rock song about wanting steady work.
15. "Factory", Bruce Springsteen: his father's life on the factory line.
16. "9 to 5", Dolly Parton: the office worker's anthem.
17. "Working for the Weekend", Loverboy: counting down to Friday.
18. "Allentown", Billy Joel: a steel town after the mills closed.
19. "She Works Hard for the Money", Donna Summer: a tribute to working women.
20. "Rain on the Scarecrow", John Mellencamp: the struggle of family farmers.

Songs about truck drivers

21. "Six Days on the Road", Dave Dudley: the original trucker anthem.
22. "Convoy", C.W. McCall: a 70s hit about truckers talking on CB radio.
23. "Eastbound and Down", Jerry Reed: the theme from Smokey and the Bandit.
24. "Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)", Alabama: a trucker's family waiting for him to come home.

Modern songs about working hard

25. "Hard Workin' Man", Brooks and Dunn: a 90s country anthem.
26. "Work Hard, Play Hard", Wiz Khalifa: hustle by day, celebrate by night.

Why are there so many songs about hard work?

Work takes up most of our waking hours, so it is no surprise songwriters keep coming back to it. Country and folk singers wrote about mines, farms and highways because they or their families worked there, while rock and pop songs turned the frustration of the daily grind into something you can sing along to on the drive home.

The story behind 9 to 5

Dolly Parton wrote "9 to 5" for the 1980 comedy of the same name, in which she starred with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. She famously tapped her acrylic nails together to imitate the sound of a typewriter while she wrote it. The song became a number one hit, was nominated for an Academy Award and is still the anthem of office workers everywhere.

Songs about farming and the land

Farming is some of the hardest work there is. "Rain on the Scarecrow" by John Mellencamp tells the story of a family losing its farm, and in 1985 Mellencamp, Willie Nelson and Neil Young started Farm Aid to support farmers. For songs about life in the country, add "Coal Miner's Daughter" and "Workin' Man Blues".

Labor Day songs about hard work

Labor Day, on the first Monday in September, is the perfect time for a playlist of work songs. Start with "Sixteen Tons" and "Workin' Man Blues", add "Takin' Care of Business" and "9 to 5" for the barbecue and finish with "Working for the Weekend". For more about the start of the week, see our songs about Monday.

Songs about hard work for Dad

For a dad who worked long hours to provide for the family, "Factory", "Workin' Man Blues" and "Coal Miner's Daughter" honor what he gave. They make a moving soundtrack for a Father's Day slideshow. See our songs about fathers for more.

Songs for a retirement party

For someone retiring after decades of hard work, "Takin' Care of Business" and "Take This Job and Shove It" get a laugh, and "Five O'Clock World" fits the moment they clock out for the last time. See our retirement songs for more.

Songs for a graduate starting work

For a graduate heading into a first job, "Get a Job" and "Working for the Weekend" are funny, and the motivational songs on our motivational songs list are a good send-off.

A song about their life's work

A personalized song can honor the hardest-working person you know: their name, their job, the early mornings and the family they built, in a country, rock or folk style. It makes a powerful retirement, Father's Day or birthday gift.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: country, rock, folk and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three things about their work and what it meant to the family.
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5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $24.99, or $29.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Honor their hard work with a song: create a song and hear four previews for free.