The song was was one of the first credited collaborations by the acclaimed musical team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, the men writing it back in 1952. It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. Harrison sang "Kansas City" for the Harlem based entrepreneur Bobby Robinson, and he recorded additional singles for the Fire and Fury record labels, which were owned and operated by Robinson.
After this spike of widespread success, Harrison continued to perform and record, exciting his many fans. However, it would be another ten years before he again cracked the Billboard Top 40 when he released "Let's Work Together (Part 1)", a track that went to #32 in early 1970 on the Billboard Hot 100. The 1970 hit version was distributed as a single through Sue Records (Sue 11) and was backed with "Let's Work Together (Part 2)". The full version of the tune, a five minute and ninteen second song that was included on the Sue Records album SSLP-8801, was simply called "Let's Work Together". An earlier version of the full song by Harrison came out in 1962 as "Let's Stick Together" (on Fury 1059 and Fury 1063).
A sign of Harrison's strong influence on soul music, cover versions of his song would be later be hits for both the American rock band Canned Heat and the British singer-songwriter Bryan Ferry. It was also recorded by country rock group The Kentucky Headhunters for the soundtrack to the Mickey Rourke film 'Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man'. Harrison had some additional success with "My Heart Is Yours", and his non-charting singles continued to be beloved among many American rnb fans. He toured for many years with a band known as 'Wilbert Harrison and The Roamers', as well as a solo act.
Harrison died of a stroke in 1994, in a Spencer, North Carolina nursing home at the age of 65. In 2001, his recording of "Kansas City" was given a Grammy Hall of Fame Award, and has also been named as one of The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Harrison was inducted into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
Blue Monday
Wilbert Harrison Lyrics
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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!
In Wilbert Harrison's song "Blue Monday," he expresses his disdain for the start of the workweek. The lyrics capture the exhaustion and overwhelming feelings that come with having to work consistently from Monday to Friday. He detests Mondays as it marks the beginning of a long week of non-stop work. He compares his workload to that of a "dog," emphasizing the extent to which he is made to toil. Tuesdays are no better as he speaks about how hard of a day it is for him, and he is too tired to even take a break and have fun. Wednesdays are the epitome of exhaustion as he is "beat to [his] bone." Then Thursdays are so work-focused, that he has to lie to his girlfriend that he cannot speak to her as he is caught up with his job. Fridays mark the day when he gets his paycheck, and he has finally earned the right to rest after having worked for five days straight.
However, the song ends on a high note as Saturdays bring a much-needed break from the taxing workweek. He is happy to have his "money and [his] honey" and can finally have some fun without the fear of being overworked, ultimately leading to a sense of freedom for the singer. Though he is fully aware that he will have to face another Blue Monday, he is content with the good times he has had, and it's worth the exhaustion only for those moments.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue Monday, how I hate blue Monday
I despise Mondays and the start of the workweek.
Got me workin' like a dog all day
I have to work very hard all day, like a dog.
Here comes Tuesday, oh hard Tuesday
Tuesday is equally challenging, and I dread it as well.
I'm so tired, I've got no time to play
I am exhausted from working and do not have any energy left for leisure activities.
Look out Wednesday I'm beat to my bone
By Wednesday, I am completely drained and fatigued.
My girl calls, I gotta tell her I'm not home
I am too exhausted to spend time with my girlfriend and must tell her I am not available.
She knows Thursday is a hard workin day
My girlfriend is aware that Thursday is also a challenging workday for me.
Til Friday I get paid
I have to work until Friday to receive my paycheck.
Oh Saturday morning, Saturday morning
On Saturday morning, I feel refreshed and energized after a day off from work.
All my tired has gone away
My fatigue has disappeared, and I feel rejuvenated.
Got my money and my honey
I have received my paycheck, and I am spending time with my girlfriend.
And we're out on the town to play
We are going out to have fun and enjoy ourselves.
Sunday morning my head is bad
On Sunday morning, I have a headache from the previous night's activities.
But it's worth it, all the times I had
Despite the hangover, I do not regret the fun I had the night before.
But I've still got to get my rest
Although I had a good time, I need to rest and recover.
For Monday is a mess
I need to be prepared for Monday, as it will be another difficult workday.
Saturday morning, Oh Satirday morning
The artist repeats that on Saturday morning, they feel refreshed and rejuvenated after a hard week of work.
All my tired has gone away
The singer repeats that their fatigue has vanished and they have regained their energy.
Me and my honey, we got some money
The singer and their girlfriend have received their paychecks and have money to spend.
And were out on the town play
They are going out to enjoy themselves and have fun together.
Sunday morning my head is bad
The artist still has a headache from the previous night's activities on Sunday morning.
But it's worth all the times I had
Despite the headache, the artist believes that the fun they had was worth it.
But I've got to go and get some rest
The singer acknowledges that they need to rest and recover from the weekend's activities.
For Monday is a mess!
The artist must prepare to face another challenging workweek on Monday.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DON ROBEY, GILBERT G. CAPLE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind