Manic Monday

"Manic Monday"

US / 7" Single cover
Single by The Bangles
from the album Different Light
B-side In a Different Light
Released January 27, 1986
Format 7" single, 12"
Recorded 1985; Sunset Sound Factory[1]
Genre Pop
Length 3:06
Label Columbia
Writer(s) Prince
Producer David Kahne
The Bangles singles chronology
"Going Down to Liverpool"
(1985)		 "Manic Monday"
(1986)		 "If She Knew What She Wants"
(1986)
Alternative cover
UK / 12" Maxi single cover

"Manic Monday" is a song by the American pop rock band The Bangles, and the first single released from their second studio album Different Light (1986). It was written by Prince, using the pseudonym "Christopher". Originally intended for the group Apollonia 6 in 1984, he offered the song to The Bangles two years later. The song is based on his character of the movie Under the Cherry Moon (1986). Lyrically it describes a woman who is waking up on Monday, wishing it was still Sunday.

Released to generally positive reviews from music critics and some comparisons with The Mamas & the Papas' "Monday, Monday", it was the band's first hit, reaching number two in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as in Austria, Canada, Germany and Ireland, and within top five in New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland. It was later certified silver in the UK by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). The song was covered by several artists in 2005 and 2006.

Contents

Background and composition

Prince wrote "Manic Monday" in 1984, and recorded it as a duet for the band Apollonia 6's self-titled album; however, he eventually pulled the song.[2] Two years later, he offered the single to The Bangles under the pseudonym "Christopher",[3][4] a character he played in the 1986 film Under the Cherry Moon.[5] It was rumored by various writers that after Prince listened to the band's 1984 debut album All Over the Place, he gave the song to Bangles lead singer Susanna Hoffs, so that in return she would sleep with him.[6][7][8]

Guitar player Vicki Peterson, in an interview with The Guardian, commented on these rumors: "It was a slippery slope, ... By the time we released singles where it really was multiple vocals, it didn't really defuse that perception. People like to paint it as girls having a catfight but it was more the frustration of not being perceived as a unit."[9]

Peterson explained in an interview with MTV UK in 1989 about why Prince gave them the song: "[Prince] really liked our first album. He liked the song 'Hero Takes a Fall', which is a great compliment, because we liked his music. He contacted us, and said, 'I've got a couple of songs for you. I'd like to know if you're interested,' and of course we were. One of the songs Prince brought to the group was 'Manic Monday', written under the pseudonym of Christopher." Peterson talked about the evolution of what Prince brought them: "It was a Banglefication of a Prince arrangement. He had a demo, that was very specifically him. It was a good song, but we didn't record it like 'This is our first hit single! Oh my God! I can feel it in my veins!' We just did the song, and the album, and then sat back and thought about it."[10] A pop song written in D Major, "Manic Monday" moves at a tempo of 116 beats per minute and is set in common time.[11] The song has a sequence of G–A7–D–G–A7–D as its chord progression.[11] Lyrically, the song is about someone waking up from a romantic dream at six o'clock on Monday morning, and facing a hectic journey to work when she would prefer to still be enjoying relaxing on Sunday—her "I-don't-have-to-run day".[1] Actor Rudolph Valentino is referred in the introduction.[1]

Reception

Critical response

The single received generally positive reviews by music critics, some of them compared the song with the single "Monday, Monday" by the band The Mamas & the Papas.[12][13][14] In a review for Allmusic, Mark Deming said that the single "was a far cry from anything the Bangles had recorded before";[15] while Matthew Greenwald, also from the website, said "It's a clever and deceptively simple pop narrative, an infectious pop confection ... There is also an excellently written bridge that shows Prince/ Christopher to be an excellent craftsman, and, to their credit, the Bangles carry it off with style and wit".[12] Rober Hilburn from Los Angeles Times called the song " a candidate for best single of the year".[13] Dorian Lynskey commented about the painful rhyming of "Sunday" with "I-don't-have-to-run day."[9]

Mark Moses from The Phoenix noted "the lack of lyrical substance is so glaring that Prince's lame 'Manic Monday' seems like a thematic highlight".[16] Greg Baker of The Miami News wrote in the album's review that "the song should put [T]he Bangles on the 'pop 'n' roll' map".[17] A writer in Toledo Blade noted that "Manic Monday", is a "infectious" and, along with "If She Knew What She Wants", both are "refreshingly melodic".[18] Chris Willman from Los Angeles Times commented: "The first single 'Manic Monday' represents slumming songwriter Prince's attempt mostly successful save for the inevitable getting down interlude to concoct a modern day Mamas and the Papas hit.[14]

