I Don't Like Mondays

The Zoo Crew is spinning the haunting yet catchy "I Don't Like Mondays" by The Boomtown Rats from their 1979 album The Fine Art of Surfacing, and Zoo Freaks, this one’s got a story that’ll stick with you. The song was inspired by a tragic event in January 1979, when 16-year-old Brenda Ann Spencer opened fire at Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego, killing two adults and injuring eight children and a police officer. When asked why she did it, her chilling response was, “I don’t like Mondays. This livens up the day.” Bob Geldof, the band’s frontman, was at Georgia State University’s radio station WRAS when he read a telex report about the shooting. Struck by the senselessness, he penned the song’s opening line, “The silicon chip inside her head gets switched to overload,” on the spot, later calling it the “perfect senseless song” for a “perfect senseless act.” He initially planned it as a B-side but changed his mind after it resonated with audiences during their U.S. tour.

Despite its dark origins, the song’s upbeat piano-driven melody made it a global hit, topping the UK Singles Chart for four weeks in 1979 and ranking as the sixth-biggest hit of the year in the UK. It reached number one in 32 countries but struggled in the U.S., peaking at #73 on the Billboard Hot 100, possibly due to radio stations shying away from its controversial subject matter. The song’s music video, directed by David Mallet, features the band performing in a choir setting with children miming the iconic “Tell me why?” chorus, juxtaposing the song’s grim lyrics with a deceptively light visual. Geldof has reflected on its impact, noting its performance at Live Aid in 1985, where he paused for 20 seconds after the line “And the lesson today is how to die,” letting the crowd’s applause underscore the song’s weight for the famine relief cause. On X, fans still share its legacy, with posts like @Golden_80s in April 2025 calling it a “socially charged song” that defined the era.

The Boomtown Rats formed in 1975 in Dublin, Ireland, emerging from the punk and new wave scene with a raw, rebellious energy. The original lineup—Bob Geldof (vocals), Garry Roberts (lead guitar), Gerry Cott (rhythm guitar), Pete Briquette (bass), Johnnie Fingers (keyboards), and Simon Crowe (drums)—mostly hailed from Dún Laoghaire, a coastal town near Dublin. Initially called The Nightlife Thugs, they adopted the name The Boomtown Rats from a gang mentioned in Woody Guthrie’s autobiography, Bound for Glory. Geldof, a former journalist, took over as frontman after starting as the band’s manager, his sharp lyricism and charismatic stage presence driving their rise. Their first single, “Lookin’ After No. 1,” hit the UK Top 40 in 1977, and their debut album, The Boomtown Rats, set the stage for their breakthrough. Their 1978 hit “Rat Trap” became the first punk/new wave song to top the UK charts, cementing their place in the scene.

The band’s career peaked with The Fine Art of Surfacing, but Geldof’s growing focus on charity work, including organizing Band Aid and Live Aid in the mid-1980s, overshadowed their music. The group disbanded in 1986 after their final performance at Ireland’s Self Aid concert. They reunited in 2013, minus Fingers and Cott, and released a new album, Citizens of Boomtown, in 2020, proving their enduring spark. Sadly, guitarist Garry Roberts passed away in 2022 at age 72.

Zoo Freaks can stay connected with The Boomtown Rats through their official website, where they share tour dates and news. Follow them on Facebook for updates and throwback posts, or check their Instagram for behind-the-scenes shots. On X, they engage with fans and share music milestones. For deeper dives, fans gather at the Boomtown Rats Fan Group on Facebook, a lively spot for Zoo Freaks to swap stories and celebrate the band’s legacy. There’s also The Boomtown Rats Unofficial, a fan-run site packed with discographies and rare photos for diehards.