Just A Working Girl
PJ Harvey · Other Songs - PJ Harvey
A layman, with the key to the Pearly Gates,
signs his fake name in illegible scrawl,
and a right-on type, the most ashamed of all.
Just a working girl - schemes and misses appointments
Just a working girl - dreams and disappointments.
A fishmonger who hasn't washed for a week.
A graphic artist who rinses so much he squeaks.
A butcher with knotted muscles and a potted belly.
Medical students, alls schoolboy chuckles and petroleum jelly.
The overalls of bricklayers on a Saturday night.
The suits of glum professionals with midweek blight.
The glasses of computer freaks who've laid their software down,
and the arses of accountants heaving up and down, up and down.
A sales assistant with his petty hand in the till.
The gasman is collecting just one more bill.
A headmaster with a Polaroid and a pleated uniform.
The nightwatchman stops by quickly on his long walk home.
Just a working girl - schemes and missed appointments.
Just a working girl - dreams and disappointments.
Just a working girl - creams and dull apartments.
Just A Working Girl
PJ Harvey's "Just A Working Girl" stands as a defining track from her 1993 debut album, *Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea*. The song exemplifies her signature blend of gothic rock and blues-infused guitar work, characterized by her distinctive, gravelly vocal delivery. Released during a pivotal era for indie music, the recording captures the raw, atmospheric tension of her early sound, blending melancholic lyrics with driving rhythms. It remains a cornerstone of her discography, illustrating her ability to transform personal narrative into universal themes of struggle and resilience. The track's enduring appeal lies in its gritty production and Harvey's commanding presence, cementing her status as a formidable force in alternative rock.