Johnny Paycheck's only No. 1 hit, "Take This Job And Shove It", released in 1977, is widely assumed to be his own composition, but it was actually written by fellow country artist David Allan Coe. The song's origin lies not in workplace frustration, as its title might suggest, but in a chance remark made after Coe performed an act of heroism, a detail that adds an unexpected twist to the story behind one of country music's most enduring working-class anthems.

According to the 2003 documentary "David Allan Coe: Live At Billy Bob's Texas", Coe dived into water to free boats from a dock fire while travelling with companions to Johnny Cash's home, and local news covered the rescue. Afterwards, songwriter Billy Sherrill jokingly suggested Coe become a firefighter, prompting Coe's retort that they could "take that job and shove it"; Sherrill then urged him to turn the phrase into a song, which Coe wrote in about five minutes. Sherrill, who produced the track, originally intended it for George Jones, but offered it to Paycheck after Jones failed to appear at the recording session; the song went on to earn a CMA Award nomination for Single of the Year.