What is the ideal soundtrack for taking this job and shoving it?
July 11, 2011 8:05 PM   Subscribe

At long last, I'm quitting a job I hate and moving on to something better. All I need is a playlist for the last day.

On Friday at 5:00, I get to live out this Onion article (and yes, even the bit about the intern is accurate). Help me devise the perfect soundtrack for the 8 hours leading up to, and the evening following, this long-awaited transition.

All genres are welcome.
posted by dr. boludo to Media & Arts (53 answers total) 27 users marked this as a favorite
 
Solsbury Hill, of course.
posted by drdanger at 8:06 PM on July 11, 2011 [2 favorites]


Obviously, Take This Job & Shove It
posted by pupstocks at 8:07 PM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


Also you may enjoy the Dead Kennedys version...
posted by pupstocks at 8:08 PM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


As always, The The's This Is the Day. I think I've recommended that incredible track half a dozen times on the Green.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 8:10 PM on July 11, 2011 [3 favorites]


Best answer: Also, this TMBG song about not working (The 7 Days of the Week) is amazing. Song begins 30 seconds in.
posted by pupstocks at 8:10 PM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


Get Your Hands Off my Woman by The Darkness. It's got the right energy, and the just right amount of falsetto.
posted by beau jackson at 8:11 PM on July 11, 2011


Best answer: Didn't It Rain (Sister Rosetta Tharpe)
Solsbury Hill (Peter Gabriel)
A Change is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke)
Feeling Good (Nina Simone)
I Shall Be Released (Bob Dylan)
And Your Bird Can Sing (Beatles)
Pata Pata (Miriam Makeba)
So Glad I'm Here (Elizabeth Mitchell)
Rise (Eddie Vedder)
Go Do (Jonsi)
This Little Light of Mine (from Freedom Song)
Flip Flop and Fly (Joe Turner)
Learning to Fly (Tom Petty + Heartbreakers)
Tension is a Passing Note (Sixpence None the Richer)
Take Me to the Ballroom (Moonbabies)
Jump (Madonna)
Wow (Kylie Minogue)
How the Day Sounds (Greg Laswell)
Travelin' Thru (Dolly Parton)

All taken from my Thank God I'm Finally Escaping the Rat Race playlist, played on repeat for a good two weeks last February.
posted by muirne81 at 8:14 PM on July 11, 2011 [2 favorites]


Depending on what your next week looks like, Elvis Costello and Jimmy Cliff "Seven Day Weekend" 1986. Here's a collection of songs from NPR and someone else. The Todd Rundgren song is a must.
posted by about_time at 8:16 PM on July 11, 2011


Friday - Joe Jackson.
posted by timsteil at 8:18 PM on July 11, 2011


Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey-ey, goodbye.

The Supremes.
http://www.oldielyrics.com/lyrics/the_supremes/na_na_hey_hey_kiss_him_goodbye.html
posted by LonnieK at 8:20 PM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


Me & Bobby McGee

Happiness Is Lubbock Texas in the Rearview Mirror
posted by LonnieK at 8:21 PM on July 11, 2011


Incubus' Nice To Know You
posted by underflow at 8:25 PM on July 11, 2011


Best answer: I Quit My Job - Old Man Luedecke‬‏.
posted by scruss at 8:31 PM on July 11, 2011


It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
posted by cyndigo at 8:41 PM on July 11, 2011 [2 favorites]


All the Way by New Order:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YveC8laqCs

That song is the best leaving on high note not giving a crap song ever.
posted by roboton666 at 8:49 PM on July 11, 2011


Digitalism - "Pogo" [Shinichi Osawa Remix]

Start dancing as soon as you're out the door.
posted by chinesefood at 8:52 PM on July 11, 2011


Freedom '90
posted by avidreader at 8:53 PM on July 11, 2011


Then of course...I'm a sucker for a pop song:

Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7UrFYvl5TE

that's right folks. I brought that up in here.
posted by roboton666 at 8:53 PM on July 11, 2011


Best answer: Final Countdown...
posted by fyrebelley at 8:57 PM on July 11, 2011 [2 favorites]




And because I ruined this thread with Kelly Clarkson...

