Meaning of “She Works Hard For The Money” by Donna Summer

Circa the early 1980s, when “She Works Hard For The Money” was dropped, it can be said that mainstream media centered on hard-working women was en vogue. But Donna Summer was not inspired to write this piece in the name of following a trend established by the likes of Dolly Parton or the sitcom Alice. 

Rather she came across a real-life worker, a restroom attendant at a posh Hollywood restaurant, whom Mrs. Summer was instantly able to gather, just by looking at her and observing the surrounding environment, was the type of employee in a situation where she literally worked herself into exhaustion.

That would be the selfsame Onetta (Johnson) who is mentioned at the beginning of the first verse. So this song is based on her character though, by the looks of things, wasn’t a situation whereas Johnson was studied or interviewed or anything like that. 

Instead Summer, along with co-writer Michael Omartian, went about depicting the type of person whom they logically perceived Onetta to be.

The Lyrics of “She Works Hard For The Money”

So as portrayed at the beginning of the first verse, the subject wonders why she has to hustle so hard to get by, while “some [other] people seem to have everything”. Again, Onetta was working in a restaurant that was frequented by the likes of Donna Summer. 

And when Donna encountered her, she was fast asleep at work, despite the surrounding environment being a loud and busy one. So that may also be why the vocalist notes that Onetta “wonders where she is”, i.e. the type of confused state a person would be in after passing out from exhaustion and then waking up.

In the second verse the vocalist gets really sympathetic, seemingly noting for instance how the subject has been on the grind for “28 years” but has experienced little progress. Or it may be what Donna is trying to say is that Onetta is 28 years old, which would be the more logical interpretation all lyrics considered. 

In any event, the wording proceeds to do an effective job of presenting the subject as someone who works extremely hard “for little money” in return.

However, that is not to imply that she does not derive any satisfaction from her endeavors. Instead, what gives the job a true sense of worth in the mind of Onetta is when her customers – or “clientele” as Donna puts it in the first verse – “say that they care”.   

Or put otherwise, she’s someone who takes pride in providing good customer service and receiving feedback accordingly.  Indeed, as implied in the second verse, the subject is surviving primarily off of tips.

“She works hard for the money
So hard for it, honey
She works hard for the money
So you better treat her right”

So that may in part explain why in the chorus, after noting that “she works hard for the money”, Summer follows up by stating accordingly that “you better treat her right”. 

But also as alluded to in the bridge, the subject is someone who is very much familiar with the struggle yet “will never sell out… for a dollar bill”. 

Or more bluntly interpreted, let’s say as a “real pretty” lady, in Hollywood of all places, Onetta would have the opportunity to earn money – and perhaps more than she currently is – via illicit or unscrupulous means.  But instead, she’s holding down an arduous 9 to 5.  So in the eyes of those like Donna Summer, that would be an additional reason to show Onetta and likeminded women the respect they deserve, because every dollar they have they work hard for.

When was “She Works Hard For The Money” released?

“She Works Hard For The Money” is the title track, and lead single from Summer’s eleventh studio album. In addition, this tune serves as the first song on the album’s tracklist. It was issued on the first day of April, 1983.

Writing & Production

Summer authored this song with support from its producer Michael Omartian.

Album

The “She Works Hard For The Money” project is a product of US record company, Mercury Records. Its official release date is June 13 of 1983. Apart from its title track, the album produced two other singles. They are:

• “Unconditional Love”
• “Love Has a Mind of Its Own”