Work Song (Hozier song)

{{Infobox song

| name = Work Song

| cover = File:Work Song Page.jpg

| alt =

| type = single

| artist = Hozier

| album = Hozier

| released = 16 March 2015

| recorded = 2013

| studio =

| genre = {{hlist|Soul|blues|gospel}}

| length = {{Duration|m=3|s=49}}

| label = {{hlist|Rubyworks|Island}}

| writer = Andrew Hozier-Byrne

| producer = {{hlist|Rob Kirwan|Andrew Hozier-Byrne}}

| prev_title = Sedated

| prev_year = 2014

| next_title = Someone New

| next_year = 2015

| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|nH7bjV0Q_44|"Work Song"}}}}

}}

"Work Song" is a song recorded by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier for his 2014 eponymous debut studio album. It was released on 16 March 2015 as the fifth single from the record, appearing on the Irish Singles Chart and Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. An accompanying music video was released in March 2015.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=nH7bjV0Q_44&pp=ygUQd29yayBzb25nIGhvemllcg%3D%3D |title=Hozier - Work Song (Official Video) |date=2015-03-23 |last=HozierVEVO |access-date=2025-04-21 |via=YouTube}} The song appeared in the fifteenth episode of the eighth season of the American procedural drama 9-1-1.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=81_3JexylKM&pp=ygUUYm9iYnkgbmFzaCA5MTEgZGVhdGg%3D |title=9-1-1 8x15 BOBBY NASH IS DEAD |date=2025-04-17 |last=Fans Of 911 On abc |access-date=2025-04-21 |via=YouTube}}

Promotion and release

On 5 March 2015, Hozier played the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.{{cite web|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/VIDEO-Hozier-Performs-New-Single-Work-Song-on-TONIGHT-SHOW-20150306|title=VIDEO: Hozier Performs New Single 'Work Song' on TONIGHT SHOW|author=TV News Desk|work=broadwayworld.com}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/segments/114836|title=Hozier: Work Song|work=NBC.com}} The song impacted United States Rock Radio on 16 March 2015. "Work Song" was featured in the trailer for George Tillman Jr.'s 2015 film adaptation of The Longest Ride, a novel by Nicholas Sparks{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} as well an episode of NBC's occult drama Constantine.{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

Writing and composition

"Work Song" is a gospel-blues song listed as the ninth track on the album, written by Hozier.{{cite web |title=Work Song |url=https://www.allmusic.com/song/work-song-mt0050575117 |website=AllMusic |access-date=10 January 2021}} Hozier cites the song as one of his favorites from the record.{{cite web |title=GIMME YOUR ANSWERS: AN INTERVIEW W/ HOZIER |url=https://amusicblogyea.com/2014/04/15/gimme-your-answers-an-interview-w-hozier/ |website=Alicia Atout |date=15 April 2014 |access-date=11 January 2021}} "Work Song" has "nuances of soul" with a "strong melodic bass", composed of percussion, tambourines, guitar, and "murmurous" vocals, while the lyrics describe a love of "undying sweetness" and devotion.{{cite magazine |last1=Brown |first1=Harley |title=Album Review: Hozier, 'Hozier' |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6281404/album-review-hozier-hozier |magazine=Billboard}}{{cite web |title=review: 'Hozier,' Hozier |url=http://www.dailyuw.com/arts_and_leisure/article_32b4d65b-3b99-5e5b-be43-f4f16ddfac19.html |website=The Daily |date=7 October 2014 |access-date=11 January 2021}} The song possesses gospel backing vocals and church-like hand-claps, with literary themes of love, sin, and religion returning to the record.{{cite web |title=Hozier releases stunning video for latest single 'Work Song' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/hozier-releases-stunning-video-latest-single-work-song-10130028.html |website=Independent |access-date=11 January 2021}}

Critical reception

"Work Song" received acclaim from critics; The Arts Desk described it as an "elegiac spiritual head-nodder" that Hozier sings through with "easy familiarity", while The Irish Times described it as "mental-good", establishing him as "far from the boilerplate soul/blues of today".{{cite web |title=CD: Hozier - Hozier |url=https://www.theartsdesk.com/new-music/cd-hozier-hozier |website=The Arts Desk |date=30 September 2014 |access-date=11 January 2021}}{{cite news |title=Hozier |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/album-choice-hozier-hozier-1.1933469 |newspaper=The Irish Times |access-date=11 January 2021}} It is often cited as one of the strongest tracks on Hozier.{{cite web |title=Hozier Review |url=http://state.ie/album-reviews/hozier-hozier |website=Slate |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425014541/http://state.ie/album-reviews/hozier-hozier |access-date=11 January 2021|archive-date=2016-04-25 }}

Commercial performance

The song peaked at number 15 on Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, spending twelve weeks on the chart and appeared within the top twenty on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 and Adult Alternative Songs charts, respectively.{{cite magazine |title=Work Song |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/hozier/chart-history/aaa/ |magazine=Billboard |access-date=11 January 2021}}

