We've spent more time crushing after Dolly's clever quips than we're willing to admit. But let's talk a little bit about what the eclectic singer really is known for. Is it her music? Her unusual voice? Her candidness? Her propensity for wigs, make-up, and a self-proclaimed "cheap" look?
Dolly playfully cultivates her image to—as cliché as it may sound—become one of a kind. In fact, the endlessly charming and funny Dolly Parton is a master performer who has a tight hold on her public image. She literally never goes out without her makeup and wig on (even when she was headed to the set of Nine to Five only to get different makeup and a different wig put on). The public has seen Dolly as a sweet-faced young country singer, a children's philanthropist, a heart-broken lover (or musical partner), and even an impossibly sweet brothel mistress.
"9 to 5" presents Parton playing with yet another persona: Dolly as the put-upon working girl, speaking out on behalf of all the young women who are just trying to get by in the world. The message is no less interesting because Parton herself is often praised as a shrewd businesswoman.
Whatever title she gets tagged with, positive or negative, Dolly Parton usually has a humble, clever response, like that a "strong Southern woman" is "somebody that’s confident in who they are. I’ve always believed in my talent. And I’ve always had more guts than talent. So I’ve always had to go that extra mile. I’ve always wanted to be a star. [...] So I knew there was a price to pay for that." (Source)
"9 to 5" may be a worker's lament, but it has that almost ridiculously chipper quality that Dolly Parton carries into all of her roles, on film and off. She consistently presents herself as friendly and open, telling fans and reporters that she loves them and giving out quaint life advice. After a 1980 interview with Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, Siskel said, "This will sound crazy, but when I was interviewing Dolly Parton, I almost felt like she had healing powers." (Source)
And honestly, he's right: even in a song about workplace fatigue, it's hard not to get sucked in by Dolly Parton's infectious charm.