“Take this job and shove it” is an angry, insulting way to say I quit and I want nothing more to do with this job. It is widely associated with a country song recorded by Johnny Paycheck in the late 1970s and later with a film of the same name.
The phrase can appear as a joke about workplace frustration. You should generally recognize it but not say it literally to a manager, colleague, or client. Shove it is rude and confrontational.
Where does the phrase come from?
Songwriter David Allan Coe wrote “Take This Job and Shove It,” and Johnny Paycheck recorded the version that became a major country hit in 1977. The title later inspired the 1981 comedy film Take This Job and Shove It.
The song's speaker has reached the end of his patience and is rejecting a job after years of dissatisfaction. Its blunt title turned it into a durable fantasy of quitting without diplomacy.
Someone may refer to the song even if they have no intention of resigning. The title efficiently expresses a feeling many workers recognize: I am so frustrated that I want to walk away right now.
What does shove it mean?
As a rude command, shove it means roughly take the unwanted thing away or I reject it completely. The expression carries aggression even when no physical action is intended.
Compare:
“I don't think this role is right for me.”
This is calm and professional.
“You can take this job and shove it.”
This attacks the job and, indirectly, the person or organization receiving the statement. It may damage relationships and could become part of a formal workplace record.
The phrase is not softened by saying please. Its cultural identity depends on its defiance.
What might you hear at work?
“After the fifth weekend of overtime, I was ready to play ‘Take This Job and Shove It.’”
The speaker is probably expressing frustration through the song title, not announcing a resignation.
“He had a real take-this-job-and-shove-it moment and walked out.”
Here, the title acts like an adjective. It describes a dramatic, angry departure.
A lot to take in? It is.
But Rome wasn't built in a day. Build your American workplace English one expression and cultural reference at a time—with curated explanations and structured practice in Lyra Practice.
Start a session →“This email reads like ‘take this job and shove it.’ Can we make it less emotional?”
The email may not contain the exact phrase. The reviewer means its tone sounds hostile or final.
“No, I'm not quitting. It was just a ‘take this job and shove it’ kind of day.”
This describes a difficult day with self-aware exaggeration.
Why you should not say it literally
Even if colleagues know the song, the sentence can be understood as an actual resignation. In text, recipients cannot reliably hear a joking tone. It may also sound personally abusive rather than merely dissatisfied.
Avoid writing it in Slack, email, a ticket, or an exit document. A humorous cultural reference can be copied without its original context.
Riskier:
“If the deadline moves again, you can take this job and shove it.”
Safer:
“Another deadline change would make the workload unsustainable. We need to reduce scope or add time.”
Riskier:
“I told my manager to shove it.”
Safer:
“I told my manager I could not accept the revised conditions.”
The safer versions preserve the boundary while removing the insult.
What can you say when you are seriously considering leaving?
If you want to raise a problem before deciding:
“The current schedule is not sustainable for me. Can we discuss alternatives?”
“I need clearer responsibilities and a realistic workload to continue in this role.”
If you have decided to resign:
“I've decided to resign from my position. My proposed final day is September 18.”
“Thank you for the opportunities I've had here. I'm submitting my formal notice today.”
You do not have to pretend that a bad experience was positive. A concise, factual resignation usually protects your interests better than a dramatic exit.
Recognition versus production
The title is useful cultural knowledge because it appears in jokes, headlines, films, playlists, and descriptions of quitting. It may feel dated or generational to some listeners because of its strong association with 1970s country music, though the message remains easy to infer.
If a coworker says it casually, do not automatically report that they have resigned. Check:
“Are you venting, or are you actually thinking about leaving?”
If the person appears seriously distressed, listen to the underlying problem rather than extending the joke.
For a less explosive expression about ordinary employment, see what 9 to 5 means at work. For a broader guide to decoding quoted lines, read how to handle cultural references in English at work. If the issue is professional limits rather than quitting, professional boundaries in an American workplace offers more useful language.