1981 Pop Song, Which Was Featured Heavily on ‘Seinfeld,' Was Named a No. 1 Hit 45 Years Ago

Sheena Easton's "9 to 5" is more commonly known as "Morning Train" because the song title was changed in the US and Canada to avoid confusion with the Dolly Parton hit of the same name. "Morning Train" came from Easton's 1981 album, Take My Time. However, it was released as a single in 1980 and went on to become the biggest hit of her career. The song was certified gold and reached No. 1 on the US pop and adult contemporary charts. It also reached the top of the Billboard pop charts and remained there for two weeks, starting its run 45 years ago today.

The music video for the song was filmed on the Bluebell Railway, which ran between East and West Sussex in England. When asked about what the success of the song felt like by Classic Pop Mag, she said, "I honestly don't recall what it felt like. There was so much going on, with so much promotion to do, that I didn't have time to really take it all in."

"Morning Train" has appeared in many different films and television shows throughout the years. The most notable was when it appeared on the hit NBCsitcom, Seinfeld, two separate times. In season 7, during an episode titled "The Bizarro Jerry," the song played while a montage of Kramer's work experience was shown. It appeared again the following season in an episode called "The Butter Shave," playing while George commuted to his job.

The song also appeared in the 2004 comedy, EuroTrip. It played when two characters entered a fictional British pub in London, and were forced to sing along to it. It was also sung by Eric Cartman in South Park during season 5.

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Easton rose to fame when she was featured on the reality TV show, The Big Time: Pop Singer in 1980. This was a British series that documented her journey from being an unknown singer to signing a record deal with EMI. Throughout her career, she won several Grammy Awards and collaborated with big names like Prince, Kenny Rogers, and Babyface.

Easton has not released a new album since 2000. When speaking about how tough the industry is, she has said, "You're expected to come out of the box with a hit and keep going – and there's so much self-promotion you have to do." Now 67, she still performs occasional shows.

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This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 7:51 AM.