British recording artist, music producer, remixer, DJ, as well as classical… Read Full Bio ↴British recording artist, music producer, remixer, DJ, as well as classically trained pianist and cellist. One half of the ground-breaking electronic acts Global Communication, Link & E621, Reload & E621, Jedi Knights, The Chameleon, and Secret Ingredients, all with Mark Pritchard. As a solo artist Tom releases/has released as Amba, Cosmos, The Mod Wheel, Schizophrenia, Kix, Cheeky Chunes, The Rebus Project, Spiritcatcher and most recently as GCOM. Other collaborations include Fogcity with Mark Darby and Matthew Herbert, The Bays, Robortom with Rob Da Bank, and Aphex Twin with whom Middleton co-produced the track "En Trance To Exit" from the seminal "Analogue Bubblebath" EP.

Blue Monday
Tom Middleton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

How does it feel to treat me like you do?
When you've laid your hands upon me and told me who you are.
I thought I was mistaken, I thought I heard your words.
Tell me how do I feel. Tell me now, how do I feel.
Those who came before me lived through their vocations
from the past until completion, they'll turn away no more.
And still I find it so hard to say what I need to say.
But I'm quite sure that you'll tell me just how I should feel today.

I see a ship in the harbor. I can and shall obey.
But if it wasn't for your misfortune, I'd be a heavenly person today.
And I thought I was mistaken, and I thought I heard you speak
Tell me, how do I feel. Tell me now, how should I feel.
Now I stand here waiting...

I thought I told you to leave me when I walked down to the beach.
Tell me how does it feel, when your heart grows cold, grows cold, cold.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Tom Middleton's song Blue Monday convey a sense of confusion and uncertainty, as the singer addresses an unknown person who has treated them badly. The opening question "How does it feel to treat me like you do?" suggests a tone of hurt and disappointment, as the singer questions why they have been mistreated. They refer to a physical encounter, with the other person laying their hands upon them, and then the singer recalls feeling unsure whether they had heard the other person correctly when they spoke. The repeated lines "Tell me how do I feel. Tell me now, how do I feel" emphasize the singer's confusion and desire for clarity.

The next lines shift to a more philosophical tone, as the singer reflects on the experiences of those who have come before them and the notion of fulfilling a vocation until completion. Despite this, the singer finds it difficult to express their own needs and emotions: "And still I find it so hard to say what I need to say." The final lines of the song return to the initial theme of questioning and uncertainty, with the singer addressing the other person directly: "Tell me how does it feel, when your heart grows cold, grows cold, cold."

Overall, the lyrics of Blue Monday convey a sense of emotional turmoil and the difficulty of communicating one's feelings to others, particularly in the context of a relationship that has gone awry.

Line by Line Meaning

How does it feel to treat me like you do?
The singer is questioning how it feels for the other person to mistreat them.

When you've laid your hands upon me and told me who you are.
The other person has made physical contact and asserted their identity to the singer.

I thought I was mistaken, I thought I heard your words.
The singer is unsure if they correctly heard what the other person said.

Tell me how do I feel. Tell me now, how do I feel.
The artist wants the other person to empathize and understand their emotions.

Those who came before me lived through their vocations from the past until completion, they'll turn away no more.
The artist acknowledges the struggles of those who came before them and their commitment to their work.

And still I find it so hard to say what I need to say. But I'm quite sure that you'll tell me just how I should feel today.
The singer struggles to express themselves, but expects the other person to dictate their emotions.

I see a ship in the harbor. I can and shall obey. But if it wasn't for your misfortune, I'd be a heavenly person today.
The singer sees a ship and feels inclined to follow orders, but blames the other person for preventing them from being happy.

And I thought I was mistaken, and I thought I heard you speak Tell me, how do I feel. Tell me now, how should I feel.
The artist is confused and seeks clarity on both their own emotions and how they should feel according to the other person.

Now I stand here waiting...
The artist is in a state of anticipation, waiting for the other person's response or action.

I thought I told you to leave me when I walked down to the beach.
The artist recalls telling the other person to leave them alone earlier.

Tell me how does it feel, when your heart grows cold, grows cold, cold.
The singer questions how the other person feels when they become emotionally distant.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BERNARD (GB 2) SUMNER, GILLIAN LESLEY GILBERT, PETER HOOK, STEPHEN PAUL DAVID MORRIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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