| Out of Work | |
| Cover: | Out_of_Work_-_Gary_U.S._Bonds.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Gary U.S. Bonds |
| Album: | On the Line |
| B-Side: | Bring Her Back |
| Released: | June 1982 |
| Length: | 2:53 |
| Label: | EMI America |
| Producer: | Bruce Springsteen |
| Prev Title: | It's Only Love |
| Prev Year: | 1981 |
| Next Title: | Soul Deep |
| Next Year: | 1982 |
"Out of Work" is a 1982 song by American singer Gary U.S. Bonds, from his album On the Line. The song was written by Bruce Springsteen[1] and became a moderate hit in the United States.
In 2020, Bonds released an online version of the song tailored to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2] [3]
"Out of Work" reached No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1982.[4] It also reached No. 10 on the Billboard Rock Tracks chart and No. 82 on the R&B chart.[5] In Canada, the song reached #22.[6]
Writing in The Boston Phoenix, Sally Cragin said that "Out of Work harkens most conventionally to early protest song history. With a spitited lift-your-burdens R&B beat, the song has an admirable plainspokedness. -- Bonds isn't angry so much as energized."[7]
