Stormy Monday
Walker T-Bone Lyrics
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They call it stormy Monday but Tuesday's just as bad
Wednesday's worse and Thursday's also sad
Yes, the eagle flies on Friday and Saturday I go out to play
Eagle flies on Friday and Saturday I go out to play
Sunday I go to church, then I kneel down and pray
Lord have mercy, my heart's in misery
Crazy about my baby, yes, send her back to me
The lyrics of T-Bone Walker’s song, “Stormy Monday” speaks to the idea of heartbreak and the unrelenting sadness that ensues. While the title seems to suggest that Monday is a particularly rough day, the following lyrics clarify that Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are even worse. The repetition of the phrase “They call it stormy Monday” highlights the fact that the singer is stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of sadness, where each day is just as difficult as the last.
The mention of the bald eagle in the fourth verse signifies a change in tone, as the weekend approaches and the singer has the opportunity to go out and have fun. However, the lyrics suggest that the happiness is fleeting, and by Sunday, the singer is alone again and praying for mercy from the heartbreak. The final line of the song, “Crazy about my baby, yes, send her back to me” reveals the root of the singer’s sadness. It is clear that they are pining for a lost love, and the pain of separation is unbearable.
Line by Line Meaning
They call it stormy Monday but Tuesday's just as bad
Even though some days may seem particularly bad, others may end up being equally difficult.
Wednesday's worse and Thursday's also sad
The situation continues to worsen as the week progresses, to the point where even Wednesdays and Thursdays become bad days.
Eagle flies on Friday and Saturday I go out to play
Just like the saying 'TGIF', Friday and Saturday are days for letting loose and having fun, represented here by the image of an eagle flying free.
Sunday I go to church, then I kneel down and pray
After a week of hardship, the artist seeks solace and guidance from their religion on Sunday by attending church and offering up prayers.
Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy on me
In a moment of desperation, the artist pleads with their deity for mercy, hoping that their situation will improve.
Lord have mercy, my heart's in misery
The singer is suffering greatly, to the point where they feel as though their heart is in a state of constant misery.
Crazy about my baby, yes, send her back to me
Although the singer is going through a rough time, they know that having their loved one by their side would make everything better, and so they implore the powers that be to reunite them with their partner.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, MUSIC ASSET MANAGEMENT (MAM), Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Aaron T-Bone Walker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Shaun Lester
You've gotta love a piece of music that blows you away just as much on the fiftieth listen as it did on the first. Some things really are timeless
T K
some of the finest blues ever played; it doesn't get much better than this.
ptong226
thank you T-bone for writing a great classic that ALL great bluesmen must play
SALİH ÇELİKKOL
Tbone Walker is one of the greatest blues musicians. his songs live forever.
mathmss
This solo can rival Duane's and Dickey's solos on Fillmore, such gracious arpeggios!
Ed Burton
Very fitting, since T-Bone wrote, recorded and played this song when Dickey and Duane were still in their diapers. And since almost all modern Blues guitarists are (knowingly or unknowingly) working from the model laid by T-Bone's "gracious arpeggios". (And those before him, too).
Allampedup Guitar
Like EVH said..."Yeah, anyone can play like I do....but I composed it!"
T-Bone, your legacy lives on, maybe someday we'll meet but until then, it is my honor to have this song be the first one I ever perform live...when I am worthy.
Pat Hesselgrave
T Bone was so talented....love this song!!!
Bjørn Åsmund Vaa
Me too 💙
Michael Curran
I have heard Stormy Monday played by so many groups back in the fifties, sixties, seventies and beyond but T-Bone's original recording or stylising tells it all.