By Loud Atlas
Is your bag packed, your shirt ironed? Forgotten anything? Perhaps it's that feeling of dread and apprehension, or maybe a sense of eagerness and relief. This week, we were listening to all manner of nominations covering the experience of getting back to normality as the new autumn term begins. It's a time of trepidation, but also one of excitement. Whether you like it or not it's time to get back to school or work - kicking and screaming are optional. New challenges and new chapters of life await!
This week, one day of the week stood out more than all the rest - Monday, Monday. That special day at the start of the traditional working week and the first day of the school timetable. First we'll hear from The Mamas and the Papas, and then from The Boomtown Rats and why I Don't Like Mondays. As the infamous and tragic story goes, the song was inspired by a 16-year-old American school girl's excuse for murdering two teachers in 1979.
Timmie 'Oh Yeah' Rogers isn't looking forward to to rekindling his educational spark - the fun of the summer is done and dusted ("no spoofin' or goofin'"), it's Back To School Again. Despite the hormones, awkwardness and I-haven't-found-myself-yet anxiety, they really are the best days of your life, Timmie. Gary U.S. Bonds seems to agree with me: he is utterly thrilled that School Is In (a sequel to his song School Is Out). What an eager beaver.
Once your formal education is done and dusted (stay in school, kids!) and you become a slave to the system, you may very well experience the Blue Monday Hangover. Here Albert Collins, and his trademark Telecaster sound, tells us what life is like on a lonely Sunday night having to face the week ahead.
Mondays can act as a sombre reminder of life; the weekend was fun while it lasted, but On A Monday Morning the memories - and money spent - are all gone, and it's just too darn early to get up. The Unthanks (as Rachel Unthank and The Winterset at time of the recording) yearn to share a pillow with their loved one, who seemingly has the day off.
A more positive view on things, Anthony Szmierek's wry and witty Rock and a Calm Place (his stylish interpretation of the legend of Sisyphus, rolling the rock up the hill for it to roll back down again) makes the daily grind sound not such a slog after all. There's an inherent benefit to getting up and out there - think of all the steps you'll get in!
The Fresher's Ball is a time for youthful and shiny university students to get together for the first time to celebrate a new step in their lives. But on the flip side there is a parent mourning the letting go of their child into the world. Richard Dawson's freewheeling melodic lines express that sorrow and acceptance beautifully.
The daily grind - the monotony and depressing state of a family's life and the father's mundane job, are metaphorically linked to a Loch Ness monster-esque creature many miles away. It's a grim psychological portrait, but one of The Police's finest songs. Synchronicity II was a blast to play on Guitar Hero 80s back in my uni days, too!
A modern take on going Back To Work now. Sadly we can't all be like John McClane, he was a real hero. This song could also be seen as a struggle with mental health too; there's a robotic and uneasy tone to the chorus in BC Camplight's song - unsettled and teetering on the edge.
Getting Back In The Saddle Again is a challenge for many, but for Gene Autry and his cowboy pals it's a place of bliss and responsibility. Give a man a .44, some cattle to wrangle and a chance for some camping in the wilderness, then he'll be a happy man indeed.
To return to a theme from earlier in the playlist: the summer can be a season of great fun and frivolity. Dido's said goodbye to a lover and is getting ready to get back to life, and well, back to reality. But she longs for that escape (and a brush) as she's still got, as she sings, Sand In My Shoes.
The tales of summer don't have to be forgotten once the summer ends: there's gossip to be spread! The details of the Summer Nights of a season-long love affair between Grease's Danny and Sandy (John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John) are spread around the halls of Rydell High School in a he-said she-said flurry of giddy excitement.
Inescapably Monday Again A-List Playlist:
The Mamas & The Papas - Monday, Monday (ParaMhor)
The Boomtown Rats - I Don't Like Mondays (Vikingchild)
Timmie 'Oh Yeah' Rogers - Back To School Again (Nicko)
Gary U.S. Bonds - School Is In (TarquinSpodd)
Albert Collins - Blue Monday Hangover (Uncleben)
The Unthanks (as Rachel Unthank and the Winterset) - On A Monday Morning (severin)
Anthony Szmierek - Rock and a Calm Place (Uncleben)
Richard Dawson - Fresher's Ball (Uncleben)
The Police - Synchronicity II (SweetHomeAlabama)
BC Camplight - Back To Work (vanwolf2)
Gene Autry - Back In The Saddle Again (Marconius7)
Dido - Sand In My Shoes (tincanman2010)
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John - Summer Nights (severin)
Back to The Grind But With Great Tunes B-List Playlist:
The Isley Brothers - Work To Do (SongBarLandlord)
Robocobra Quartet - Wellness (Uncleben)
Todd Rundgren - Bang the Drum All Day (BanazirGalbasi)
The Skoidats - Back To Work (BanazirGalbasi)
The Strawbs - Back In The Old Routine (severin)
Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard - Working Girl Blues (Naguchi)
The Prodigy - Back 2 Skool (happyclapper)
Tony Perkins - When School Starts Again (BanazirGalbasi)
Jerry Blavat - One More Time Back To School (Nicko)
Men At Work - Be Good Johnny (SweetHomeAlabama)
Graham Parker & The Rumour - Back To Schooldays (Maki)
Rod Stewart - Maggie May (pejepeine)
My Chemical Romance - Teenagers (Vikingchild)
Guru's Wildcard Picks:
Eduard Klassen - Must I Go
This has probably nothing do with going back to work or school, but there's something about a Paraguayan harpist having that in mind that tickles me. And it sounds pretty.
Blink-182 - Going Away To College
A boy moves away to college; a girl is left behind. The beginning of a new lovesick chapter in their lives, as well as an educational one.
Lady Parts - 9 to 5
A punk cover from the fictional all-female Muslim band featured in the sitcom We Are Lady Parts. Very different to Dolly's original!
A helping hand
These playlists were inspired by readers' song nominations in response to last week's topic: Returns to normal: songs about going back to school, college or work.The next topic will launch on Thursday after 1pm UK time.
New to comment? It is quick and easy. You just need to login to Disqus once. All is explained in About/FAQs ...
Fancy a turn behind the pumps at The Song Bar? Care to choose a playlist from songs nominated and write something about it? Then feel free to contact The Song Bar here, or try the usual email address. Also please follow us social media: Song Bar X, Song Bar Facebook. Song Bar YouTube, and Song Bar Instagram. Please subscribe, follow and share.