No doubt about it, Dolly Parton is an icon: The country legend has been honored at the Grammy Awards, has been married for over 54 years, and is a total boss when it comes to writing hit songs. There’s something so captivating about Parton, who’s utterly genuine, and her music, which centers around the relatable topics we all experience as individuals. Jealously, love, heartbreak, and of course the hustle and bustle of the working world — Parton covers it all, and most of the time she can do no wrong in our eyes. But her new Super Bowl Commerical for SquareSpace has some people scratching their heads a little. Parton reworks her classic hit “9 to 5” — you know, that anthem about the frustration of working long hours, with no credit and low pay — as “5 to 9,” glorifying the side hustle and the idea of a second shift.
The Super Bowl ad follows a young woman working a snooze-worthy 9-to-5 job who uses her nights (or should we say late afternoons, because, you know, five o’clock…) to then start the second shift her side hustle requires: building a website and pursuing her dance fitness dreams. “Workin’ 5 to 9, you’ve got passion and a vision. ‘Cause it’s hustlin’ time, only way to make a livin’,” Parton sings with a knowing wink in her voice, emphasizing the tweaked hours from her original. “Gonna change your life. Do something that gives it meaning with a website that is worthy of your dreamin’!”
Perhaps not surprisingly, the ad isn’t hitting the right note for everyone. Over on Twitter, plenty of people are taking umbrage with the “work more” message — even if it’s for a passion project.
Wasn't the song about how 9 to 5 was too much work?
— sadhydra (@sadhydra) February 2, 2021
https://twitter.com/sarahnadav/status/1356650688844095488
OK, we get it. It’s cheeky and it’s supposed to be fun. If your side hustle really is your passion project — or you’re dreaming about turning your passion into a profession — then this ad might speak to you. But let’s be honest: For many people, especially now, during the pandemic, a “second shift” or side hustle means going to another actual job…or, you know, caring for a family.
Before you go, click here to see our favorite country music couples.
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