Working for the Weekend

Last updated

"Working for the Weekend"
Working for the Weekend.png
Single by Loverboy
from the album Get Lucky
B-side "Emotional"
ReleasedSeptember 1981
Studio Mushroom (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Length3:41
Label CBS
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Loverboy singles chronology
"The Kid Is Hot Tonite"
(1981)
"Working for the Weekend"
(1981)
"When It's Over"
(1981)
Music video
"Working for the Weekend" on YouTube

"Working for the Weekend" is a song by Canadian rock band Loverboy from their second studio album, Get Lucky (1982). It was written by guitarist Paul Dean, vocalist Mike Reno, and drummer Matt Frenette and produced by Bruce Fairbairn and Dean. The song was released as the lead single from the album in 1981 and reached number 29 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, as well as number two on Billboard's Rock Top Tracks chart in February 1982. "Working for the Weekend" was ranked at number 100 on VH1's "100 Greatest Songs of the 80s". [1]

Contents

Background

The song originated when guitarist Paul Dean was out walking one Wednesday afternoon, looking for inspiration in his songwriting. He noticed that much of the area was deserted, as most people were at work. "So I'm out on the beach and wondering, 'Where is everybody? Well, I guess they're all waiting for the weekend,'" he later said. [2] Mike Reno, the band's vocalist, suggested they change the title to "Working for the Weekend". According to Dean, he first began writing the song in a hotel room following a Montreal concert. At the time, the band were still playing bars to little response from patrons. After completing the song, they used it to open one set, and Dean recalled that "the dance floor was packed". [2]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1981–1982)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [3] 19
Canada Top Singles ( RPM ) [4] 10
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [5] 19
US Billboard Hot 100 [6] 29
US Rock Top Tracks ( Billboard ) [7] 2

Year-end charts

Chart (1982)Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report) [8] 93
US Billboard Hot 100 [9] 96

Cover versions

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Journey (band)</span> American rock band

Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1973 by former members of Santana, the Steve Miller Band, and Frumious Bandersnatch. The band as of 2021 consists of guitarist/vocalist Neal Schon, keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Cain and keyboardist/vocalist Jason Derlatka, drummer/vocalist Deen Castronovo, bassist Todd Jensen, and lead vocalist Arnel Pineda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Econoline Crush</span> Canadian rock band

Econoline Crush is a Canadian rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, formed in 1992. They have released five studio albums and two studio EPs, and are best known for their charting singles such as "You Don't Know What It's Like", "Home", "Surefire ", "All That You Are (X3)", "Make It Right", and "Dirty". They achieved platinum status with the 1997 album The Devil You Know and also received two Juno nominations, in 1995 for Purge and in 1998 for The Devil You Know.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Loverboy</span> Canadian rock band

Loverboy is a Canadian rock band formed in 1979 in Calgary, Alberta. Loverboy's hit singles, particularly "Turn Me Loose" and "Working for the Weekend", have become arena rock staples and are still heard on many classic rock and classic hits radio stations across Canada and the United States.

Payolas was a Canadian rock band that was most prominent in the 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savoy Brown</span> English blues rock band

Savoy Brown were a British blues rock band formed in Battersea, southwest London, in 1965. Part of the late 1960s blues rock movement, Savoy Brown primarily achieved success in the United States, where they promoted their albums with non-stop touring. Founder, guitarist and primary songwriter Kim Simmonds was the sole constant member of the band from its formation in 1965 until his death in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heat of the Moment (Asia song)</span> 1982 single by Asia

"Heat of the Moment" is the first single released by English progressive rock supergroup Asia from their 1982 eponymous debut album. It was written by singer and bass guitarist John Wetton and keyboardist Geoff Downes. It was named by Lee Zimmerman of Paste as Asia's signature song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Livin' on a Prayer</span> 1986 single by Bon Jovi

"Livin' on a Prayer" is a song by the American rock band Bon Jovi, and is the band's second chart-topping single from their third album Slippery When Wet. Written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Desmond Child, the single, released in late 1986, was well received at both rock and pop radio and its music video was given heavy rotation at MTV, giving the band their first No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and their second consecutive No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit.

<i>Loverboy</i> (Loverboy album) 1980 studio album by Loverboy

Loverboy is the debut studio album by Canadian rock band Loverboy. It was released in August 1980.

<i>Get Lucky</i> (Loverboy album) 1981 studio album by Loverboy

Get Lucky is the second studio album by Canadian hard rock band Loverboy. It was released on October 7, 1981, by Columbia Records. The album reached number 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart, remaining on the chart for over two years, and has sold over 4 million copies in the United States. It featured the singles "Working for the Weekend", "When It's Over", "Lucky Ones", and "Take Me to the Top.”