Music video

The official music video for "Work Song" was released on 23 March 2015.{{cite magazine |title=Watch Hozier Host a Weird Dance Party in 'Work Song' Video |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/6509468/hozier-work-song-video |magazine=Billboard |access-date=11 January 2021}} Hozier shot the video the day after the Grammy Awards, and reportedly woke up with an "outrageous hangover" during the shoot.{{cite web |title=Hozier Interview: "The success of the first album took me completely by surprise" |url=https://www.hotpress.com/music/hozier-interview-success-first-album-took-completely-surprise-22788426 |website=Hotpress |access-date=11 January 2021}} The video features him performing for a crowd, where the audience begins to break out into synchronized, slow, dancing, that "verges on performance art", embodying the romantic lyrics of the track. The video has amassed over 118 million views on YouTube.{{cite web |title=Work Song |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=RDfkL6wR0xghA&v=nH7bjV0Q_44 |website=Youtube| date=23 March 2015 }}

Charts

=Weekly charts=

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+2014–2015 weekly chart performance for "Work Song"

! scope="col"| Chart (2014–2015)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|Ireland3|47|artist=Hozier|accessdate=26 September 2023|rowheader=true}}

{{single chart|Billboardbubbling100|20|artist=Hozier|accessdate=8 April 2015|rowheader=true}}

{{single chart|Billboardrocksongs|15|artist=Hozier|accessdate=26 February 2015|rowheader=true}}

{{single chart|Billboardadultalternativesongs|15|artist=Hozier|accessdate=26 March 2015|rowheader=true}}

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+2023–2024 weekly chart performance for "Work Song"

! scope="col"| Chart (2023–2024)

! scope="col"| Peak
position

{{single chart|Canada|92|artist=Hozier|accessdate=26 September 2023|rowheader=true}}

{{single chart|Ireland4|39|date=20240712|rowheader=true|access-date=12 July 2024|refname=ire-2024}}

=Year-end charts=

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" \|+Year-end chart performance for "Work Song" ! scope="col"\| Chart (2015) ! scope="col"\| Position
scope="row"\| US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine\|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/hot-rock-songs\|title=Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2015\|magazine=Billboard\|accessdate=1 June 2020}} \| 65

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Year-end chart performance for "Work Song"

! scope="col"| Chart (2015)

! scope="col"| Position

scope="row"| US Hot Rock Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2015/hot-rock-songs|title=Hot Rock Songs – Year-End 2015|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=1 June 2020}}

| 65

Certifications

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Work Song"}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Hozier|title=Work Song|type=single|award=Gold|relyear=2015|certyear=2024|access-date=12 March 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Hozier|title=Work Song|award=Platinum|number=5|type=single|relyear=2014|certyear=2025|access-date=6 March 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|title=Work Song|artist=Hozier|type=single|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=2015|certyear=2024|source=radioscope|access-date=6 March 2025}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Hozier|title=Work Song|award=Platinum|type=single|relyear=2014|certyear=2024|id=15991-3978-1|access-date=14 June 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Hozier|title=Work Song|award=Platinum|number=3|type=single|relyear=2015|certyear=2024|access-date=11 April 2024}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}

Release history

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" \|+Release history and formats for "Work Song" ! scope="col"\| Region ! scope="col"\| Date ! scope="col"\| Format ! scope="col"\| Label
scope="row" rowspan="2"\| United States{{cite web \|url=http://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases \|title=Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases \|publisher=All Access Music Group \|accessdate=26 February 2015 \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214014250/http://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases \|url-status=live \|archivedate=14 February 2015}}{{cite web \|url=http://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases \|title=Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases \|publisher=All Access Music Group \|accessdate=26 February 2015 \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150310144924/http://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases \|url-status=live \|archivedate=10 March 2015}} \| 16 March 2015 \| Adult album alternative radio \| rowspan="2"\| Columbia
17 March 2015 \| Modern rock radio

class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+Release history and formats for "Work Song"

! scope="col"| Region

! scope="col"| Date

! scope="col"| Format

! scope="col"| Label

scope="row" rowspan="2"| United States{{cite web |url=http://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases |title=Future Releases on Triple A (AAA) Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases |publisher=All Access Music Group |accessdate=26 February 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150214014250/http://www.allaccess.com/triple-a/future-releases |url-status=live |archivedate=14 February 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases |title=Future Releases on Alternative Radio Stations, Independent Artist Song Releases |publisher=All Access Music Group |accessdate=26 February 2015 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150310144924/http://www.allaccess.com/alternative/future-releases |url-status=live |archivedate=10 March 2015}}

| 16 March 2015

| Adult album alternative radio

| rowspan="2"| Columbia

17 March 2015

| Modern rock radio

References

Category:2015 singles

Category:2014 songs

Category:Hozier songs

Category:Songs written by Hozier

Category:Island Records singles

Category:Gospel songs