15 Songs for the Days of the Week features music courtesy of 2 Chainz, Foo Fighters, Katy Perry, Lil Dicky, and Vance Joy among many others.

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ave you ever noticed that the inspiration (and title) for some songs can be a certain time or day of the week? Previously, we’ve explored time’s influence in our playlist, Time: 19 Songs for Night & Morning Hours Playlist, but up until now, we hadn’t explored days. 15 Songs for the Days of the Week features two songs for each of the seven days of the week. Fittingly, we’ve organized the songs into two separate weeks.  Do the math (7 x 2), and that accounts for 14 of the songs, but what about the 15^thsong? Consider song number 15 a bonus cut, and what better day than Sunday to be the bonus cut?  Artists with songs appearing on this day-centric list include 2 Chainz, Foo Fighters, Katy Perry, Lil Dicky, and Vance Joy among many others.

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Days of the Week: Week I 

1. Foo Fighters, “Sunday Rain”

Concrete Gold • Roswell / RCA • 2017

Day of the Week: Sunday

The music and vocals on Foo Fighters’ “Sunday Rain” are enigmatic and dark. front man 🎙 Dave Grohl drummer 🎙 Taylor Hawkins’ tone sounds smoky, as if he’s ‘up to no good.’ Melodically, this is a beautiful record, particularly the chorus.  Among the highlights are the bridge, which contrasts the harmonic progression and amplifies the intensity.  The jazz piano solo at the end is a nice, quirky touch.

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2. The Boomtown Rats, “I Don’t Like Mondays”

The Fine Art of Surfacing • Mercury • 1979

Day of the Week: Monday

“Tell me why / I don’t like Mondays / I wanna shoot the whole day down.” Irish rock band The Boomtown Rats cover the Grover Cleveland Elementary School shooting on “I Don’t Like Mondays”, a song from their 1979 album, The Fine Art of Surfacing. Infamously, 16-year old Brenda Spencer, who truly didn’t like Mondays, killed two adults and injured eight children with a .22 caliber semiautomatic rifle at the elementary across from her house.  The band captures the tragic tale.

“And all the playing’s stopped in the playground now
She wants to play with the toys a while
And school’s out early and soon we’ll be learning
And the lesson is how to die.”

Notably, Tori Amos covered “I Don’t Like Mondays” on her 2001 album, Strange Little Girls.

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3. Jake Scott, “Tuesdays”

“Tuesdays” • Jake Scott • 2018

Day of the Week: Tuesday

Ah, fresh, talent deserving wider recognition, as Downbeat Jazz coined it. Jake Scott is a singer/songwriter from Fayette, Arkansas.  He’s left his Arkansas home, now based in Los Angeles, California.  “Tuesdays” is a lovely, acoustic guitar-accompanied ballad featuring clear, smooth, and nuanced vocals from Scott. As notable as the vocals are, the lyrics are beautiful and thoughtfully-penned.

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4. Charles Mingus, “Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting”

Blues & Roots • Atlantic • 1960

Day of the Week: Wednesday

Instrumental music definitely doesn’t get enough love. Much of jazz, a style I love and grew up listening to, doesn’t always get the nod for playlists or features on The Musical Hype as much as it should.  Thankfully, the late, great Charles Mingus (1922 – 1979), delivered a gem in 1960, perfect for Wednesday, or any other day of the week! That classic is “Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting,” which musically sounds like the tone poem of a black Pentecostal church service.  In regards to jazz substyles, “Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting” falls at the end of the hard-bop period and the beginnings of the avant-garde/free jazz of the 1960s.

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5. Run the Jewels, “Thursday in the Danger Room”

Ft. Kamasi Washington

Run the Jewels 3 • Run the Jewels • 2016

Day of the Week: Thursday

El-P and Killer Mike make quite the potent duo as Run the Jewels.  As to why they don’t get more love is a mystery.  Arguably the best song from their third studio album, Run the Jewels 3 is “Thursday in the Danger Room,” featuring saxophone extraordinaire Kamasi Washington. Lyrically, Mike and El-P knock it out of the park, detailing the utter devastation and emptiness left by losing someone special to death.  Washington’s superb sax playing further amplifies the emotion of the exceptional penultimate cut.  Folks, don’t merely reserve this one for Thursday!

