Song List

I’ve just made the thousandth attempt to successfully apply productivity literature to my life. There are heaps and heaps of this stuff— “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People,” “Never Check Your Email In the Morning,” “The Now Habit.” I just returned my most recent attempt, “Getting Things Done,” to the library. It was ten days overdue.

One of the most common threads of advice (none of which, obviously, I seem to be taking) is to limit the amounts of distraction within the workplace. That means avoiding talk radio and music with lyrics while attempting brain-engaging activity. So: Garth Brooks while scrubbing the toilet yes, Garth Brooks while filling out income tax returns, no. Save the Mozart for the office.

My college students often desperately attempted to dodge my “no earphones in the classroom” rule with: “But I can multitask. Music helps me concentrate,” to which I would internally point out that their grades typically invalidated the whole “multitask” argument, and externally remind the student that they were welcome to multitask all they wanted by, I don’t know, listening and taking notes at the same time.

Maybe it’s because I’m a shade younger than Gen Y and grew up with great foam-coated headphones rather than earbuds, but I’m currently typing this with only the tick of the clock for entertainment. I couldn’t write on assignment any other way. The pull of lyrics, even those I know well, invariably invite mental singalongs. The ‘80s channel goes on only when composing the most mundane of emails.

I understand that truly serious athletes are unable to listen to music as they train or practice, for they are listening to minute body cues that the great lumbering rest of the population not only misses, but desperately attempts to silence via iPod. Have we trained our brains to override the powers of observation and creative thought with a constant stream of noise?

Here are some songs about work to get you moving.

I wouldn’t recommend these for the commute, as they’ll just make the interstate backup worse. But sometimes, a little bit of commiseration is in order:

“Morning Train (9 to 5)” by Sheena Easton

This one was nominated by Dave Barry’s readers for his widely read Bad Songs Survey. Barry himself takes exception to the song’s repetitive nature. But hey, her baby really is always on that morning train, only to take another home again.

“9 to 5″ by Dolly Parton

An hourly wage slave and English major’s delight, if only for the line “Pour yourself a cup of ambition.”

“She Works Hard For Her Money” by Donna Summer

One of the biggest arguments I ever had with an ex took place over the lyrics of this one: I think the song is about a prostitute, he thinks I’m insane. Actually, I wouldn’t argue with him on the insanity charge, but I still think it’s a song about “working” women. Come on: “There in the corner stand… And she’s looking real pretty/Just waitin’ for her clientele.” She’s a HOOKER!

“Working in a Coal Mine” by Lee Dorsey

Perfect for the cubicle-bound: At least you get to see daylight, if only on the smoke breaks.

“Everybody’s Working For the Weekend” by Loverboy

PPair this one with Huey Lewis and the News’ “”Workin’ for a Livin’,” and you’ve got a rocket out of the revolving door on Friday afternoon.

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Bring on the work songs? What are your favorites?

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