Known to many as the opening theme to the second Season of the Drew Carey Show,
"Five O'Clock World," written by Allen Reynolds, was a hit for the Vogues in 1965, reaching #4 on the Billboard charts.
Up every mornin’ just to keep a job
I gotta fight my way through the hustling mob
Sounds of the city poundin’ in my brain
While another day goes down the drain (yeah, yeah)
But it’s a five o’clock world when the whistle blows
No one owns a piece of my time
And there’s a five o’clock me inside my clothes
Thinkin’ that the world looks fine, yeah
(Yodel: oh-de-lay-ee-ee...)
In 1988, Julian Cope released his own version (which has no yodelling) from his My Nation Underground album as a single:
Verse 1: Same as above, plus
But when you try so hard, just to be someone
To be someone you wanna be
All my friendless putdowns count me out
Gives me something else to believe (yeah yeah)
Chorus:
Well it’s a 5 o’clock world when the whistle blows
And I’m attending to you
And it’s a 5 o’clock shadow when the missile blows
I thank god for you
The Vogues' version was also recorded by honorary Texas Singer/songwriter Hal Ketchum on his 1991 Past the Point of Rescue CD.