Lorrie Morgan – “Except For Monday”
Lorrie Morgan found the perfect combination of heartbreak, humor and attitude with “Except for Monday,” one of the standout hits from her 1991 album Something in Red. Written by Reed Nielsen, the song offered a clever variation on the familiar country theme of trying to recover after a breakup.
Instead of simply admitting that she is miserable, the woman in the song assures her former lover that she is doing wonderfully. She is going dancing, enjoying the nightlife and moving forward with her life—or at least that is what she wants him to believe. The chorus gradually reveals the truth as she describes her emotional condition throughout the week. Monday is never good, Tuesday leaves her feeling “sideways,” Wednesday is a little better, and Thursday and Friday seem to drag on forever. By Sunday, however, she confidently insists that she is all right.
That playful contradiction gives the song its personality. The narrator wants to appear strong and independent, but it is obvious that she is still struggling with the breakup. Morgan delivers the lyrics with just the right balance of confidence and vulnerability. Her performance allows listeners to hear both the brave face the woman is showing the world and the lingering hurt beneath it.
Produced by Richard Landis, “Except for Monday” was recorded for Morgan’s second major-label studio album, Something in Red. Released by RCA Nashville in April 1991, the album helped establish Morgan as one of the defining female country voices of the early 1990s. It also included “We Both Walk,” her version of George Jones’ “A Picture of Me (Without You)” and the dramatic title track.
“Except for Monday” was released as the album’s third single in October 1991. It climbed to No. 4 on Billboard’s country chart and reached No. 7 on Canada’s country chart. It was also one of four significant country hits produced by the album, which eventually earned platinum certification.
The song fit Morgan especially well because she had a gift for portraying women who could be wounded without appearing helpless. She could sing a traditional heartbreak song while adding a modern sense of independence, humor and defiance.
More than three decades later, “Except for Monday” remains a fan favorite because its message is so relatable. Anyone who has tried to convince an ex—and themselves—that everything is perfectly fine can understand the song’s funny, bittersweet truth.