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6. Lil Dicky, “Freaky Friday”

Ft. Chris Brown

Freaky Friday – Single • Commission Music / BMG Rights Management • 2018

Day of the Week: Friday

Simply calling Lil Dicky “one of a kind” might be an understatement.  The comedic rapper, who made quite the splash with his 2015 album Professional Rapper, returned with a new single in 2018, “Freaky Friday”, assisted by Chris Brown.  The results end up being utterly ridiculous, as both artist trade places (like the movie) and sing and rap about it. For Lil Dicky specifically, his flow is tight, as always, while his rhymes are absolutely absurd.  The outro may be the most interesting part, where “Freaky Friday” gets real freaky, involving Ed Sheeran, DJ Khaled, and most hilariously (or disturbingly), Kendall Jenner.

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7. Vance Joy, “Saturday Sun”

Nation of Two • Atlantic • 2018

Day of the Week: Saturday

Australian singer-songwriter Vance Joy returned in 2018 with an enjoyable, thoughtful, and well-rounded sophomore album, Nation of Two.  The sophomore album by the artist of “Riptide” fame includes gems such as “Lay It on Me”, “We’re Going Home” and “Like Gold”.  While the song at hand, “Saturday Sun,” wasn’t picked a ‘gem’ within the album review, there is no shame it its game.  “Saturday Sun”is chocked-full of energy and exuberance.  That checks off a box, right.  Joy continues to sing effortlessly. Another box checked. Notably, “Saturday Sun” features ample ukulele.  Can’t go wrong with the uke, so that’s another box checked, regardless of the day of the week.

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Days of the Week: Phase II

8. Grace, “Church on Sunday”

FMA • RCA • 2016

Day of the Week: Sunday

Grace of “You Don’t Own Me” fame, elevates the spirit on “Church on Sunday,” the opening song on her underappreciated debut, FMA.  “Church on Sunday’ features gospel-infused, throwback production.  She confesses her sin – a cold heart.  Unable to love the cute boys she sees, she’s “gotta go to church on Sunday.”

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9. Melanie Fiona, “Monday Morning”

The Bridge • Universal • 2009

Day of the Week: Monday

The Bridge, the debut album by Canadian R&B singer Melanie Fiona, is remembered for one specific song – “If It Kills Me.” Admittedly, it’s an excellent song that oozes with soul and shows why this underappreciated, highly underrated singer is a terrific, well-rounded musician.  But, The Bridge had more goods than “If It Kills Me,” including “Teach Him,” “Walk on By,” and the Monday song at hand, “Monday Morning.” What makes “Monday Morning” worth listening to, especially on a terrible day such as Monday is it’s groovy and thrives off its retro-, throwback soul vibes.  Need a pick-me-up on Mondays? This is it folks.

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10. ILoveMakonnen, “Tuesday”

Ft. Drake

ILoveMakonnen • OVO Sound / Warner Bros. • 2014

Day of the Week: Tuesday

Tuesday may not normally be associated with clubbing, but that’s the day ILoveMakonnen chose in 2014 to “get it popping.” On his hit “Tuesday,” ILoveMakonnen sings on the hook, “Got the club goin’ up, on a Tuesday / Got your girl in the cut and she choosey.” Interestingly, this lyric didn’t age incredibly well – ILoveMakonnen would come out as gay in 2017.  Someone who hasn’t been mentioned as of yet is Drake, who raps on the first verse.  On the second verse, I LoveMakonnen expounds on his schedule: “Workin’ Monday night, on the corner flippin’ hard… / Ain’t no fuckin’ time to party on the weekend.” Tuesday it is then!

