Sunday night can bring up a lot of feelings about the impending work week, but music is always there to help. Everyone has their favorite band that never fails to put a smile on their face, but certain songs are universal mood boosters. Those classics that everyone likes, that make you nostalgic even if you weren’t around when the songs came out, and that stand the test of time. These three songs, by The Beatles, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Queen will be the perfect antidotes for the Monday dread.
“One After 909” (1970)
Artist: The Beatles
“One After 909” is a special Beatles’ song from their last album, Let It Be. While the song came out in 1970, its history goes all the way back to before The Beatles even existed. When John Lennon and Paul McCartney were just teenagers, songwriting was a private activity, separate from the band. They would skip school to go to McCartney’s house while his father was at work and write songs, and that’s how the first Lennon-McCartney originals were born. However, at the time, The Beatles still only did covers, and by the time they started playing originals, a lot of the earliest songs had been forgotten in favor of the newest ones.
But when they got together to record Let It Be in January 1969, they were on a tight deadline, and they revisited old, unfinished songs. In Peter Jackson‘s documentary, The Beatles: Get Back, fans can see the process of putting it together and how Lennon and McCartney reminisce over its inception. The song is incredibly modern for its time, and even more considering it was originally written in the late ’50s. Lennon and McCartney sing in harmony throughout almost the entire song, McCartney taking the high harmonies and Lennon singing the lead vocal, in their classic style from the early days. It has an unmistakable bluesy feel, inspired by freight-train-type songs from the ’50s, and the perfect song to start your Monday the right way.
“Give It Away” (1991)
Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers
It’s practically impossible not to cheer up when listening to this song. Just the riff puts you in a good mood. “Give It Away” was the lead single from the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 1991 album Blood Sugar Sex Magik. This album was the one that catapulted the Red Hot Chili Peppers into stardom, and “Give It Away” was one of its biggest hits. John Frusciante’s sparse yet hypnotic riff draws the listener in immediately, and Flea’s funky baseline complements it perfectly.
The lyrics, which Anthony Kiedis raps, contrast beautifully with the melodic riff. The singer wrote the song about an experience with his then-girlfriend, German artist Nina Hagen. At the time they were together, Hagen was an established, successful artist, while Kiedis was struggling financially and with substance abuse. Hagen, he explained, shared with him an important lesson about generosity and altruism. She took care of him and shared what she had, claiming that the more she gave away, the more life would eventually give back to her. For years now, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have been using this song to close their sets, and it works every time. It’s the perfect way to go out with a bang, and the perfect song to boost your mood this week.
“Don’t Stop Me Now” (1978)
Artist: Queen
“Don’t Stop Me Now” is an anthem, and the perfect soundtrack (and mantra) for the Monday blues. Queen has no shortage of hits, but this song seems to stand the test of time thanks to its uplifting quality and ode to hedonism. The song is essentially about wanting to have fun and feel good. And never wanting to stop feeling that way.
Of course, the actual contents of the lyrics are far from tame and wholesome. It includes sexual innuendos and references to different excesses. Because of that, and what Freddie Mercury was going through at the time it was written, guitarist Brian May had a hard time listening to it for a long time.
“I thought it was a lot of fun, but I did have an undercurrent feeling of, ‘aren’t we talking about danger here,’ because we were worried about Freddie at this point,” he admitted. However, almost five decades later, the way people still connect with the song has eased this feeling of dread and made him listen to the track from a different perspective.
“It was kind of a stroke of genius from Freddie.”
These three songs are guaranteed to cheer you up and get you ready for whatever Monday can throw at you.
