Written by Prince
Performed by The Bangles
Manic Monday was a big hit in the 80s, at least in my circles. And while I didn't have to go to work (outside of a pleasurable paper route), I had to go to school, and each week started with a dreaded Monday. I imagined that someday when I have a full-time job, my Mondays would be Manic too. But why? Let's dive into our narrator's day.
She's late for work, and at this terrible job, you don't get paid if you're late! She blames her tardiness on dream interruption, bed-making responsibilities, wardrobe indecision, and transit issues - all good reasons, but what's really happening?
The narrator wishes it was Sunday, but is that just because it rhymes with "Monday," "fun day" and "I-don't-have-to-run-day?" Or, did something out of the ordinary happen yesterday? Well, that's where the bridge comes in:
Of all of my nights, why did my lover have to pick last night to get down?...
He tells me in his bedroom voice, "C'mon, honey, let's go make some noise...
So that explains it! She was up late last night boinking! That's all good with us over here at Best Bridges Blog, and it's nice to know that Prince was keeping things sexy, even when he was writing for others.
We also learn in the bridge that employment is down and she's the sole breadwinner in this relationship. Did he lose his job? Is he a bum? He should at least make the bed!
Musically, the verse and chorus are three major chords, mostly played in a common "1-4-5" pattern, suggesting a recognizable, ordinary life. But in the bridge, we shift to the relative minor and a less-familiar chord progression, illustrating the beauty and uniqueness of life beyond the workplace.
The feel and rhythm change in the bridge and things get funky, thanks in part to Michael Steele's crafty bass lines. Every member of The Bangles sang and I love the call-and-response vocals that eventually bring us to a sweet little breakdown where we're reminded that "time, it moves so fast (when you're having fun)." It sure does, Bangles, it sure does.
This is a very successful bridge. The lyrics provide further insight into the narrator's life, and musically we're taken far from her work day - until, we're right back into that darn catchy chorus! This a pop song, but one crafted with love for story and character development, and it's chock full of wonderful hooks and melodies.
Prince's demo of Manic Monday is an enjoyable novelty, but it's The Bangles' version that makes my playlist. While this may be the only Bangles appearance on this blog, I'm confident that we'll hear from Prince again soon - until then, may all your Mondays be manic!
- Matthew J. Kaplan
Performed by The Bangles
Manic Monday was a big hit in the 80s, at least in my circles. And while I didn't have to go to work (outside of a pleasurable paper route), I had to go to school, and each week started with a dreaded Monday. I imagined that someday when I have a full-time job, my Mondays would be Manic too. But why? Let's dive into our narrator's day.
She's late for work, and at this terrible job, you don't get paid if you're late! She blames her tardiness on dream interruption, bed-making responsibilities, wardrobe indecision, and transit issues - all good reasons, but what's really happening?
The narrator wishes it was Sunday, but is that just because it rhymes with "Monday," "fun day" and "I-don't-have-to-run-day?" Or, did something out of the ordinary happen yesterday? Well, that's where the bridge comes in:
Of all of my nights, why did my lover have to pick last night to get down?...
He tells me in his bedroom voice, "C'mon, honey, let's go make some noise...
So that explains it! She was up late last night boinking! That's all good with us over here at Best Bridges Blog, and it's nice to know that Prince was keeping things sexy, even when he was writing for others.
We also learn in the bridge that employment is down and she's the sole breadwinner in this relationship. Did he lose his job? Is he a bum? He should at least make the bed!
Musically, the verse and chorus are three major chords, mostly played in a common "1-4-5" pattern, suggesting a recognizable, ordinary life. But in the bridge, we shift to the relative minor and a less-familiar chord progression, illustrating the beauty and uniqueness of life beyond the workplace.
The feel and rhythm change in the bridge and things get funky, thanks in part to Michael Steele's crafty bass lines. Every member of The Bangles sang and I love the call-and-response vocals that eventually bring us to a sweet little breakdown where we're reminded that "time, it moves so fast (when you're having fun)." It sure does, Bangles, it sure does.
This is a very successful bridge. The lyrics provide further insight into the narrator's life, and musically we're taken far from her work day - until, we're right back into that darn catchy chorus! This a pop song, but one crafted with love for story and character development, and it's chock full of wonderful hooks and melodies.
Prince's demo of Manic Monday is an enjoyable novelty, but it's The Bangles' version that makes my playlist. While this may be the only Bangles appearance on this blog, I'm confident that we'll hear from Prince again soon - until then, may all your Mondays be manic!
- Matthew J. Kaplan
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