The Mamas & The Papas – “Monday, Monday” (1966)

When harmony met heartache at the dawn of the week.

Released during the golden age of folk-pop, “Monday, Monday” is more than just a song about the first day of the week — it’s a bittersweet portrait of beginnings, painted in lush harmonies and quiet longing.

Written by John Phillips and released in 1966, it became the group’s only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and earned them a Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group. But its success was more than commercial — it struck a chord that still echoes today.

Beneath the dreamy melodies and soft instrumentation lies something deeper — a melancholy that captures the emotional rhythm of starting over.

“Monday, Monday… can’t trust that day.”

With Cass Elliot’s soulful voice anchoring the harmonies of Denny Doherty, Michelle Phillips, and John Phillips, the track floats between comfort and uncertainty. It’s a song that makes you sway — and reflect.

 Is it about love gone cold? Is it about the dull ache of routine returning after a too-short weekend? Maybe both. Maybe that’s why it still resonates.

“Monday, Monday” is the soundtrack to groggy mornings, hesitant hopes, and the slow march into another cycle of life. For every listener who’s ever stared at the sunrise and thought, Here we go again…, this is your quiet anthem.

Gentle, wistful, unforgettable.