Amy Elliott: Song Lyrics

Full Time Job

I'm a mother, I'm a lover
A chef, a referee
I'm a doctor, and a chuffeur
Seven days a week
I ain't asking for a medal
Yeah I know you work too
I'd just like a little credit
Where credit is due

Chorus:
It's the hardest gig I've ever known
I work my fingers to the bone
Yeah the dishes and the diapers never stop
Lousy pay, there ain't no 401K
I know this may come as a shock
But this her's a full time job

Well I'm takin' a vacation
I could use a little fun
I'll be sipping on the silence
And soaking up the sun
I'm leaving you my apron
You can try it on for size
You said there's nothing to it
So I'm sure you'll be fine

Repeat Chorus

In a day or maybe two
You'll be changin' your tune
By then You'll be ready to drop
Workin' my full time job
This here's a full time job


I decided to choose these song lyrics because it reminded me of Chapter One’s section on the meaning of work and the case study of workaholics. I think there are probably a lot of workaholics out there that do not even know they are. For example, single mothers have to go to work, maybe even school as well, and take care of their children. Taking care of children is a job in itself. Even though parenting should not be looked upon as a job, it still takes a lot of extra time and effort to get those great memories that parenting is all about. Although the section on workaholics is about individuals who spend all their time at work and spend their time at home still working, this song demonstrates that even after work there is still work to be done whether there is a paycheck coming out of it or not. According to the text, a workaholic is a term used to describe a person who is unnaturally preoccupied with work. After our class discussion on workaholics, we agreed that workaholics are those that push themselves to do more than they should be doing in that time frame. For example, I play on the women’s basketball team, take twenty-two units for school, and work 20 hours a week. Even though my schedule does not consist of only work-related activities, it still deals with a lot of time consumption and energy used in non-leisure activities. Another interesting way to analyze a piece of this song is the simple fact that she is talking about how mothering is a full time job. However, in the section on meaning of work, it explains how individuals tend to spend more time with work which can be harmful to the family.