Listening to casual bar singalongs, many miss the narrative arc embedded within the verses. Below are the complete lyrics as popularized by Johnny Paycheck in 1977:
[Chorus]
Take this job and shove it
I ain't workin' here no more
My woman done left and took all the reasons
I was workin' for
You better not try to stand in my way
'Cause I'm walkin' out the door
Take this job and shove it
I ain't workin' here no more
[Verse 1]
I've been workin' in this factory
For nigh on fifteen years
All this time I watched my woman
Drownin' in a pool of tears
And I've seen a lot of good folk die
That had a lot of bills to pay
I'd give the shirts right off o' my back
If I had the guts to say
[Chorus]
Take this job and shove it
I ain't workin' here no more
My woman done left and took all the reasons
I was workin' for
You better not try to stand in my way
'Cause I'm walkin' out the door
Take this job and shove it
I ain't workin' here no more
[Verse 2]
Well that foreman, he's a regular dog
The line boss, he's a fool
Got a brand new flat-top haircut
Lord, he thinks he's cool
One of these days I'm gonna blow my top
And that sucker he's gonna pay
Lord, I can't wait to see their faces
When I get the nerve to say
[Chorus]
Take this job and shove it
I ain't workin' here no more
My woman done left and took all the reasons
I was workin' for
You better not try to stand in my way
'Cause I'm walkin' out the door
Take this job and shove it
I ain't workin' here no more
[Outro]
Take it and shove it
I ain't workin' here no more
(Take this job and shove it)
