By Sharon Oliver
Contributing Writer
BOSTON – Disco legend and Boston native Donna Summer’s1983 hit single “She Works Hard for the Money” served as a pressing reminder to all working-class women (and men) who punched in at a time clock. It was a chance meeting with a Los Angeles restroom attendant that inspired the song.
West Hollywood restaurant
During an appearance on the television show “You Write the Songs,” the singer described a scene wherein she and her manager Susan Muneo entered the ladies room at West Hollywood’s posh Chasen’s restaurant and encountered a woman named Onetta Johnson who unwittingly stirred up an idea for a song.
According to Summer on udiscovermusic.com, “We peeked around the corner, and there was a little lady sitting there with her head tilted to the side, and she was just gone – she was asleep […] I looked at her, and my heart just filled up with compassion for this lady, and I thought to myself, ‘God, she works hard for the money, cooped up in this stinky little room all night.’”
In terms of societal issues such as workers feeling underappreciated and underpaid, the song still resonates as it did back then, maybe even more so. The line “just tips for pay” draws attention to the challenges that come with low-wage earnings, where some often rely on tips to help make ends meet. The song quickly became a huge hit, reaching No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and solidified Summer’s reputation as a strong voice for female empowerment.
Photo/Wikimedia Commons
The single is a tribute to Johnson, a restroom attendant who was taking a nursing exam, worked two jobs and was pulling a double shift to make ends meet. Not only does the opening line of the song, “Onetta there in the corner stand,” pays homage to Johnson but she also appears on the back of the album cover alongside Summer. Nothing glamourous. No designer clothing. Just two women dressed in a waitress uniform, side by side, saying her work matters.
Remembering ‘ordinary people’
In her autobiography “Ordinary Girl,” the singer and accomplished painter spoke about being depressed as a child and seeing a therapist when she was a teenager, something that was uncommon at the time, particularly for African Americans. Nevertheless, once she reached stardom, she never forgot the so-called ordinary people. Summer’s life experience allowed her to see Johnson for who she was, at least in part, a hard-working woman who was dedicated to advancing her education in hopes of getting a better job.
Summer told a reporter for thegrio.com, “I had such a feeling of love and compassion for this woman. I really appreciated her role in society and began to think of other people with similar roles who do odds and ends, like waitresses, hat-check girls and mothers without husbands who keep society where it should be but don’t get credit.”
“She Works Hard for The Money” was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 1984 Grammys, where Summer opened the show with a live performance of the song. The Brian Grant-directed music video which showed women working jobs from cleaners to waitresses and taking on domestic labor at home was also hit and was the first by a Black female artist to be placed into heavy rotation on MTV.
Fast forward to 2026. Hourly wages have not skyrocketed for many, and tips still do not cover the cost of healthcare, car loans, insurance, electricity, rent, mortgage, etc., in most cities. As a reminder and lesson from the song’s humbling lyrics, perhaps those on the receiving end of those working hard in customer service type jobs for low pay can learn a little something or take time to be a little more gracious. As the late disco queen commanded long ago, we’d better treat them right.
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