Friday, September 06, 2024

Weekend Listomania: Special "Seven Days in September" Edition

[I originally posted a version of this back in 2009 (oh god, oh god). As is my wont on these occasions, I've done some re-writing and made a few entry changes out of sheer guilt. Enjoy! -- S.S.]

Well, it's Friday, and once again I've run out of dumb topical jokes involving my Asian fille du whoopie Fah Lo Suee and the latest Republican/Trump outrage du jour.

Hey -- what can you do?

In any case, posting by moi will necessarily be sporadic for a few days.

But in my absence, here's a fun project for us all to contemplate:

Best or Worst Post-Beatles Song With Either the Word Week or a Specific Day of the Week In Its Title!!!

Self-explanatory, obviously, so no arbitrary rules. Although if you try to sneak in Loudon Wainwright's "April Fools Day Morn," or "Wild Weekend" or something similar, I will come to your house and taunt you unmercifully.

Get it? We're talking songs naming either actual days of the week or including the actual word "week."

And my Totally Top of My Head Top Ten is...

10. Tori Amos -- Wednesday

Not a particularly great song, but I've had a sneaking fondness for this woman dating back to that Crucify EP cover photo she did where she was naked except for a bunch of vegetables around her neck.

9. Elton John -- Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting

God, what a stupid song on every level. Have I mentioned I was never an Elton fan, mostly because of embarrasingly exploitive posturing drivel like this?

8. The Mamas and the Papas -- Monday, Monday

Pretty gorgeous, but mostly I'm including it as a way of repenting for the snide remarks the other day about the out of tune flute on "California Dreaming."

7. The Smithereens -- Groovy Tuesday

Originally heard on Especially For You, which remains one of the great underrated albums of the 80s. This version is a solo performance by much missed head 'Reen Pat DiNizio, from back in 2000.

6. The Velvet Underground -- Sunday Morning

Lou's big Brill Building move on the Velvets' otherwise kinda scary debut LP. Seriously -- this is so pretty, The Monkees could have covered it.

5. Kaiser Chiefs -- Saturday Night

Not a fan of the Chiefs per se, but I thought it might be appropriate to have something originally written and recorded in the current century.

4. The Beatles -- Eight Days a Week

First anthologized, in this country, on the non-canonical American LP Beatles VI. As Cameron Crowe famously said of something else, you still can't buy a better record.

3. Blondie -- Sunday Girl

You know, it's not exactly a secret that I'm a sucker for a woman in a man's dress shirt and tie, but Ms. Harry was really to die for, wasn't she?

2. Small Faces -- Lazy Sunday

One of the most evocative "knickers up at the pub" songs of 60's Brit rock. And those little psychedelic breaks in the middle, with the chimes and organ, are just exquisite.

And the Numero Uno 7 Jours Par Semaine song of them all -- c'mon for a change I'm not exaggerating here and there really can't be any doubt about this -- obviously is...

1. The Easybeats -- Friday on My Mind

Oh puhleeeze -- you knew this was gonna be the one, right? A totally great song, and the amazing thing is that it's not even the Easys' best, although that remains a fairly well-kept secret outside of Australia.

Awrighty then -- what would YOUR choices be?

And have a great weekend, everybody!!!

38 comments:

John K said...

"Almost Saturday Night" John Fogerty
"Saturday Night Is Dead" Graham Parker
"Here Comes The Weekend" Dave Edmunds

steve simels said...

Much as I love the Edmunds song, somebody's not paying attention to the rules. 😎

John K said...

Well you got me. Cut me some slack I'm old.

Cleveland Jeff said...

Groovy Tuesday by Swan Dive (Bill Demain and Molly Felder). As a pop connoisseur, you should hear them if you haven't. Check out Circle or Swan Dive or William & Marlys. or https://kleaveburg.blogspot.com/2011/04/swan-dive-swan-dive-2000.html

Sal Nunziato said...

"Friday Night Is Killing Me" by Bash & Pop. If you don't remember it, listen to it toot sweet!

steve simels said...

YES!!!! I had completely forgotten that -- thanks for reminding me!!!

Allan Rosenberg said...

Most over played in our younger years:

Tuesday Afternoon - Moody Blues!

Captain Al

Alzo said...

I don't like this kind of list. Or Mondays.

steve simels said...

I saw what you did there. 😎

Anonymous said...

Very good one Alzo!

Captain Al

Anonymous said...

What? No Ruby Tuesday? One of my favorite lyrics.

VR

Gummo said...

Saturday Afternoon - Jefferson Airplane

And how about an entire group with a name of the week in their title, i.e., Sweet Thursday (who did one of those iconic druggy late-night FM tunes, "Gilbert Street")

And yes, the Elton John song is dumb. It's also irresistably catchy, dammit.

Guypinot said...

Partially because when I posted this somewhere else a month ago, the artist in question liked it...Walter Egan - Tuesday Weld.

pete said...

Elton John - fine melodies, horrible lyrics

Rob B Mullen said...

What no Easybeats -
I've got Friday on my mind
more later - rob

Rob B Mullen said...

Jeez how could I have forgotten
Allman Bros - Stormy Mondays
Steve, Mea Culpa - completely missed
the E/B video, again Mea Culpa

Roger said...

Manic Monday, of course

Anonymous said...

How about a song with BOTH 'week' and a day of the week in it? 'Wednesday Week' by the Undertones.
VR - No one likes 'Ruby Tuesday' because it has (wait for it) A FLUTE IN IT :)
C in California

mistah charley, sb, ma, phd, jsps said...

