If you need a second cup of ambition, Dolly Parton and Kelly Clarkson are serving it up hot. As part of Still Working 9 To 5, a documentary about the challenges that women still face in the workplace, Dolly’s iconic song from the 1980 classic was reimagined as a duet with the American Idol icon. The song also arrived on Sept. 9, National Women’s Equality Day.
Fans got an early preview of the song in the trailer for Still Working 9 To 5, released in late August. The new take on the song was produced by Shane McAnally, Sasha Alex Sloan, and King Henry and it earned high praise from Dolly. “I was blown away when I heard what Shane had done with my song,” Parton said, per Rolling Stone. “This arrangement shows how differently a song can be done, and the story can be told in a whole new way. A special thanks to Steve Summers [creative director for Dolly Parton Enterprises] for getting the ball rolling on this whole musical venture.”
“Who knew that 42 years later, I’d still be working 9 to 5,” Parton added. “I believed then, and I believe now, that every person deserves to be paid fairly for their work… no matter what they are. I think this documentary shows that the struggle continues and that we all need to do our part to help make things better for everybody.”
Dolly also teased the song when she stopped by The Kelly Clarkson show in late August. “You did a great job on that too. I love how you took that and just made it your own, and I got a chance to sing background for a change!” Dolly told Kelly, per Billboard. “But I’m really proud of that rendition of it, and I think, hopefully, it’ll do well for us. It’s great in the documentary.”
Still Working 9 To 5, directed by Camille Hardman and Gary Lane, documents the creation of the 1980 comedy and the following 40+ years of inequality that women faced following it. “Hardman and Lane have done a fine job in giving a classic comedy its due four decades later, but also letting it shine a light on a still raging topic that deserves still to be heard all this time later,” wrote critic Pete Hammond for Deadline. “Still Working 9 To 5 is a pretty good way however to carry on the message to new generations.”