<i>Keep It Up</i> 1983 studio album by Loverboy

Keep it Up is the third studio album released by the Canadian rock band Loverboy in late June 1983. With new hit tracks like "Hot Girls in Love", the album became an instant hit, and reached #7 on the US Billboard 200 charts, as did the previous album released by the band.

<i>Lovin Every Minute of It</i> 1985 studio album by Loverboy

Lovin' Every Minute of It is the fourth studio album, released in 1985 by the rock band Loverboy. The album became a hit thanks to the title track which reached #9 at US Hot 100, while "This Could Be The Night" was #10, "Dangerous" #65 and "Lead A Double Life" #68. The album went double platinum, being the last of the band's to do so.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Turn Me Loose (Loverboy song)</span> 1981 single by Loverboy

"Turn Me Loose" is a hit song recorded by the Canadian rock band Loverboy. It was released on their eponymous debut album in 1980, and as a single in 1981. With a strong rock synthesizer start to the song, followed by a steady build on the guitars, it peaked at #7 on the RPM singles chart in 1981 and #6 on the Billboard Top Tracks chart in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Dean (guitarist)</span> Musical artist

Paul Warren Dean is a Canadian musician and the lead guitarist of the Canadian rock band Loverboy which reached huge fame in the early 1980s.

"When It's Over" is a song by the Canadian rock band Loverboy from their album Get Lucky released in 1981. Written by band members Paul Dean and Mike Reno, it features Nancy Nash on background vocals. Relying heavily on synthesizers, the song became a Top 40 hit for the band when released as a single the following year, peaking at number 17 on Canada's RPM Top Singles in May and number 26 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks in June 1982.

"This Could Be the Night" is a song written by Paul Dean, Mike Reno, Bill Wray and Jonathan Cain, and recorded by the Canadian rock band Loverboy from their hit album, Lovin' Every Minute of It, released in 1985. The song contained much more of a style that represented 1980s power pop ballads than the rocking style for which the band had been known. Released as a single in 1986 with an accompanying black-and-white music video, it reached the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heaven in Your Eyes</span> 1986 single by Loverboy

"Heaven in Your Eyes" is a song recorded by Canadian rock band Loverboy for the soundtrack to the film Top Gun. It later appeared on Loverboy's 1989 hits compilation Big Ones. The power ballad reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the U.S.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Long (Ace song)</span> 1975 single by Ace

"How Long" is the debut single by the English band Ace, from their 1974 debut album, Five-A-Side. It reached No. 3 in the US and Canadian charts, and No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Almost Paradise</span> 1984 single by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson

"Almost Paradise... Love Theme from Footloose" is the title of a duet sung by Mike Reno of Loverboy and Ann Wilson of Heart. It is one of several major hits written by singer Eric Carmen with lyricist Dean Pitchford, another being "Make Me Lose Control".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hold On (Ian Thomas song)</span> 1982 single by Santana

"Hold On" is a song written and first recorded by the Canadian singer and songwriter Ian Thomas, on his 1981 album The Runner. His version reached No. 28 on the Canadian pop singles chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say Goodbye (Cheap Trick song)</span> 1997 single by Cheap Trick

"Say Goodbye" is a song by the American rock band Cheap Trick, which was released in 1997 as the lead single from their thirteenth studio album Cheap Trick. The song was written by guitarist Rick Nielsen, lead vocalist Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson, and was produced by Cheap Trick and Ian Taylor.

References

  1. "VH1S 100 GREATEST SONGS OF THE 80". thecelebritycafe.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2007. Retrieved June 6, 2007.
  2. 1 2 Dan MacIntosh (May 2, 2012). "Paul Dean of Loverboy: Interview". SongFacts.com. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
  3. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 182. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  4. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0435." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  5. "Loverboy – Working for the Weekend". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved October 26, 2020.
  6. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard . February 13, 1982. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  7. "Mainstream Rock Airplay". Billboard. February 6, 1982. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  8. "National Top 100 Singles for 1982". Kent Music Report. January 3, 1983. Retrieved January 22, 2023 via Imgur.
  9. "Talent in Action – Top Pop Singles". Billboard . Vol. 94, no. 51. December 25, 1982. p. TIA-20. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved March 20, 2016.
  10. Frost, Matt (October 27, 2014). "Paul Gilbert: the 10 records that changed my life". MusicRadar . Future plc . Retrieved June 11, 2018.
  11. Ron Burgundy Sings Mayor Rob Ford's Campaign Song - CONAN on TBS on YouTube