Chart performance

"Manic Monday" debuted at number eighty-six on the Billboard Hot 100, on the week ending January 25, 1986,[19] and reached a peak of number two, on the issue dated April 19, 1986,[20] being blocked from the top of the chart by Prince and the Revolution's single "Kiss".[20] In the United Kingdom "Manic Monday" debuted at number eighty-five on February 8, 1986, and entered the top forty, at number twenty-four, on February 22, 1986.[21] The song eventually reached its peak position, at number two, the next month.[21] In Germany, the single debuted at number twenty-nine on March 17, 1986, reaching the top ten in the next three weeks, and its peak, also at number two, on April 14, 1986, where it stayed two weeks.[22] It remained in the top ten for four more weeks leaving the charts on July 20, 1986.[22]

In Switzerland "Manic Monday" debuted at number twelve on March 30, 1986, becoming the highest debut of the week.[23] It reached its peak two weeks later at number four, where it remained another week.[24] In the Netherlands, the single debuted at number forty-three on February 22, 1986; and managed to reach the number twenty-four.[25] It stayed on the chart for seven weeks.[26] In Norway, "Manic Monday" debuted at number nine in the tenth week of 1986, becoming the second highest debut of the week.[27] It also reached the number four two weeks later, where it stayed another two.[28] The song also peaked within the top five in the Austrian,[29] the Irish,[30] and the New Zealand charts.[29]

Covers

"Manic Monday" has been covered by several artists. In 2005, American Christian rock band Relient K covered the song, which was included on the compilation album Punk Goes 80s.[31] The cover by Japanese rock band Missile Innovation was included on their self-titled mini-album, released on July 27, 2005.[32] The Japanese J-Pop singer Bonnie Pink included it on her cover album Reminiscence.[33] The Chipettes covered the song for "Sweet Smell of Success", a 1986 episode of Alvin and the Chipmunks.[34] Party Ben and Team9, under the shared alias "Dean Gray", released the mash-up album American Edit, based on remixes of the Green Day's album American Idiot (2004) with songs of various artist. The thirteenth song "Whatsername", was re-titled as "Whatsername (Susanna Hoffs)", and it was blended with "Manic Monday".[35][36] In 2006, the Finnish rock band Leningrad Cowboys covered the song on their seventh studio album Zombies Paradise.[37]

Track listing and formats

7" Single[29]
  1. A. "Manic Monday"  – 3:03
  2. B. "In a Different Light  – 2:50
12" Maxi (1985)[29]
  1. A. "Manic Monday"  – 3:03
  2. A. "In a Different Light  – 2:50
  3. B. "Going Down to Liverpool"  – 3:19
  4. B. "Dover Beach"  – 3:42
12" Maxi (1986)[29]
  1. A. "Manic Monday"  – 3:03
  2. B. "Manic Monday" (Extended version)   – 4:38
  3. B. "In a Different Light  – 2:50
Digital single[38]
  1. "Manic Monday"  – 3:06
Starbox[39]
  1. "Manic Monday" (Extended "California" Version) – 4:59

Credits and personnel

Source:[1]

Charts and certification

Charts

Chart (1986) Peak
position
Austrian Singles Chart[29] 2
Canadian RPM Singles Chart[41] 2
German Singles Chart[22] 2
Irish Singles Chart[30] 2
Netherlands Singles Chart[25] 24
Norwegian Singles Chart[28] 4
New Zealand Singles Chart[29] 5
Swiss Singles Chart[24] 4
UK Singles Chart[21] 2
US Billboard Hot 100[42] 2
US Adult Contemporary[42] 10

Year-end

End of year chart (1986) Position
Canadian RPM Singles Chart[43] 38
US Billboard Hot 100[44] 48

Certification

Region (provider) Certifications
United Kingdom (BPI) Silver[45]

