From The Nation
"Dolly Parton, the brilliant songwriter and beloved country singer who has died at age 80, wrote one of the great anthems of the American working class. The title song from 9 to 5, the 1980 classic about battling gender inequity in the workplace that starred Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin, spoke so much truth that it became a hit on the pop and country charts, gained an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, and collected two Grammys.
"Workers everywhere knew what Parton meant when she sang about 'barely gettin’ by, it’s all takin’ and no givin’,' and complained, 'They just use your mind and they never give you credit. It’s enough to drive you crazy if you let it.' That song appeared on a remarkable solo album by Parton, 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs, which also included songs such as 'Working Girl' and 'Poor Folks Tow'” by Parton, along with a poignant cover of 'Deportee (Plane Wreck at Los Gatos,' Woody Guthrie’s reflection on the racist treatment of migrant farm workers.
"So it came as no surprise that the news of Parton’s death on Tuesday elicited heartfelt expressions of mourning—and respect—from unions that counted her as one of their own."