Workin' Overtime

Album: Workin' Overtime (1989)
Charted: 32
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Diana Ross moved deftly into the disco era with the hits "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out." Those songs were both written and produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic.

    "Workin' Overtime" is the title track to her 1989 album, which Nile Rodgers returned to produce. By this time, the new jack swing sound was all the rage, and the song presses all those buttons. Rodgers and Ross didn't do nearly as well in this milieu - the song and album both flopped.
  • Workin' Overtime was the first album Diana Ross released after returning to Motown Records in 1988 after seven years with RCA. They gave it a big promotional push and commissioned a music video, but dance music at the time was dominated by young artists, and Ross couldn't break through.
  • Nile Rodgers wrote this song with Christopher Max, a singer who might be best known for singing the Soul Glo jingle, which Rodgers wrote, in the movie Coming To America.
  • When Ross promoted this song, she explained that it was for her fans. "I'm working overtime for you," she explained.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Harold Brown of War

Harold Brown of WarSongwriter Interviews

A founding member of the band War, Harold gives a first-person account of one of the most important periods in music history.

Daryl Hall

Daryl HallSongwriter Interviews

Daryl Hall's TV show is a hit, and he's been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - only one of these developments excites him.

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)

Max Cavalera of Soulfly (ex-Sepultura)Songwriter Interviews

The Brazilian rocker sees pictures in his riffs. When he came up with one of his gnarliest songs, there was a riot going on.

Guy Clark

Guy ClarkSongwriter Interviews

Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris and Lyle Lovett are just a few of the artists who have looked to Clark for insightful, intelligent songs.

Angelo Moore of Fishbone

Angelo Moore of FishboneSongwriter Interviews

Fishbone has always enjoyed much more acclaim than popularity - Angelo might know why.

Justin Timberlake

Justin TimberlakeFact or Fiction

Was Justin the first to be Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher? Did Britney really blame him for her meltdown? Did his bandmates think he was gay?