Stormy Monday
Mayall John & Clapton Eric Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They call it stormy Monday, yes but Tuesday's just as bad.
Wednesday's even worse; Thursday's awful sad.
The eagle flies on Friday, Saturday I go out to play.
The eagle flies on Friday, but Saturday I go out to play.
Sunday I go to church where I kneel down and pray.
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me.
Just trying to find my baby, won't you please send her on back to me."
The eagle flies on Friday, on Saturday I go out to play.
The eagle flies on Friday, on Saturday I go out to play.
Sunday I go to church, where I kneel down, Lord and I pray.
Then I say, "Lord have mercy, won't you please have mercy on me.
Lord, oh Lord have mercy, yeah, won't you please, please have mercy on me.
I'm just a-lookin' for my sweet babe,
So won't you please send him home, send him on home to me."
The lyrics of "Stormy Monday" by Mayall John & Clapton Eric paint a picture of ongoing hardship and emotional turmoil that never come to a stop. The "stormy Monday" referred to in the song represents the emotional and mental unrest that the singer has to face continuously. But, the lyrics claim that it's not just one day, and the pain is always there. The Tuesday is just as unbearable as Monday, and every day after that is even worse, with Wednesday being particularly bad, and Thursday being filled with sadness. This portrayal of constant struggle and pain that doesn't leave even for a day shows how difficult life can be sometimes.
The song continues as the singer speaks of a weekly routine, with some respite from the hardships. The eagle flies on Friday, indicating the paycheck that comes and brings with it the weekend. The singer states that on Saturday, he goes out to play, indicating that he tries to have some fun and forget about the problems he faces daily. On Sunday, he goes to church, where he kneels down and prays, showing how he turns to religion for solace in his troubles. The song ends with the singer asking God for mercy and help, hoping that he will soon find his "sweet babe" again.
Line by Line Meaning
They call it stormy Monday, yes but Tuesday's just as bad.
The week may start off badly, but it doesn't necessarily get better with each passing day.
Wednesday's even worse; Thursday's awful sad.
In fact, the week seems to get progressively worse, culminating in a really sad Thursday.
The eagle flies on Friday, Saturday I go out to play.
Despite the rough week, there's still some hope and fun to be had on the weekends.
Sunday I go to church where I kneel down and pray.
The singer finds solace and hope in religion, and takes time to pray on Sundays.
And I say, "Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me.
The singer addresses a plea for mercy to a higher power.
Just trying to find my baby, won't you please send her on back to me."
The singer is looking for his beloved, and asks for divine intervention in reuniting them.
Then I say, "Lord have mercy, won't you please have mercy on me.
The singer repeats his plea for mercy, emphasizing his desperation.
I'm just a-lookin' for my sweet babe,
The singer's sole focus and motivation is finding his beloved.
So won't you please send him home, send him on home to me."
The singer's plea for divine intervention to reunite him with his beloved is repeated, this time with reference to his loved one's gender.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: AARON WALKER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tuxguys
This is a recording, never released as a single, faded into in mid-performance, released in America on a compilation LP, that changed guitar-playing forever.
Try to tear your ears away, for a moment, from Clapton's precocious 21 year-old virtuosity, and try to appreciate how good the band, as a BAND, is:
John Mayall, organ/vocals (extraordinary comping on organ)
Eric Clapton/guitar (see above)
Jack Bruce/bass (yes, you're hearing the roots of CREAM here)
Hughie Flint/drums (giving Elvin Jones a run for his money)
In some ways, EC's entire subsequent career has been a footnote to this one performance.
Orson Welles must have felt the same way after completing "Citizen Kane."
@imamadityaeffendi3578
No one played the electric guitar like he did in '65. He sang the guitar. Have been listening to this masterpiece for more than half a century and it still give me the shivers.
@davidmilfred3809
Mike bloomfield. Otis rush.. earl hooker..wayne bennett all
@Dagger_323
@@davidmilfred3809 None of them played or sounded like this.
@mikebarnard2689
Freddie King , you will find, was often note for note copied by Clapton.. irrefutable fact.
@edge1289
@@mikebarnard2689absolutely right, you can hear Freddy’s influence all throughout Clapton’s career and heavily in the Stormy Monday clip here.
@dijonthecat
His work on Bluesbreakers,Cream, Blind Faith and Derek and the Dominos (with Duane Allman) are some of the greatest guitar work I've ever heard.
@PadraigFloyd
Those first four notes into Have You Ever Loved A Woman on Layla, etc, still get me every time.
@dr.krinkleweldon5934
Don’t forget his great work with George Harrison.
@orion3511
And the London Howlin Wolf Sessions..
@claptonfan54
Eric's playing on the Dominos In Concert album is incredible. As is his playing on this song.