Kris Kristofferson "Sunday morning coming down" - moves from describing a hangover to looking for one's "cleanest dirty shirt" to feeling disconnected from humanity in general - not a happy song, but a satisfying song - I can listen to it and feel glad that I'm not as lonely and depressed as the narrator is

M_Sharp said...

“Sunday Morning Coming Down” - Kris & Johnny… and the original release by Ray Stevens!
“Monday" - Wilco
“Groovy Tuesday” - The Smithereens
“This Wednesday” - R. Stevie Moore
“Thursday” - Morphine
“Friday Fun” - The Donnas
“Big Boy On A Saturday Night” - Kirsty MacColl

Rob B Mullen said...

From the great Ray Davies/Kinks
" Come Dancing "
My sister went there on a Saturday
rob. ;-)

steve simels said...

I must admit I had never heard that before. Absolutely fabulous, and thank you.

Anonymous said...

Come Monday - Jimmy Buffet
Pleasant Valley Sunday - Monkees
rs

Anonymous said...

Astral Weeks Van Morrison

steve simels said...

Oh god — the Wilco song! YES!

Marc said...

Most of my favorites have already been mentioned, but Sundays by Lucinda Williams is just perfect. And I kind of like Every Day is Like Sunday by Morrissey. And I'm surprised no one has mentioned Friday I'm in Love by the Cure.

mistah charley, sb, ma, phd, jsps said...

"Another Saturday Night" original by Sam Cooke, cover by Cat Stevens - both very enjoyable

Just as an aside - did you know we have seven days of the week because there are seven visible planets in an archaic sense of the word planet - the sun, the moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn - depending on the language, the day names reflect the god/planet they are named for. You probably did know, actually.

paulinca said...

Saturday Gigs by Mott the Hoople. I love that ballad.

Rob B Mullen said...

I Present You My Guilty Pleasure Band -
The Bodeans...
Wonder Wonder ( Sunday / Lyric )
rob

Anonymous said...

C in California -

Actually, it's a recorder on Ruby Tuesday. But close enough. Another one I like with a recorder is Comin' Back to Me by the Airplane.

VR

PS I was just being a brat about Hey Jude. As far as songs with extended codas are concerned, its A-OK. It builds. Paul's vocals are great. Sure beats Uriah Heep's extended coda on July Morning :-)

Anonymous said...

Do not forget the chestnut "A Sunday Kind of Love." Also, Spanky and Our Gang's "Sunday Will Never Be the Same."

Anonymous said...

Sir Douglas Quintet – Sunday Sunny Mill Valley Groove Day
Royal Guardsmen - Any Wednesday
David Bowie - Drive-In Saturday
Grateful Dead – One More Saturday Night
Fleetwood Mac - Monday Morning
Joe Jackson - Sunday Papers
Eagles - Saturday Night
Jefferson Airplane - Young Girl Sunday Blues
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Tuesday's Gone
Drive-by Truckers - Wednesday
Genesis - Get 'Em Out By Friday
The Jam – Saturday’s Kids
The Millennium – To Claudia on Thursday
Doobie Brothers - Another Park, Another Sunday
Chicago - Saturday In the Park (this is where I headed for the off-ramp)
Queen - Lazing On a Sunday Afternoon
Ry Cooder - On a Monday
Specials – Friday Night, Saturday Morning
Graham Parker – Saturday Night Is Dead
Duran Duran - New Moon On Monday
Jimmy Buffett – Livingston Saturday Night
No Doubt – Sunday Morning
Black Crowes – Good Friday
Carpenters - Rainy Days and Mondays
Doors - Blue Sunday
Spanky & Our Gang - Sunday Will Never Be the Same
Bobby & the Midnites – Gloria Monday
Steely Dan – Black Friday
U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
Tom Waits - The Heart of Saturday Night
King Crimson - Book of Saturdays
Monkee’s – Saturday’s Child
Scott Walker – Come Saturday Morning (the only version worth mentioning) (back in the day, I used to call one particular boyfriend on Thursday’s and play the entire song as my message on his answering machine, then hang up. This meant that I was gonna come over at dawn Saturday morning and save his soul by taking possession of it.)
BR5-49 – One Long Saturday Night
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Saturday Night Special
Ratdog - Tuesday Blues
Nancy Sinatra – Friday’s Child
Chris Robinson – Sunday Sound
Simon & Garfunkel – Wednesday Morning 3AM

VR

steve simels said...

Your answering machine story is adorable.😎

Anonymous said...

Steve -

It's all about pervading his swollen dreams with enchantment sublime. It's the sustenence of witchery.

VR

Anonymous said...

John Prine - Long Monday
Townes Van Zandt - Like a Summer Thursday
Gov't Mule - Monday Mourning Meltdown

Fudley Correctol sez "It's the sustenance of witchery." But it's a mere quibble. Another body-left-mind occurence. Sometimes the digits rebel against not having a mind of their own.

VR

Anonymous said...

"Harry Nilsson - (Thursday) Here's Why I Did Not Go to Work Today"
Sent a Youtube link for this song to my office manager on a Thursday morning, rather than the usual "I'm sick, my Granny died" BS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciz_C3xiuN0
Tinpot

ESciGuy said...

"One Sunday Morning", Wilco. It's a pleasantly fine song, but it goes on my "worst" list for the following reason. Saw Richard Thompson, My Morning Jacket, Wilco, Bob Dylan in 2013 (my ranking for the night actually proceeds in that order, the reverse of their appearance). Wilco gets about an hour for their set, and throw in a fifteen-minute jam of the aforementioned. Doesn't leave much room for the rest of their catalog :(

Anonymous said...

I Don't Like Mondays. - The Boomtown Rats. How was this missed so far?

Vince