Stormy Monday
Albert Collins and The Icebreakers Lyrics


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A young man that inspired me on a guitar
Mr. T-Bone Walker, I'm gonna do one of his tunes
for you ladies and gentlemen
Called Stormy Monday, if ya don't mind

Hello!
We used to do a lot of the shows together
They call it stormy Monday (thank you!)
Tuesday's just as bad
(Look out Les, this goin' out to you, Les)
And they call it stormy Monday
Tuesday's just as bad
Wednesday's worse
Thursday, oh so sad, yeah

Yeah, that eagle flies on Friday, an' Saturday I go out to play
Yes, that eagle flies on Friday, an' Saturday I go out to play
Sunday I go to church, I do get on my knees an' pray

We got Larry Burton on guitar, how 'bout givin' him a hand, ladies and gentlemen?
(Yeah!)

The sun rise in the East, and it sets up in the West




Yeah, the sun rise in the East, baby, and it sets up in the West, yeah
It's hard to tell, it's hard to tell, which one of my love, that I love best

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Stormy Monday" by Albert Collins and The Icebreakers describe the ups and downs of life, particularly through the lens of the days of the week. The song begins with Collins paying tribute to one of his inspirations on guitar, T-Bone Walker, before launching into the tune. He notes that Mondays are famously difficult, but Tuesdays are just as bad. And while Wednesdays are worse, Thursdays are even sadder. However, the weekend brings some respite with Friday's "eagle" soaring and Saturday being a day to go out and play. Meanwhile, Sunday is a day for prayer and reflection.


Throughout the song, Collins and the Icebreakers interweave guitar riffs and musical phrases, creating a bluesy sound that reflects the melancholy mood of the lyrics. The repetition of the days of the week creates a sense of the cyclical nature of life, with its inevitable highs and lows. The lyrics are also a nod to the history of the blues, which often draw on the struggles of African Americans in the United States, particularly in the South.


Overall, "Stormy Monday" is a powerful tribute to the blues, both as a genre of music and as a way of understanding the human experience. With its blend of musical virtuosity and emotional depth, the song remains a classic of the blues canon.


Line by Line Meaning

A young man that inspired me on a guitar
Albert Collins is acknowledging T-Bone Walker's influence on his guitar playing and is about to perform one of T-Bone's songs for the audience.


Called Stormy Monday, if ya don't mind
Albert Collins is introducing the song he is going to perform called 'Stormy Monday.'


They call it stormy Monday (thank you!)
Albert Collins is starting to perform 'Stormy Monday' and expressing his gratitude to the audience.


Tuesday's just as bad (Look out Les, this goin' out to you, Les) And they call it stormy Monday Tuesday's just as bad Wednesday's worse Thursday, oh so sad, yeah
The days of the week are used as metaphors to describe the ups and downs of the artist's life. Tuesday is not much better than Monday, and the rest of the week is even worse.


Yeah, that eagle flies on Friday, an' Saturday I go out to play Yes, that eagle flies on Friday, an' Saturday I go out to play Sunday I go to church, I do get on my knees an' pray
The artist explains that on Fridays he gets paid, and on Saturdays he enjoys himself by going out. Then on Sundays, he attends church and prays.


We got Larry Burton on guitar, how 'bout givin' him a hand, ladies and gentlemen? (Yeah!)
Albert Collins introduces Larry Burton and encourages the audience to give him a round of applause for his guitar playing.


The sun rise in the East, and it sets up in the West Yeah, the sun rise in the East, baby, and it sets up in the West, yeah It's hard to tell, it's hard to tell, which one of my love, that I love best
The singer says that it is a fact that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. This is used as a metaphor to express that it is difficult to choose between his loves.




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Aaron T-Bone Walker

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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