My Gen X Playlist: I Don’t Like Mondays – Boomtown Rats

You wouldn’t know it if you looked at it, but a capybara is in the rodent family. To me, rodent is a nice way of saying rat. I am not a fan of rats at all. I think they’re dirty and they give me the willies. But capybaras are different. They are huge and, might I add, cute.

I saw quite a few of capybaras when I was in the Amazon rainforest in Peru. I was surprised by the sheer size of them. In Japan, they have capybara cafes. You can pet and enjoy capybaras up close while enjoying a cup of coffee. Coffee and capybaras. Not a bad combo. Any other coffee house with rats would be considered a health hazard.

The Boomtown Rats released I Don’t Like Mondays back in 1979. During the 80’s, I definitely didn’t know the inspiration behind the song. I loved the chorus so much and would sing along.

“I Don’t Like Mondays” is about Brenda Spencer, a 16-year-old high school student . . . On Monday, January 29, 1979, she opened fire on the school with a rifle her father had given her for Christmas, killing two adults . . . and injuring nine children before going back to her home. Police surrounded her home and waited for seven hours until she gave herself up. In that time, she spoke with a reporter on the phone. When asked why she did it, she replied, “I just started shooting, that’s it. I just did it for the fun of it. I just don’t like Mondays. I just did it because it’s a way to cheer the day up. Nobody likes Mondays.”

– Songfacts

I’m not sure I would have happily sung along had I known this. This tragic shooting occurred back in 1979 and the frequency of mass shootings have increased significantly since then. I keep asking the question: When will something meaningful be done to stop gun violence? It’s unbelievable that we can’t all get on the same page. I didn’t anticipate taking a left turn from cute capybaras to mass shootings. I never know where a song will take me until I learn about the backstory.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

The silicon chip inside her head
Gets switched to overload
And nobody's gonna go to school today
She's going to make them stay at home

And daddy doesn't understand it
He always said she was as good as gold
And he can see no reason 'cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need to be shown?

(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
I wanna shoot

The whole day down

The telex machine is kept so clean
And it types to a waiting world
Her mother feels so shocked, father's world is rocked
And their thoughts turn to their own little girl

Sweet 16 ain't that peachy keen
No, it ain't so neat to admit defeat
They can see no reasons 'cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need, oh, ohoho

(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
I wanna shoot

The whole day down, down, down
Shoot it all down

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 be learning
And the lesson today is how to die

And then the bullhorn crackles and the captain tackles
With the problems and the hows and whys
And he can see no reasons 'cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need to die, die, ohoho

And the silicon chip inside her head
Gets switched to overload, oh
And nobody's gonna go to school today
She's going to make them stay at home

And daddy doesn't understand it
He always said she was as good as gold
And he can see no reason 'cause there are no reasons
What reason do you need to be shown?

(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
(Tell me why) I don't like, I don't like
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays

Tell me why I don't like, I don't like
(Tell me why) I don't like Mondays
Tell me why I don't like Mondays
I wanna shoot

The whole day down
(Ooohooohooo, ooohooohooo
Ooohooohooo)