The Bangles recorded "Manic Monday" with the appropriate trepidation that comes with a song written by a superstar. Hoffs recalls: "I remember going in and singing that song and being on the mike and it was kind of like red light fever. I knew it was a Prince song and I wanted to do a great job on it. I remember David (producer David Kahne) was really excited; you pick up on those vibes and it's just the best feeling in the world. Recording is so psychological, there's so much pressure, because there's a lot at stake and you want to make sure you do your very best to get it captured on tape. It was taped back then. We didn't have Pro Tools, so you were always in danger of destroying something that was good already. Prince came to our rehearsal after the record was done, and he was really thrilled with how it came out. I think he might have said something like, 'Oh, I was surprised you guys didn't use my track,' or something. But he was very happy with it."
Prince's lifestyle is nothing like the workday grind he pokes fun of in this song, which finds a young lady stressing out about being late for work and trying in vain to get there on time. This being a Prince-penned song from the '80s, there is sex involved: We find out in the last verse that she's late because her lover, who apparently doesn't work, hit her up for some lovemaking the night before. The week ending April 19, 1986, Prince's song "Kiss" was #1 on the Hot 100 while "Manic Monday," which he wrote, was #2.
"Manic Monday" was a breakthrough for the Bangles, setting them on a course for stardom. Their 1984 album was well received and got them gigs opening for Cyndi Lauper and doing a song for The Goonies soundtrack, but they struggled to get airplay outside of their Southern California stronghold, and none of the songs from their debut charted. "Manic Monday," with the Prince pedigree, was an easy sell to radio and MTV. Their next single, "If She Knew What She Wants," was a modest hit, but the next one, "Walk Like An Egyptian" was a sensation, named by Billboard as the #1 song of 1987 in America. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)
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