Mondays often inspire dread, and Paste magazine has curated a list of 10 tracks that capture the day's challenges and occasional uplift. From classic hits to modern takes, these songs offer commiseration or motivation for the start of the workweek. The selection ranges from upbeat anthems to darker reflections on the blues.
Paste magazine's feature highlights how musicians have long grappled with the monotony and frustration of Mondays through their lyrics and rhythms. The list begins with Fleetwood Mac's "Monday Morning," an upbeat Lindsey Buckingham composition that opens optimistically: "Monday morning, you sure look fine." It contrasts the typical zombie-like start to the week, aspiring for a more vibrant mood.
Moving to number nine, The Innocence Mission's "The Happy Mondays" features Karen Peris's breezy vocals from the album My Room in the Trees, designed to lift spirits and dispel bad moods. Duran Duran's "New Moon on Monday" at number eight invites listeners to ponder cryptic lines like "Shake up the picture, the lizard mixture" while easing into productivity.
Tegan and Sara's "Monday Monday Monday" ranks seventh, with the duo calling out mopey attitudes: "Damn your moodswings," urging cheer amid sisterly wit. The iconic "Monday Monday" by The Mamas & the Papas comes in at six, famously noting, "Every other day of the week is fine, yeah / But whenever Monday comes you can find me cryin’ all of the time," bolstered by their signature harmonies.
Prince-penned "Manic Monday" by The Bangles, at five, laments oversleeping and the rush to work. Fats Domino's "Blue Monday," fourth, builds toward relief by Saturday: "Got my money, got my honey / And I’m out on the stand to play."
Wilco's "Monday" from Being There serves as a third-place pick-me-up for coffee skippers. The Boomtown Rats' "I Don’t Like Mondays," second, draws from a tragic 1979 incident involving 16-year-old Brenda Ann Wilson, who cited the day as her motive for a shooting spree, adding a somber note.
Topping the list is New Order's "Blue Monday," praised as one of the greatest songs overall, with its pulsating drum beat ideal for kickstarting the week.
