Monday, Monday - The Mamas and the Papas

Like most people, I'm not a huge fan of Mondays. The plethora of songs lamenting the start of another week indicates that many songwriters also agree. That's where Monday, Monday, released by The Mamas and the Papas in 1966, is a gem. It gets the point across with such gentle perfection that the listener couldn't possibly hear the song without smiling, even if they are reminded of what day it is.

In primary school, I had an eccentric teacher who was a brilliant pianist and musician. I remember one afternoon him playing Monday, Monday repeatedly while we were working in class. He'd point out interesting things to listen to, much to the chagrin of my classmates: "... and now another harmony comes in", "oh, beautiful" and "wait for the break - ahhh!". Years later, when I fell in love with this song for myself, I realised he had a point. Several, in fact.

The harmonies are indeed superb. I've practised each harmony line individually and still find myself choosing one to sing whenever I hear the song played. It's fun to listen to in stereo; just block off a side and you get either male or female parts. Monday, Monday. Can't trust that day.

Just My Imagination - The Temptations

I confess to being a huge fan of Motown, soul and original R&B music and a substantial portion of my collection comes from these genre, particularly from the 1960s and 70s era. Motown produced numerous vocal groups with smooth chops and immaculate harmonies, of which The Temptations are an excellent example.

There are so many songs about dreaming and unrequited love, but none paint quite so vivid a picture as Just My Imagination, released in 1971. It laments the fact that this poor guy doesn't even know the object of his affection, yet has imagined every detail of their perfect life together. (Hmm, that sounds a bit stalker-ish, but listen to the song - I assure you it's not like that.)

The bass line is the feature in this song. Listen out for the gentle marimba fills at the start and get caught up in the cello runs that rise and fall but ultimately go nowhere, just like the dream itself. Add rousing string orchestration and overlay it with poignant yet perfectly melded harmonies. *peaceful sigh*