“Working for the Weekend” is a hard rock and power pop anthem by the Canadian band Loverboy, released in October 1981 as the lead single from their second studio album, Get Lucky. Written by guitarist Paul Dean, drummer Matt Frenette, and vocalist Mike Reno, the track became a defining hit of the early 1980s arena rock scene, peaking at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 2 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
The song’s inspiration struck Paul Dean in 1980 when he noticed a heavily populated area was deserted on a Wednesday afternoon, leading him to muse that everyone was “waiting for the weekend.” Dean initially titled the track “Waiting for the Weekend,” but Mike Reno suggested the more dynamic “Working for the Weekend” to better capture the energy of laboring for leisure. The driving guitar riff was developed in a Montreal hotel room using a 1974 Fender Stratocaster and a portable stereo, with the band field-testing the song in bars to gauge audience reaction before recording.
Recorded in mid-1981 at Mushroom Studios in Vancouver and produced by Bruce Fairbairn and Dean, the song features layered guitars, synthesizers, and a concise 3:41 runtime designed for radio play. Its music video, one of the band’s first forays into the format, became a staple on MTV shortly after the network’s 1981 launch, significantly boosting the band’s visibility. The track is celebrated for its relatable lyrics about the blue-collar grind and the anticipation of Friday night freedom, cementing its status as a cultural touchstone and enduring party anthem.
[Verse 1]
Everyone’s watchin’ to see what you will do
Everyone’s lookin’ at you, oh
Everyone’s wonderin’, will you come out tonight?
Everyone’s tryin’ to get it right
Get it right
[Chorus]
Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend
Everybody wants a new romance
Everybody’s goin’ off the deep end
Everybody needs a second chance
Oh-oh
[Post-Chorus]
You want a piece of my heart?
You better start from the start
You wanna be in the show?
Come on, baby, let’s go
[Turnaround]
[Verse 2]
Everyone’s lookin’ to see if it was you
Everyone wants you to come through
Everyone’s hopin’ it’ll all work out
Everyone’s waitin’, they’re holdin’ out
[Chorus]
Everybody’s workin’ for the weekend
Everybody wants a new romance
Eh-ee-yeah—eh-eh-eh
Everybody’s goin’ off the deep end
Everybody needs a second chance
Oh-oh
[Post-Chorus]
You want a piece of my heart?
You better start from the start
You wanna be in the show?
Come on, baby, let’s go
[Instrumental Break feat. Electric Guitar]
“Hey”
[Post-Chorus]
You want a piece of my heart?
You better start from the start
You wanna be in the show?
Come on, baby, let’s go
[Post-Chorus]
You want a piece of my heart?
You better start from the start
You wanna be in the show?
Come on, baby, let’s go