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11. Curtis Harding, “Wednesday Morning Atonement”

Face Your Fear • Anti • 2017

Day of the Week: Wednesday

“There was something in the way / No I finally can say / That I love you / I want you to know.” “Wednesday Morning Atonement” may win the award for best-named song on this list. Additionally, it’s a meaningful song from contemporary soul artist Curtis Harding, appearing on his sophomore album, Face Your Fear.  Lyrically, Harding comes from the perspective of an estranged father who left his family, has returned, and vowed to stay for good. Harding e-mailed Fader that “Wednesday Morning Atonement” was a “double-entendre”, also “Metaphorically…a story about a musician, and in theory his songs are his children…recorded on a Wednesday”

“Tell your mother
I’ve been saving
Working here all alone
Trying to build a happy home
See most people
Are never given
A second chance to be
A better man maybe
We can move on.”

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12. The Weeknd, “Thursday”

Trilogy • Republic • 2012

Day of the Week: Thursday

“Not on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday but on Thursday, make sure you are thirsty / Oh, on Thursday, baby get ready oh on Thursday…” For the second Thursday song on this list, we look to none other than urban contemporary superstar, The Weeknd.  Interestingly, “Thursday” comes before Abel Tesfaye had his big breakthrough with his proper sophomore album, Beauty Behind the Madness in 2015. Originally appearing on his mixtape Thursday, “Thursday” appeared on the commercially released three-disc compilation, Trilogy in 2012. It features interesting, moody production work, more focused on sound and vibe as opposed to meaningful songwriting.  Expectedly, the falsetto is on-point.

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13. Katy Perry, “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”

Teenage Dream • Capitol • 2010

Day of the Week: Friday

“Pictures of last night ended up online / I’m screwed, oh well / It’s a blacked out bloor, but I’m pretty sure it ruled / Damn.” Back in 2010, Katy Perry was on top, period. Teenage Dream was the pop album to beat, spawning numerous number one hits. Among those number one hits was “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” which may be best suited for Friday, but is appropriate listening for any day of the week. Produced by Dr. Luke and Max Martin, naturally production is a major selling point. Another selling point? The attitude and big personality of Perry, who makes this anthem a true pop gem.  Perhaps it isn’t quite as memorable as “Teenage Dream” or “Firework,” the crème de la crème of Teenage Dream, but it’s one of the better songs hands down.

“Last Friday night
Yeah, we danced on tabletops
And we took too many shots
Think we kissed, but I forgot
Last Friday night.”

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14. 2 Chainz, “Saturday Night”

Pretty Girls Like Trap Music • Def Jam • 2017

Day of the Week: Saturday

“I hit the trap today, I’m gon’ hit the club tonight, yeah.”“Saturday Night” kicks off Pretty Girls Like Trap Music in electrifying fashion.  The guitar-infused trap opener sets the tone for the entire album. 2 Chainz raps with his signature, humorous, sometimes ridiculous delivery.  He says nothing particularly profound, but he’s on his game to say the least.  Saturdays are carefree and so is 2 Chainz, the artist formerly known as Tity Boi.

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15. Big Sean, “Sunday Morning Jetpack”

Ft. The-Dream

I Decided. • Def Jam • 2017

Day of the Week: Sunday

“Sunday Morning Jetpack” featuring The-Dream is among the most mellow songs on I Decided., the fourth studio album by Big Sean.  Furthermore, it is one of the most beautiful songs. Here, Sean thrives in reflective mode. The-Dream is used limitedly, but even so, he sounds exceptional.

The hook is among the shining spots:

“Thank you, God, for all my setbacks
‘Cause he the reason I’m able to give back
This feels like my Sunday morning jetpack
Feel like I sent prayers up and got blessed back...”

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[📷: Anti, Atlantic, BMG Rights Management, Capitol, Commission Music, Def Jam, Jake Scott, Mercury, RCA, Republic, Roswell, Run the Jewels, Universal, Warner]

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