Letter to Socialist Worker, September/October 2005

 

Dear Comrade Editor,

Martin Smith is absolutely right (SW, 17 September) to celebrate the work of Fats Domino. But he doesn’t mention Domino’s greatest song – Blue Monday (a title later stolen by New Order for a far inferior piece). The words go far beyond normal rock and roll themes to hard-core class consciousness.

 

Blue Monday how I hate Blue Monday
Got to work like a slave all day
Here come Tuesday, oh hard Tuesday
I’m so tired got no time to play
Here come Wednesday, I’m beat to my socks
My gal calls, got to tell her that I’m out
‘Cause Thursday is a hard workin’ day
And Friday I get my pay
Saturday mornin’, oh Saturday mornin’
All my tiredness has gone away
Got my money and my honey
And I’m out on the stand to play

Sunday mornin’ I’m feelin’ bad
But it’s worth it for the time that I had
But I’ve got to get my rest
‘Cause Monday is a mess

 

If anyone asks you what Marx meant by alienation, play that record to them.

 

Ian Birchall

(Enfield)