31 Best Motivational Songs For Work, All Clean & Appropriate

“Learn to Fly” by Foo Fighters

Song Year: 1999

The song doesn’t have a meaningful, inspirational theme or hidden metaphors. It’s about having a dream and wanting to learn to fly. The Foo Fighters received an award for their hilarious video (a spoof on “Airplane”) to accompany the hit song.

“Learn to Fly” cemented this Seattle-based post-grunge band as one of the best, and the song ranks among their top ten.

“I Got You, I Feel Good” by James Brown

Song Year: 1965

The second you hear the opening of this funky soul tune, you’ll feel like getting to your feet and getting the job done. Although the lyrics suggest romance and love, the high energy of this classic can motivate anyone to move.

Brown toyed with other arrangements before settling on the final score. Brown remastered the song several times, and it was even involved in a legal dispute.

It’s undoubtedly become his masterpiece, and fans from every generation get the groove of this hip vibe that makes even the most tedious chores doable.

“In a Place Like This” by the Payolas

Song Year: 1981

This punk anthem is about dreams and longing to escape a dire situation. While this is only available as an album or cassette tape, it’s inspirational, uplifting, and a bit raw. The metaphors in the song are brilliant, even if a bit dark.

Paul Hyde and Bob Rock, the duo behind the Payolas (more Canadians), went on to have a prosperous new wave and rock career and even worked with the legendary David Foster (another Canadian), who is the success behind the biggest names in the music industry.

“It’s the Final Countdown” by Europe

Song Year: 1986

This mega-hit sat unfinished on the back burner for five years before the lyrics and iconic keyboard riff finally reunited. The six-minute-long song became a worldwide hit and is still used at sporting events and as an inspiration.

Fans worldwide use this anthem to celebrate meaningful moments in history, like the fall of the Berlin Wall or personal triumphs. It’s also about saying goodbye to the past.

Swedish band members felt the influence of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” The song has a Sci-Fi core about a journey into the unknown, yet everyone is willing to risk going.

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cindy Lauper

Song Year: 1983

This feminist anthem is about celebrating female power and seeking the same freedoms men have always taken for granted.

Although the song is a pop tune, the lyrics are about the right to choose. Ironically, the song was written four years earlier from a man’s perspective.

It’s no longer a pipe dream; women can have it all today.

Lauper turned the song into a breakthrough hit, and over 30 artists recorded it.

“She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer

Song Year: 1983

Summer wrote this hit song based on a real-life encounter in the ladies’ room, where she met a hard-working bathroom attendant named Onetta. Summer was at a party for Julio Iglesias when she came face to face with the inspiration for this iconic tune.

It’s a bittersweet but empowering song that brings awareness to the real-life drama that many working people endure. Summer’s music became a #1 R&B hit.

“Take This Job And Shove It!” by Johnny Paycheck

Song Year: 1977

The lyrics of this iconic country song suggest that there has to be something better in life than toiling as a cog in a horrible situation. It’s the timeless saga of the working poor with little opportunity for advancement. Anyone who listens closely will hear the reference to how little respect workers have for their superiors.

The song was a hit, it spoke to people, and the phrase has become an institution.

Paycheck only had one #1 hit, and it’s been on the Simpsons and remade by the Dead Kennedys. However, he didn’t write it.

“The Morning Train” by Sheena Easton

Song Year: 1981

Released under the name 9 to 5 in the UK, this hit wonder is Easton’s # 1 on both sides of the Atlantic. Scottish singer Easton sings about the doldrums of missing her husband while he’s away working and earning an income.

The song has had such a significant influence that Seinfeld featured it twice. It was on South Park, Will & Grace, and Good Girls.

“Workin’ for a Livin’” by Huey Lewis and The News

Song Year: 1982

Lewis attributes the lyrics to this hit to his job portfolio before he succeeded in his music career. Luckily, Lewis got a break, and the song ended up on “Big,” an early Tom Hanks movie.

The lyrics suggest you must buckle down and take the jobs to see you through.

Lewis ended up recording this song in a duet with none other than Garth Brooks in 2007, and it ended up on the Country Charts.

“Working in a Coal Mine” by Lee Dorsey

Song Year: 1966

Many people have demanding jobs, but this 60s classic argues that we ain’t got it so bad. Newer generations might remember the popular Devo version from 1981. Legendary record producer and songwriter Allen Toussaint wrote this number, which became an international hit for Dorsey.

It’s difficult to imagine the working conditions endured by coal miners, who often lacked alternative employment and were at risk of being taken advantage of by mining companies.

Dorsey delivers a powerful message here, putting the challenges faced in the modern world into a historical perspective.

Top Motivational Songs For Work, Final Thoughts

Many incredible songs are motivational work songs; others aren’t clean lyrically or suggestively. People identify with music genres; sometimes, it’s difficult to open one’s mind and listen to something completely different. This list brings a sample from several categories, but it also had to skip several because of the “bad” lingo.

The power of music unites people and strikes a chord. Some of us are motivated by rhythm, harmony, or melody. Some of us want to dance.