The Miracles Songs - Got a Job Lyrics

The Miracles - Got a Job

The Miracles - Got a Job Lyrics and Youtube Music Videos

Album: Greatest Hits from the Beginning
Released: 1958

Got a Job Lyrics

Walked all day till my feet were tired
I was low, I just couldn't get hired
So I sat in a grocery store
"Help is light & I need some more"
(I Got a Job)
Sha na na na, sha na na na na
(repeat above 2 lines 3 times)
Well, I fin'lly fin'lly fin'lly fin'lly fin'lly (got a job)
Sha na na na, sha na na na na
You've been houndin' me to get a job
Well I finally did & my boss is a slob
He's on my back really all day long
It seems like everything I do is wrong
Well, I fin'lly fin'lly fin'lly fin'lly fin'lly (got a job)
Sha na na na, sha na na na na
(He says to me)
"Get the boxes, take 'em to the basement
Do the job right or I'll get a replacement
Get the mop & clean the dirty floors
& when you're finished wipe the windows & the doors"
I fin'lly fin'lly fin'lly fin'lly fin'lly (got a job)
Sha na na na, sha na na na na
Well, this man's about to drive me stone insane
One of these days I'm gonna have a fit
& though the boss keeps a-runnin' through my brain
I'll never (never) (never) (never) (never never quit my brand new job)
Workin' all day & workin' all night & workin' all day
(repeat previous 2 verses)
(repeat "Workin' all day & workin all night" & fade)

Writer/s: ROBINSON, SMOKEY / CARLO, TYRAN / GORDY JR, BERRY
Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, SONY ATV MUSIC PUB LLC
Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Got a Job

This was the first single by The Miracles, who were then a five-member group that included Smokey Robinson's bride-to-be, Claudette. Released on New York's End label, the song got a lot of Detroit airplay and a little elsewhere.

The song was an answer record to the Silhouettes' #1 hit "Get A Job." When he heard it, Robinson wrote "Got a Job" with the idea that songwriting would be his job.

Answer records are records which are replies to hits. Famous examples include:

Kitty Wells' "It Wasn't God who Made Honky Tonk Angels," replying to Hank Thompson's "The Wild Side of Life."

Jody Miller's "Queen of the House," replying to Roger Miller's "King Of The Road."

Thelma Carpenter's "Yes I'm Lonesome Tonight," replying to Elvis Presley's "Are You Lonesome Tonight."

The Temptations' "My Girl," replying to Mary Wells' "My Guy." (both songs also written by Smokey Robinson)

Carla Thomas' "I'll Bring it Home To You," replying to Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home To Me."

And uniquely Fergal Sharkey's "You Little Thief," replying to his own "A Good Heart." ("You Little Thief" was written by Benmont Tench about his relationship with Maria McKee who had written "A Good Heart," based on Tench.)

This was penned by the then-teenage partnership of Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson. Berry Gordy's first major professional achievement was writing a series of hits for Jackie Wilson, beginning with "Reet Petite" in 1957. Soon afterwards he began producing records teaming up with aspiring singer-songwriter Smokey Robinson of The Miracles. Smokey recalled to Mojo magazine January 2014: "On 'Got a Job,' he really just loved it and when Berry likes something he gets very excited about it. He and I went to the piano and worked out chord progressions and some of the lyrical content."

Motown Records didn't exist yet, so this song was recorded at United Sound studios in Detroit and released on the label End Records.