Come Monday, I'll throw your ass out! A critical and silly look at a Jimmy Buffet classic

I have had Jimmy Buffet’s ‘Come Monday’ in my head a lot lately.  My band has picked up the song, so I have been thinking too much about it.  The more I look, the more concerning it is.  At first, it’s a love song, with a chorus that goes ‘come Monday, it’ll be alright, come Monday, I’ll be holding you tight.

That is just good old fashioned romance… until we look closer.  When we look closer… we find a clingy, possessive, and bitter boyfriend.  Oh, and a bitter answer to rock stardom

Note, I like Jimmy Buffet.  This isn’t a slam piece, but a fun and different look at his greatest song.  Now… hang on

And now you're off on vacation,
Somethin' you tried to explain.

Wait… what does she have to explain?  Does she have to justify going on vacation?  Should she be sitting and home and waiting for you to come back?  Gee, that would be a plan, if you hadn’t just written a song about how much you are never home.

Remember the night in Montana when
We said there'd be no room for doubt.

“no room for doubt”?  What the hell kind of conversation is that? I'll tell you what is was... abortion.  it would explain the pathos and posessiveness.

I hope you're enjoyin' the scenery,
I know that it's pretty up there.

What’s he saying?  I can only tell you what I am hearing.  What I am hearing is “I sure hope you like that beautiful house I bought you.  I sure wish I was there, but I am just a little busy earning the money for us so you have that beautiful house."  He is saying  (to me at least) “I am out here killing myself so you can have a great life.  I don’t like touring.  But you are out there just whoopin’ it up, aren’t you?  Oh… with my fucking money?

Remember the night in Montana when
We said there'd be no room for doubt.

Well, it turns out there was some room.  In fact, he moved into that room and wrote this song.  Aw, maybe I am just bitter and cynical.  Just a song about a guy who misses his gal, and is lonely on the road.  Just wants her ‘by my side’, right?

And darlin' I love you so that's
The reason I just let you go.

Um… what the fuck?  Did we just dump her?  In the middle of the love song to her… did you just dump her?  This isn’t at the end, telling a story arc.  In fact, let’s look at the whole verse.  It’s the one about explaining her vacation.

Yes it's been quite a summer,
rent-a-cars and west bound trains.
And now you're off on vacation,
somethin' you tried to explain.
And darlin' I love you so that's
the reason I just let you go.

He didn't just break up with her (at the end, like a regular story arc).  No sir, he breaks up with her mid song.   Hot damn, this boy is angry!

Is there ANY other way to take this than “you whore!  While I am out killing myself in shitty cities and traveling in a shitty Ford Econoline van… you are taking the money I send back and you are going on fucking vacation?  A van, Denise.  I live in a fucking VAN.  Not even my own van.   A van with 7 other dudes in it.  Not a hotel room, not backstage, and certainly not poolside.  Every day, we all wake up at 8 am, and drive roughly 12 hours across the country.  I have been eating fucking ramen to send you that $2,000.   And now your off on vacation?  Something you’ll have to explain… for sure.

Oh well, it worked.  That stunning gal in the video is his real life girlfriend who he wrote the song for.  They got married, and are still together.   Hopefully, they now how the kind of money where she can take a vacation and not get the 5^th degree.

Great song.  Let's enjoy it, shall we

If you enjoyed this, here is another piece along the same lines.  Taking a look at the lryics we just sing but don't think about.  John Lennon, arsonist.