Members – Working Girl

Working Girl will probably not be remembered by everyone but it was a good song. Its video pushed the idea of the song…a layabout musician who was mooching off of his girlfriend so he didn’t have to get a real job himself.

This song was released in 1981 and got some MTV play. I was at my cousin’s house when I first heard it and I liked it right away. When the chorus kicks in it’s bright and a great hook. The Members started as a punk band from England.

The song is not one I heard on the radio much back then…mostly just the video.  Working Girl peaked at #34 on the Billboard Mainstream Charts and #41 on the UK Indie Chart.

The band broke formed in 1976 with lead singer Nicky Tesco (real name Nick Lightowlers), Gary Baker (guitar), and Steve Morley (bass guitar), initially with Steve Maycock then Clive Parker (drums). Morley and Parker were later replaced by Chris Payne and Adrian Lillywhite.

The band broke up in 1983 when Tesco left the band after a tour of the U.S. The original lineup was reformed in 2008. After releasing only 3 albums during their original run… they released 8 albums including the greatest hits and live album between 2010 thru 2021. Tesco passed away in 2022.

Working Girl

See her laughing, talking as she’s walking to the factory
She don’t look that much
But I tell you, she’s a ticket to the easy life for me

If she works nine to five
Sure to keep my love alive
If she works nine to five
That’s okay with me

Hey, I’m in love with the working girl
Hey, I’m in love with the working girl

I walk up to her
Tell her how we must have been made for each other
And I’d take her home
Why, I’d even take her ’round for tea with my mother

Then she can go out to work and I’d
Lie around the house in the dirt and
She could go out to work
Bring her money home for me

Hey, I’m in love with the working girl
Hey, I’m in love with the working girl

(Working girl)
We got a love so pure
(Working girl)
She pays the rent
(Working girl)
Once in a lifetime chance in her
(Working girl)
Must be heaven-sent

Hey, I’m in love with the working girl
Hey, I’m in love with the working girl

We go out at night
She can buy all the drinks with the money she’s earned
I dazzle her with science
And grace her with all this truth and knowledge I’ve learned

Then we can come back to her place
I’d put on my “hate to borrow money” face
We get a cab to her place
She’d do alright by me

Hey, I’m in love with the working girl
Hey, I’m in love with the working girl
Hey, I’m in love with the working girl
Hey, I’m in love with the working girl

Hey, I’m in love with the working girl
Hey, I’m in love with the working girl
Hey, I’m in love with the working girl
Hey, I’m in love with the working girl

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

29 thoughts on “Members – Working Girl”

  2. don’t remember that one at all! Fun video and alright post-punk kind of sound but somehow doesn’t really grab me at first listen. But the video probably helped it over here; in Canada our video hours were limited in ’81. Singer sure had that early-’80s hair mastered though, right?

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    1. It stuck with me for weeks…it was on MTV constantly…our rock radio station even played it…which that was rare of them playing this style.
      He was on it.

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      4. Someone else mentioned that one also….this is the one that was played here but I like that song also.
        That….is funny.

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  6. Good wee sing-along chorus. And it’s great to hear a musician who wants to put the work into a relationship.
    Run, working girl, run, this ain’t ever gonna work out in your favour.

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    1. The verse is ok…but it dynamically sets up that chorus.
      It’s like the old joke…what do you call a guitar player without a girlfriend? Homeless.

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  8. Pretty good tune. I don’t think I ever heard it before. It’s kind of funny seeing the ginormous landline phones in the video. If this would be shot today, everybody would have cell phones and be taking selfies. You also gotta love that classic Mercedes 350SL convertible. I remember seeing those cars frequently when growing up in Germany.

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