Boomtown Rats – I Don't Like Mondays

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  General Comment:It was written about a disturbed teen shooting. Her house was across the street from an elementary school and she shot kids from the window in her house. The incident happened in San Diego, CA. She is still in jail and has been up for parole about a half dozen times. She will most likely never get out of jail as she still exhibits disturbing behavior and keeps changing her story about what caused her to go on her shooting spree. One the first of many teen (school) killers and probably (not confirmed) influenced the short story "Rage" by Stephen King.

  Flag exexpat93on October 20, 2011   Link

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  My Interpretation:I heard this song many times, but I first listened to it in History class. My teacher told us it was about a shooting in the USA and I got tears in my eyes. Every time I hear this song, the sames tears come back.
  I can hardly imagine why someone should do something like this!
  One day I had this song in my head and I felt really bad about it. It was on a Monday and I got trouble with my girlfriend. The song reminds me always of what people can do to each other, without being able to understand why.

  Flag Combatmanon July 23, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:More specifically... I've done radio in Atlanta for years and my friends at college station WRAS (Album 88) always told me Geldof and Johnny Fingers were doing an interview on Album 88 when the AP wire (which was referred to by Geldof as the Telex) started printing the story of the school shooting in San Diego. Geldof was close enough to read it as it printed out and was immediately struck by it. Sir Bob has confirmed this story on several occasions in subsequent interviews and junk.

  Flag ajcannonon March 16, 2011   Link

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  General Comment:I think it's possible that Bob had personal reservations about the technology boom on the 70's. From what I gather, I could imagine he was disturbed by the thought of a new and well-maintained news maching spreading such sad news across the US while Brenda's parents and the parents of girls across the country were torn and confused by the story. The sillicon refrence makes me feel the satire, I think he was trying to draw technology into the light as a possible culprit of human tragedies such as Brenda Spencer's shooting. I loved this song soo much when I was a kid. Its made me cry when I realized what it was about. Bob is a perfect human example both good and bad. I did some research and found that most information regarding his professional life are negative and paint him black. But just look at his point of views and passion of his performances. His political activities. His attempts to rais money for good causes (even if they weren't sucessful) It pains me to see that in any case, respect isn't ever given when its due.

  Flag notashtonishingon February 17, 2010   Link

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  General Comment:I disagree that Brenda Spencer was "obviously just a girl who couldn't deal with the pressure of life anymore." Everything I've read of what she said at the time of the shooting and since then indicates that she's a sociopath, and as such immune to feeling pressure beyond that of her own whims (and on the day in question, ennui). I think the song isn't meant to make the listener empathize with the criminal, but to emphasize the existentially terrifying senselessness of the crime. Life doesn't have any rhyme or reason to it, and horrible things happen with no good explanation at all sometimes.

  Flag persimmonon December 30, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:sillicon chip references the fact that she must have snapped (had a brain mulfuntion)in the same way a silicon chip inside a computer would.
  The fact that her dad doesnot understand it shows she was acting out of character she showed no signs of eing capable of doing what she ended up doing.Also is shows that no one has an explanation for her actions.
  Also the mood I get from the way the words are repeated and the meter shows that although she offers a reason for her actions , the reason still does not offer a explanation that would make people understand why she did what she did.
  
  The telex machine is kept so clean
  as it types to a waiting world
  its like this machine which gives out news it makes the her parents wonder what the papers will write about the incident.The fathers world will be rocked coz it will affect their communication and relationships in the community in which they live.
  
  sweet sixteen ain't that peachy keen
  At that age she is supposed to be a docile teenager
  no, it ain't so neat to admit defeat
  Its not easy for the parents to admit their contribution to her behaviour.
  
  she wants to play with her toys a while
  a referernce to how it seems she did this for a selfish reason that which seems pretty whimsical and in doing so makes "toys" out of the children she shot at or a"toy" out of the gun she used
  
  and school's out early
  and soon we'll be learning
  and the lesson today is how to die
  this refers to the way though some of the children went to school some of them did not learn anything except how to pass away becoz of the senseless act (which is the saddest part of the song)
  also the captain cannot explain it as he too is puzzled.
  at the end the day the reason even if offered as a reason is not a reason at all.
  
  

  Flag mercsweeton May 18, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:This song IS about the school shooting of 1979 at Cleveland Elementary when Brenda Spencer went on a shooting spree from across the street.

  Flag erinnwhoaxoon April 28, 2009   Link

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  General Comment:"Spencer's crime, lack of remorse, and inability to provide a serious explanation for her actions when captured, inspired the song "I Don't Like Mondays" by The Boomtown Rats, written by Bob Geldof. Her quote "I don't like Mondays" also appears written on a wall in the 1985 movie The Breakfast Club."
  
  Wikipedia--- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…
  
  I love this song!

  Flag milliethemorticianon May 05, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:This IS based on a real event that happened in 1979.
  
  The "overloadedsilicon chip" in Brenda's head is a metaphor for being mentally disordered

  Flag CuteSparkinaon May 21, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:mrbun, I agree with you. I think this song does have a certain humor and satire about it. But at the same time, I think there is a bigger, more empathetic message behind the humor.
  
  Tori Amos's version of the cover, while much more subdued and brooding, seems to completely wipe the humor away from the song and gets that buried message across much more openly.
  
  I mean, it is sort of funny in a morbid way; but it's also disturbing. Yet, the protagonist in the song is obviously just a girl who couldn't deal with the pressure of life anymore. We all feel like that sometimes. Not many of us do like Mondays.
  
  I like both the original and the Tori cover; they both have their pros and cons.

  Flag starpatrolleron March 18, 2007   Link

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