New Order’s “Blue Monday” Lyrics Meaning
Emily Baldwin by Jessica Shelton· Published · Updated
On “Blue Monday”, the narrator ponders on the maltreatment he constantly receives from someone he trusted. The character in the song appears to be very manipulative and influences the narrator’s emotions negatively. However, the narrator does not have enough control to do away with him.
');var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; })();He finds it hard to believe that this person turned out to be a bad influence on him due to the trust and love that blind him. He makes an effort to get solitude but his oppressor does not grant it. The writer finally admits that this person is simply cold-hearted and has no empathy for him.
The title “Blue Monday” which typically describes a Monday on which one feels too depressed to return to work, does not appear in the lyrics of the song. However, the band has revealed that the title was inspired by an illustration “Goodbye Blue Monday” from Kurt Vonnegut’s book Breakfast of Champions. Lead singer, Bernard Sumner also told the Guardian that the lyric “how does it feel” was born out of him being fed up with journalists asking him that question.
All in All
This song’s lyrics mainly talk about the challenge of dealing with a manipulative person/behavior one has become attached to. The singer may have been referring to a devious lover, an abusive person, or a drug habit he did not have control over.
Release Date of “Blue Monday”
On March 7, 1983 Tonpress in conjunction with Factory Records released “Blue Monday”. It was officially the only single released from New Order’s 1983 album “Power, Corruption & Lies”.
');var c=function(){cf.showAsyncAd(opts)};if(typeof window.cf !== 'undefined')c();else{cf_async=!0;var r=document.createElement("script"),s=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];r.async=!0;r.src="//";r.readyState?r.onreadystatechange=function(){if("loaded"==r.readyState||"complete"==r.readyState)r.onreadystatechange=null,c()}:r.onload=c;s.parentNode.insertBefore(r,s)}; })();Writing Credits for “Blue Monday”
New Order not only wrote “Blue Monday” but they also produced it. Hence the production and songwriting credits are as follows:
- Bernard Sumner
- Peter Hook
- Stephen Morris
- Gillian Gilbert
Brilliant Chart Performance
“Blue Monday” was such a great success for New Order. It entered the top 10 in the charts of numerous countries, including Britain and the United States. On the UK Singles Chart for example, it peaked at number 9. Other countries where this classic made it into the top 10 include
- Austria
- Belgium
- The Netherlands
- Switzerland
- Germany (where it reached number 2)
As a matter of fact it was so successful that not even the band’s later global hit “True Faith” matched its success. And “True Faith” was one of the best selling tracks of the 1980s!
Best Selling 12-inch single ever!
This song was so successful it ended up becoming the most commercially successful 12-inch single ever released!
Did “Blue Monday” win New Order any Grammy Awards?
Unfortunately, no. Despite being one of the 80s most successful singles, this single received no Grammy nominations nor awards. As a matter of fact, New Order is yet to win a Grammy.