References

  1. ^ a b c d (1986) Album notes for Different Light by The Bangles [Casette]. Sunset Sound Factory: Columbia Records (FCT 40039).
  2. ^ Nilsen, Per (1999). Dance Music Sex Romance: Prince: The First Decade. Wembley. p. 171. ISBN 0946719640. OCLC 52532272. 
  3. ^ Prince's mania sets in. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. January 25, 1986. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510. 
  4. ^ Tucker, Ken (February 7, 1986). "Bangles prove they'remote than a girl group". The Spokesman-Review (Cowles Publishing Company). 
  5. ^ van Slooten, Johan (1997) (in Dutch). 500 Nr. 1 hits uit de Top 40 [500 Number 1 Hits in the Top 40]. III. Netherlands: Haarlem. p. 234. ISBN 9789023009443. OCLC 68449075. 
  6. ^ Hoffmann, Frank W. (2005). Ferstler, Howard. ed. Encyclopedia of recorded sound Vol. 1, A-L (2nd ed.). New York City, New York: Routledge. p. 69. ISBN 041593835X. OCLC 648136753. 
  7. ^ Klosterman, Chuck (2006). Chuck Klosterman IV: A Decade of Courious People and Dangerous Ideas. New York: Scribner. p. 305. ISBN 0743284887. OCLC 65425972. 
  8. ^ "Spin: Jane's Addiction: 18 Years of Crazy Sex, Hard Drugs, Loollapalooza Drama & Visionary Music". Spin (Spin Media LLC) (19): 128. August 2003. 
  9. ^ a b Lynskey, Dorian (March 14, 2003). "Interview: The Bangles". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2003/mar/14/artsfeatures.shopping. Retrieved August 10, 2010. 
  10. ^ Feldman, Christopher (2000). Billboard Book of Number Two Singles. Watson-Guptill. p. 200. ISBN 0823076954. 
  11. ^ a b "The 1980s : piano, vocal, guitar". Hal Leonard Europe. 2006. ISBN 1846093619. 
  12. ^ a b Greenwald, Matthew. "allmusic ((( The Bangles > Overview )))". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/song/t2356591. Retrieved July 31, 2010. 
  13. ^ a b Hilburn, Robert (April 19, 1986). "Robert Hilburn Summer Pop Has Arraived On Airwaves". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/58587697.html?dids=58587697:58587697&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Apr+19%2C+1986&author=ROBERT+HILBURN&pub=Los+Angeles+Times+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=ROBERT+HILBURN+SUMMER+POP+HAS+ARRIVED+ON+AIRWAVES&pqatl=google. Retrieved August 9, 2010. 
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  17. ^ Baker, Greg (February 20, 1986). "Bangles get a bead on superstardom". The Miami News (The McClatchy Company): p. 28. 
  18. ^ "All-Female Bangles: A Breath Of Fresh Air". Toledo Blade (Block Communications): p. 44. March 2, 1986. 
  19. ^ Billboard. Billboard Publications Inc. January 25, 1986. p. 62. ISSN 0006-2510. 
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  25. ^ a b "Dutch Top 40: Week 10 of 1986". MegaCharts. Stichting Nederlandse. http://www.top40.nl/index.aspx?week=10&jaar=1986. Retrieved August 9, 2010. 
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  27. ^ "Norwegian Singles Chart: Week 10/1986". VG-lista. Hung Medien. http://norwegiancharts.com/weekchart.asp?title=year=1986&date=198610&cat=s. Retrieved August 3, 2010. 
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  30. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irish Recorded Music Association. http://www.irishcharts.ie/search/placement. Retrieved July 31, 2010. 
  31. ^ Sendra, Tim. "allmusic ((( Punk Goes 80's > Overview )))". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r743101. Retrieved August 3, 2010. 
  32. ^ "News & Information" (in Japanese). Missile Innovation Official Website. http://missileinnovation.com/news/. Retrieved August 3, 2010. 
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  34. ^ "Sweet Smell of Success". Alvin and the Chipmunks. October 4, 1986. Retrieved on August 14, 2011.
  35. ^ "Dean Gray – American Edit". PunkNews. March 28, 2006. http://www.punknews.org/review/5147. Retrieved August 3, 2010. 
  36. ^ Sawdey, Evan (February 2, 2006). "Dean Gray > American Edit". PopMatters. http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/dean_gray_american_edit/. Retrieved August 3, 2010. 
  37. ^ "Official Store of Leningrad Cowboys". Leningrad Cowboys Official Webpage. Leningrad Cowboys Ltd. http://leningradcowboys.fi/store/product_details.php?p=1. Retrieved August 3, 2010. 
  38. ^ "Manic Monday – The Bangles". Amazon.com. Amazon Inc.. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00137YPG4. Retrieved July 31, 2010. 
  39. ^ "Manic Monday (Extended "California" Version) by The Bangles". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. http://new.music.yahoo.com/bangles/tracks/manic-monday-extended-california-version--200918021. Retrieved August 1, 2010. 
  40. ^ "Leslie Libman Director – Music Videos". Leslie Libman Official Website. http://www.leslielibman.com/music_videos.htm. Retrieved August 3, 2010. 
  41. ^ "Top Singles – Volume 44, No. 6, May 3, 1986". RPM. RPM Music Publications Ltd. May 3, 1986. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.9672&volume=41&issue=19&issue_dt=January%2019%201985&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=4dp17sl7hp9qmhhj3vmcenr836. Retrieved November 12, 2010. 
  42. ^ a b "Billboard – Manic Monday – Bangles". Billboard. Nielsen Company. http://www.billboard.com/#/song/bangles/manic-monday/1461633. Retrieved July 31, 2010. 
  43. ^ "Top 100 Singles Of '86 – Top Singles - Volume 45, No. 14, December 27, 1986". RPM. RPM Music Publications Ltd. December 27, 1986. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.0760&type=1&interval=20&PHPSESSID=4dp17sl7hp9qmhhj3vmcenr836. Retrieved November 12, 2010. 
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  45. ^ "BPI: Certifified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. http://www.bpi.co.uk/certifiedawards/search.aspx. Retrieved July 31, 2010. 
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