Korner is probably best remembered as a networker and blues historian, although he was a proficient guitarist and a distinctive (if not accomplished) vocalist. Often referred to as "the Father of British Blues", Korner was instrumental in bringing together various English blues musicians.
In 1961, Korner and Cyril Davies formed Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, initially a loose-knit group of musicians with a shared love of electric blues and R&B music. The group included, at various times, such influential musicians as Charlie Watts, Jack Bruce, Ginger Baker, Long John Baldry, Graham Bond, Danny Thompson and Dick Heckstall-Smith. It also attracted a wider crowd of mostly younger fans, some of whom occasionally performed with the group, including Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Rod Stewart, John Mayall and Jimmy Page.
In 1970 Korner and Peter Thorup formed a big band ensemble, CCS (short for The Collective Consciousness Society) which had several hit singles produced by Mickie Most, including a version of Led Zeppelin's "Whole Lotta Love" which was used as the theme for BBC's Top Of The Pops for several years. This was the period of Korner's greatest commercial success in the UK.
In 1973, he formed another group, Snape, with Boz Burrell, Mel Collins, and Ian Wallace, previously together in King Crimson. Korner also played on B.B. King's Supersession album, and cut his own, similar album, Get Off My Cloud, with Keith Richards, Peter Frampton, Nicky Hopkins, and members of Joe Cocker's Grease Band.
In the mid 1970s, while touring Germany, he established an intensive working relationship with bassist Colin Hodgkinson who played for the support act Back Door. They would continue to collaborate until the end.
In the 1970s Korner's main career was in broadcasting. In 1973 he presented a six part documentary for the BBC, The Rolling Stones Story, and in 1977 he established a weekly blues and soul show on Radio 1, which ran until 1981. He also used his gravelly voice to great effect as an advertising voice over artist.
In 1978, for Korner's 50th birthday, an all-star concert was held featuring many of his friends mentioned above, as well as Eric Clapton, Paul Jones, Chris Farlowe, Zoot Money and other friends, which was later released as The Party Album, and as a video.
In 1981, he joined another "supergroup", Rocket 88, a project led by Ian Stewart based around boogie-woogie keyboard players, which featured a rhythm section comprising Jack Bruce and Charlie Watts, among others, as well as a horn section. They toured Europe and released an album on Atlantic Records.
Alexis Korner, a lifelong smoker, died of lung cancer on January 1st 1984, aged 55.
Blue Monday
Alexis Korner Lyrics
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Got me workin' like a dog all day
Here comes Tuesday, oh hard Tuesday
I'm so tired, I've got no time to play
Look out Wednesday I'm beat to my bone
My girl calls, I gotta tell her I'm not home
She knows Thursday is a hard workin day
Til Friday I get paid
All my tired has gone away
Got my money and my honey
And we're out on the town to play
Sunday morning my head is bad
But it's worth it, all the times I had
But I've still got to get my rest
For Monday is a mess Saturday morning,
Oh Satirday morning
All my tired has gone away
Me and my honey, we got some money
And were out on the town play
Sunday morning my head is bad
But it's worth all the times I had
But I've got to go and get some rest
For Monday is a mess!
The lyrics of Alexis Korner's "Blue Monday" express the singer's exhaustion and frustration with the daily grind of work. The repetitiveness of going to work everyday is expressed through the mention of each day of the week and describing how exhausted and drained he is day after day. The only relief he experiences is on Saturday, when he receives his paycheck and gets to enjoy himself with his significant other. The singer acknowledges that his behavior on the weekends may lead to him feeling poorly on Sunday, but he doesn't regret it because he needs the break from the harsh reality of his workplace.
The song captures the common sentiment of the working class, who struggle to balance the necessity of working to survive with the desire for leisure and enjoyment. The repetition of the phrase "blue Monday," used to describe the daily grind of work, emphasizes the cyclical nature of the workweek and how it can feel like an endless cycle of monotony.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue Monday, how I hate blue Monday
The singer dislikes Monday and views it as a negative start to the work week.
Got me workin' like a dog all day
The singer feels overworked and exhausted from the demands of the day.
Here comes Tuesday, oh hard Tuesday
Although Tuesday is not as bad as Monday, it is still a difficult day filled with work.
I'm so tired, I've got no time to play
The artist is too worn out to have any time for leisure activities.
Look out Wednesday I'm beat to my bone
By the middle of the week, the artist is completely exhausted.
My girl calls, I gotta tell her I'm not home
The singer is too tired to socialize, even with their significant other.
She knows Thursday is a hard workin day
Thursday is another day filled with work, and the singer's partner understands this.
Til Friday I get paid
The only motivation for the artist to continue working is to receive their paycheck on Friday.
Oh Saturday morning, Saturday morning
The weekend has finally arrived and the artist is filled with energy and happiness.
All my tired has gone away
The fatigue from the work week has dissipated and the artist feels refreshed.
Got my money and my honey
The singer has their paycheck and their partner, and is ready to enjoy the weekend.
And we're out on the town to play
The artist and their partner are going out to have fun and enjoy their free time.
Sunday morning my head is bad
The singer has become hungover from their night out.
But it's worth it, all the times I had
Despite the hangover, the singer views their weekend as a valuable and enjoyable experience.
But I've still got to get my rest
The singer knows they need to rest in order to prepare for another work week.
For Monday is a mess
The artist anticipates another difficult start to the work week and recognizes the importance of being well-rested for it.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dave Bartholomew
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
John Benn
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a 73yo Aussie fan.