Stormy Monday
Bobby "Blue" Bland & B.B. King Lyrics
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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
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
"Stormy Monday" is a timeless blues classic performed by Bobby "Blue" Bland and B.B. King. In the introduction, B.B. King clearly sets out the inspiration of the song with an acknowledgement of the guitar work of T-Bone Walker, who he previously played shows with. The song is a blues standard known for its compelling melody and lyrics that evoke the sorrow and struggle of life.
Bobby "Blue" Bland takes over the lead vocals and delivers a soulful rendition of the tune. He sings about the bleakness of the week, starting with the "stormy Monday" and continuing with "Tuesday's just as bad" and "Wednesday's worse." Thursday is described as being "oh so sad." However, the singer's tone changes when he sings about Friday, with the imagery of an eagle flying high. The uplifted mood carries over into Saturday when the singer goes out to play. Finally, the song ends with the singer finding solace on Sunday when he goes to church and prays.
Overall, the song captures the everyday struggles of life and the ups and downs of the week. The soulful melody, heartfelt lyrics, and brilliant musicianship make "Stormy Monday" a timeless classic in the blues genre.
Line by Line Meaning
They call it stormy Monday
People refer to this particular day as stormy Monday
Tuesday's just as bad
Tuesday is equally as terrible
And they call it stormy Monday
This unpleasant day is commonly known as stormy Monday
Tuesday's just as bad
Tuesday is equally as terrible
Wednesday's worse
Wednesday is even worse than the previous days
Thursday, oh so sad, yeah
Thursday is a very sorrowful day
Yeah, that eagle flies on Friday, an' Saturday I go out to play
Friday is a symbol of freedom and Saturday is a fun day to go out and enjoy oneself
Yes, that eagle flies on Friday, an' Saturday I go out to play
Friday's concept of freedom and Saturday's recreation are both enjoyable
Sunday I go to church, I do get on my knees an' pray
Sunday is a day of worship where the singer goes to church and prays
The sun rise in the East, and it sets up in the West
The sun's movement in the sky is from East to West
Yeah, the sun rise in the East, baby, and it sets up in the West, yeah
The sun's movement in the sky is consistent
It's hard to tell, it's hard to tell, which one of my love, that I love best
The singer is conflicted and unable to decide which of his loves he loves the most
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: EARL HINES, BILLY ECKSTINE, BOB CROWDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Scombulis
What I love what's going on here w/ this under-rated version besides the impassioned performance by the BBs was the way Lucille quoted the T-Bone opening [and Wayne Bennett's, too], but the moment belongs to: << I want to hear Lucille >> and she rides the Johnny Pate horn arrangement like no other BLUES guitarist wailin' like a mofu...mercy
Yvonne Witherspoon
....but Tuesday"s just as bad Now that's "Da Blues" thanks
J Lockwood
The eagle flies on Friday... I know that's right!!!