Their quirky song lyrics often deal with monsters and the supernatural (especially as influenced by campy "creature feature" and scifi movies), in addition to more conventional themes, such as the visceral thrills of crushes and infatuations. They have stated that all their songs are either "love songs or monster songs."
Fans of Half Japanese include Penn Jillette, who helped the band release some of their albums on his ad hoc 50 Skidillion Watts label, and the late Kurt Cobain, who had them open for Nirvana's 1993 tour. Over time David Fair became less involved, ultimately quitting the band in favor of married life, and Jad brought in more outside musicians who have contributed to an increasingly coherent and organized sound.
They have worked with the Orthotonics, Moe Tucker, Teenage Fanclub, Daniel Johnston and John Zorn, among others.
The band's history and influence was chronicled in the 1993 fan documentary Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King by Jeff Feuerzeig.
Blue Monday
Half Japanese Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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 to Half Japanese's song Blue Monday describe the struggle of working a monotonous job that takes up all of one's time and energy. The singer expresses their exhaustion and frustration with the daily grind, using the days of the week as a framework for their struggle. Monday is particularly burdensome and loathed, setting the tone for the rest of the week. The only respite comes on the weekend, when the singer can enjoy the company of their loved ones and forget their troubles for a brief amount of time. However, this relief is short-lived, as the cycle of work and exhaustion begins anew with the start of a new week.
The lyrics are relatable to anyone who has experienced the drudgery of a 9-to-5 workweek, and the repetition of the days of the week serves to reinforce this feeling of monotony. The contrast between the joy of the weekend and the dread of Monday highlights the importance of rest and breaks in preventing burnout. The song ultimately conveys a sense of resignation and acceptance of the situation, with the singer acknowledging that despite the hardship, they will still find joy and happiness where they can.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue Monday, how I hate blue Monday
I feel really awful about the start of the week, it's horrible
Got me workin' like a dog all day
I am working excessively long hours and feel like I'm being treated unfairly
Here comes Tuesday, oh hard Tuesday
Tuesday is just as difficult, if not more so, than Monday
I'm so tired, I've got no time to play
I am too exhausted to even think about doing anything fun
Look out Wednesday I'm beat to my bone
By Wednesday, I am completely depleted and have no energy left
My girl calls, I gotta tell her I'm not home
I am so exhausted and mentally drained that I can't even speak to my loved ones
She knows Thursday is a hard workin day
My girlfriend understands that Thursday is just as challenging as the rest of the week
Til Friday I get paid
The only thing keeping me going is the thought of getting paid on Friday
Oh Saturday morning, Saturday morning
Finally, it's the weekend and I can relax
All my tired has gone away
I feel refreshed and revitalized
Got my money and my honey
I have both financial and emotional support from my partner
And we're out on the town to play
We are going out and enjoying ourselves
Sunday morning my head is bad
I have a bit of a hangover from our fun night out
But it's worth it, all the times I had
I am willing to put up with the hangover because I had such a great time
But I've still got to get my rest
I need to make sure I get enough sleep to recover from the week and prepare for the next
For Monday is a mess Saturday morning,
I need to be well-rested for Monday because it's always a disaster
Oh Satirday morning
Typo - should be 'Oh Saturday morning'
All my tired has gone away
I feel refreshed and revitalized (repeated line from earlier)
Me and my honey, we got some money
My partner and I have some disposable income to use for fun activities
And were out on the town play
We are going out and enjoying ourselves (repeated line from earlier)
Sunday morning my head is bad
I have a bit of a hangover from our fun night out (repeated line from earlier)
But it's worth all the times I had
I am willing to put up with the hangover because I had such a great time (repeated line from earlier)
But I've got to go and get some rest
I need to make sure I get enough sleep before the start of the week
For Monday is a mess!
I'm dreading the start of the work week (repeated line from earlier)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Dave Bartholomew
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind