The Mamas & The Papas – Monday Monday

“Monday, Monday” – Single by the Mamas & the Papas from the album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears
B-side “Got a Feelin'”
Released March 1966
Recorded December 16, 1965
Label Dunhill
Songwriter John Phillips
Producer Lou Adler
Charted No.1 in US, No.3 in UK

This was the first #1 US hit by a group comprised of at least two men and two women.

On March 2, 1967, the Mamas & the Papas won a Grammy Award for this song, in the category Best Contemporary (R&R) Group Performance, Vocal Or Instrumental. In 2008 the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

While awaiting the release of “California Dreamin’,” band member Denny Doherty was prodding songwriter John Phillips to come up with some new material. Phillips said he would come back in the morning with “a song with universal appeal.” Ignoring the sarcastic comments from the group members, Phillips came up with “Monday, Monday.” It’s about the lousy feeling that comes with the end of the weekend and beginning of another workweek.

This was the first Hot 100 chart-topper with a day in the week in the title, and the only one with “Monday.” (“Manic Monday” by the Bangles and “Rainy Days And Mondays” by the Carpenters both stalled at #2.)

The song was performed at the Monterey Pop Festival (California) in 1967. The performance was filmed for the movie of the festival, but not included in the final print.

The Mamas & the Papas closed out their set at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, a precursor to Woodstock organized by John Phillips. By this time the group was starting to implode; they broke up in 1968 after just four years together.