I'm droppin' another:

Breakaway:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-3vPxKdj6o&feature=related
posted by roboton666 at 8:58 PM on July 11, 2011


A little more ... subtle ... Vienna Teng - Whatever You Want
posted by jferg at 9:00 PM on July 11, 2011


"The Freed Pig" by Sebadoh
If your leaving is the slightest bit acrimonious, "Shitlist" by L7, maybe "Rather be Dead" by Refused.
posted by LionIndex at 9:01 PM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


Depending on the circumstances, maybe MonoPuff's "Backstabbing Liar."


For my last day of work I made sure to have the Ride of the Valkyrie ready to go as soon as we started to close. (I got to ride around on a little golf cart at the end of the night; the awesome appropriateness of this song might depend on the presence of a little golf cart.)

Congratulations!
posted by Neofelis at 9:08 PM on July 11, 2011




Tank, from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack 'I think its time we blow this scene. Get everyone and their stuff together'.

Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell
Belle & Sebastian - Legal Man. for the last verses: "Get out of the city and into the sunshine
Get out of the office and into the springtime"

and this has been stuck in my head all day. dunno if its too emo or what, but I Found A Way - Alkaline Trio
posted by Lovecraft In Brooklyn at 9:18 PM on July 11, 2011




No Tears by Scarface.

/Office Space.
posted by clearly at 9:52 PM on July 11, 2011


Best answer: Velvet Underground--I'm Set Free
Five Stairsteps or Nina Simone--Ooh Child
Beck--Soul Suckin' Jerk
Bob Dylan--It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (or It Ain't Me Babe)
Etta James--At Last
James Brown--The Payback
Smashing Pumpkins--Today
Johnny Cash--I Won't Back Down
Santogold--Lights Out
Talking Heads--Burning Down the House
Yeah Yeah Yeahs--Miles Away
posted by sugarbomb at 10:01 PM on July 11, 2011


Get Off by The Dandy Warhols definitely isn't about work, but "All I want to do is get off" could definitely apply to a last day.

Pursuit of Happiness by Lissie (Kid Cudi cover) seems appropriate as well. "People told me slow my roll, I'm screaming out fuck that"
posted by clearly at 10:07 PM on July 11, 2011


Johnny Cash covering Rusty Cage.
posted by Iris Gambol at 10:17 PM on July 11, 2011




Drive By Truckers This F***ing Job
posted by a humble nudibranch at 10:46 PM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


There's a great Ben Folds song about a guy leaving a job (Fred Jones) and another about getting his work done and moving on (One Down).

Also, Rocking the Suburbs is great for that "last day" energy.
posted by guster4lovers at 10:56 PM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Uncle Tupelo - We've Been Had
Todd Rundgren - Bang the Drum All Day
Bob Dylan (or Rage Against the Machine, depending) - Maggie's Farm
Truckstop Honeymoon - Workin' On A Buildin'
REM - It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Everclear - Santa Monica
posted by brennen at 11:09 PM on July 11, 2011 [1 favorite]


Best answer: Less Than Jake - Last Hour of the Last Day of Work
posted by NoraReed at 11:19 PM on July 11, 2011


Five O'Clock Whistle was insanely popular in the '40s. Covered by Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Ina Ray Hutton and a bunch of other bands. You ought to play it, in sympathy and appreciation for all those who won't have your joy come 5 o'clock on Friday...
posted by paulsc at 12:11 AM on July 12, 2011


Ride - Leave them all Behind
posted by freya_lamb at 2:40 AM on July 12, 2011


It's not about a job but the repeat line of Cee Lo Green's F*** You would be very satisfying to sing along to on your last day.
posted by humph at 3:39 AM on July 12, 2011


