• Keep Your Day Job
    Lyrics By:
    Music By:

    Maybe you collect or maybe you pay
    Still got to work that eight hour day
    Whether you like that job or not
    Keep it on ice while you're lining up your long shot (note 1)
    Which is to say, hey-ey

    Keep your day job
    Don't give it away
    Keep your day job
    Whatever they say

    Ring that bell for whatever it's worth
    When Monday comes, don't forget about work
    By now you know that face on your dollar
    Got a thumb to its nose and a hand on your collar
    Which is to say, hey-ey

    Punch that time card, check that clock
    But when Monday comes gotta run, run, run - not walk

    Steady boy, study that eight day hour
    But don't underrate that pay-check power
    If you ask me, which I know you don't
    I'd tell you to do what I know you won't
    Which is to say, hey-ey

    Daddy may drive a V-8 'vet
    Mama may bathe in champagne yet
    God bless the child with his own stash
    Nine to five and a place to crash

    Keep your day job, until your night job pays

    The version in the second edition of the Hunter lyric book is as follows (see below for the Dead's version):

    (1) the first edition of the Hunter book had this line as "Gotta do your work while you're lining up your long shot"

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The version in the second edition of the Hunter lyric book is as follows (see below for the Dead's version):

(1) the first edition of the Hunter book had this line as "Gotta do your work while you're lining up your long shot"

Lyrics By
Robert Hunter
Music By
Jerry Garcia
Lyrics

Maybe you collect or maybe you pay
Still got to work that eight hour day
Whether you like that job or not
Keep it on ice while you're lining up your long shot (note 1)
Which is to say, hey-ey

Keep your day job
Don't give it away
Keep your day job
Whatever they say

Ring that bell for whatever it's worth
When Monday comes, don't forget about work
By now you know that face on your dollar
Got a thumb to its nose and a hand on your collar
Which is to say, hey-ey

Punch that time card, check that clock
But when Monday comes gotta run, run, run - not walk

Steady boy, study that eight day hour
But don't underrate that pay-check power
If you ask me, which I know you don't
I'd tell you to do what I know you won't
Which is to say, hey-ey

Daddy may drive a V-8 'vet
Mama may bathe in champagne yet
God bless the child with his own stash
Nine to five and a place to crash

Keep your day job, until your night job pays