All In A Day's Work

All In A Day's Work
Written by Dennis DeYoung, Glen Burtnik
Lead Vocals by Glen Burtnik

She wakes up from a dream, checks the mirror for reality
She says "Come on girl, it's all in a day's work"
Gets herself dressed just in time, disappears on the 8:05
Oh the whistle blows and it's all in a day's work
'Til she calls it a day

Oh she smiles as he glances up from the swimsuit issue
Oh she sighs as he walks away into the downtown day

Day after day night after night
Loneliness creeps in her window
She locks the door, turns off the light
Rehearsing a kiss on her pillow, she cries
It's all in a day's work

Turning pages while the memories pass
Familiar faces from her senior class
How the years go by when it's all in a day's work
"Dearest Ruby, hope you reach your star
Don't ever change, stay as sweet as you are"
And when a teardrop falls she calls it a day's work
She calls it a day

Oh she waits by the telephone for the call he promised
Oh it's late
She puts her heart away for another day

Day after day night after night
Loneliness creeps in her window
She locks the door, turns off the light
Rehearsing a kiss on her pillow, she cries
All in a day's work

Interpretation 

The story of a woman named Ruby, who could be anyone. This is a life not often acknowledged but all too common.

She wakes up from a dream, checks the mirror for reality
She says "Come on girl, it's all in a day's work"
Gets herself dressed just in time, disappears on the 8:05
Oh the whistle blows and it's all in a day's work
'Til she calls it a day

It can be hard to get up and go to work when you are alone, But Ruby gets ready and boards the train to go to work.

Oh she smiles as he glances up from the swimsuit issue
Oh she sighs as he walks away into the downtown day

On the train she sees a guy who she may have seen many times. He glances up but pays her no notice, more interested in the models in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.  She is disappointed when he walks away to head to work when they perhaps could have walked together and talked.

Turning pages while the memories pass
Familiar faces from her senior class
How the years go by when it's all in a day's work
"Dearest Ruby, hope you reach your star
Don't ever change, stay as sweet as you are"
And when a teardrop falls she calls it a day's work
She calls it a day

At home in the evening she looks through her high school yearbook. She sees something written by a past friend reminding her of how much hope she had. Instead she is feeling lonely and somewhat hopeless so she cries.

Oh she waits by the telephone for the call he promised
Oh it's late
She puts her heart away for another day

One day she talks to the man on the train or perhaps a co-worker, and she gives him her number. When he doesn't call, her heart breaks a little more.

Day after day night after night
Loneliness creeps in her window
She locks the door, turns off the light
Rehearsing a kiss on her pillow, she cries
It's all in a day's work

Every day is the same.  At the end of the day, she goes to sleep just wishing life had turned out the way she had dreamed.