The Clampdown by the Clash.
posted by Jon-o at 4:03 AM on July 12, 2011


Wally Pleasant - Stupid Day Job

MOTO - I Hate My F**king Job

Hanslick Rebellion - You Are Boring the S**t Out Of Me
posted by Jinkeez at 4:37 AM on July 12, 2011


Best answer: Oooh, almost forgot --

Dan Reeder - Work Song

King Missile - Take Stuff From Work

Fruteland Jackson - Blues 2.0 (Song starts at ~1:30, here is an Amazon link to the slower, longer studio version)
posted by Jinkeez at 4:51 AM on July 12, 2011


Dear Employer (The Reason I Quit) -- The Minus 5
posted by mazola at 6:45 AM on July 12, 2011


LonnieK: "Na na na na, na na na na, hey hey-ey, goodbye.

original version, by Steam

It's Five O'Clock Somewhere - Alan Jackson & Jimmy Buffet

Working for the Weekend - Loverboy
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:59 AM on July 12, 2011


I was going to lose my mind if I had to be the first to suggest Cee-Lo Green's "F*** You" but fortunately that wasn't the case.

When I quit a job recently, it was a little bittersweet for me - I genuinely liked a lot of my colleagues and it was a job I had for nearly five years - so the song I kept listening to was "Raise Your Glass" by Pink.
posted by kat518 at 7:01 AM on July 12, 2011


When I left my job of almost ten years that had grown increasingly exploitative with a change in administration, I cranked up "That Old Pair of Jeans" by Fatboy Slim with Lateef the Truthspeaker as I pulled out of the parking lot. It's about leaving a dysfunctional relationship but it felt very appropriate.
posted by dlugoczaj at 7:14 AM on July 12, 2011


Slack Motherfucker - Superchunk (If only for the line "I'm working...but I'm not working for you!")
posted by anthom at 7:17 AM on July 12, 2011


Million Miles Away ... and I ain't gonna work here no more by David Byrne
posted by DaveZ at 8:15 AM on July 12, 2011


I am mildly surprised at you, AskMe, that I am the first to mention "Killing in the Name" by Rage Against the Machine. (NOT the radio edit.)
posted by AugieAugustus at 9:38 AM on July 12, 2011 [1 favorite]


I'd go with Z, Jamie Byrd and Brian Alan's No Work Today.
posted by umbú at 2:51 PM on July 12, 2011


It's not about a job, but "No Children" by the Mountain Goats captured my feelings pretty accurately when I left a job I hated. If I were bridge-burning, I would have ended my resignation letter with, "I hope when you think of me years down the line, you can't find one good thing to say/and I hope that [when] I find the strength to walk out, you'll stay the hell out of my way."

Congrats on leaving! :)
posted by sleepingcbw at 3:21 PM on July 12, 2011 [2 favorites]


Best answer: Archers of Loaf - Wrong
Tokyo Public Club - Tessellate
Belle & Sebasian - Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying
Bad Religion - Hooray For Me
BoySetsFire - The Abominations Of Those Virtuous
Green Day - Platypus (I Hate You)
Jimmy Eat World - Robot Factory
Jawbreaker - Gutless
Hot Water Music - Trusty Chords
Actionslacks - I Hope This Makes It Easier For You
Tom Waits - Who Are You?
The Clash - Career Opportunities

For driving out of the office:
Mineral - July (find a higher-quality version of the audio)
Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime

And for the morning after, sleeping in...
Owen - Put Your Hands On Me, My Love

And lest you feel yourself perhaps becoming a tad too bitter...
Ani DiFranco - Back Back Back
posted by (The Rt Hon.) MP at 7:35 AM on July 13, 2011


Response by poster: So many good answers! Thanks to all -- I loaded up a grooveshark playlist, and just handed out bests to those that were extensive, or something I particularly liked or found unexpected. Things are looking up already!
posted by dr. boludo at 5:58 PM on July 13, 2011


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