Monday, Friday, and the weekend days have plenty of songs written about them. But Tuesday, the underdog of the calendar, also has plenty of smash hits under its belt.
Whether you like classic rock or slow country beats, this day of the week has quite the following. In fact, we have a hard time choosing which songs should go into our list below.
Read on to find out 23 of the best songs about Tuesday. We promise you’ll be adding them to your playlist!
1. “Ruby Tuesday” By The Rolling Stones
Classic rock legends The Rolling Stones wrote “Ruby Tuesday” about a mysterious woman. She’s a free spirit and changes her perspective of the world daily. The singer reflects on how he misses her after she leaves but understands her need to be free.
Released in 1967 in the heart of the Free Love movement, this song demonstrates a woman who can’t be tied down. Guitarist Keith Richards supposedly wrote the song based on his girlfriend at the time, Linda Keith. He wrote it on a Tuesday, thus the inspiration for its name.
The song became the Rolling Stones’ fourth hit in America. “Ruby Tuesday” remains one of their most popular songs.
Related: For more, read our post of songs with days of the week in the title.
2. “Tuesday’s Gone” By Lynyrd Skynyrd
Another classic rock hit (this time with southern roots), “Tuesday’s Gone” by Lynyrd Skynyrd, is a going away song. A song with Tuesday in the title, the Tuesday here is the name of a woman.
The lyrics describe the heartache and hardships of leaving Tuesday. The singer doesn’t know where this chosen path will lead. He feels alone and admits he has a long way to go to conquer sadness.
“Tuesday’s Gone” hit the charts in 1973 and reached moderate success. Ronnie van Zant wrote the lyrics alongside guitarist Allen Collins. Van Zant stated he wanted to describe his feelings after the band signed with MCA Records. He realized his life would never be the same and desired freedom.
3. “Tuesday Morning” By The Pogues
The 1990s brought New Wave, grunge, and alternative music in droves. The Pogues‘ “Tuesday Morning” is the quintessential 90s edgy hit that reflects on sad times.
“Tuesday Morning” was the first Pogues hit released after Shane McGowan’s departure. Singer Spider Stacy composed the lyrics about a struggling relationship that manages to find its footing – on a Tuesday.
The lyrics describe the sadness the narrator feels, knowing his lover will be leaving him soon. He loves her so much that he’s willing to drown in sorrow just so he can live in the moment.
4. “Tuesday” By Burak Yeter
Up next is one of the newest songs with Tuesday in the lyrics. “Tuesday” by Burak Yeter is a high-energy hit featuring Danelle Sandoval for additional vocals. The song launched in 2016 and hit popularity the following year.
Unlike the melancholy songs above, Yeter references living it up in a club on a Tuesday night. A line says, “Always workin’ OT, overtime and outta town.” This could mean that the narrator has worked hard, and now it’s time for him to party.
Why Tuesday, you ask? The singer notes that weekend parties have lost their oomph, and Tuesday is when the real party happens. “Tuesday” is an electronic dance music version of the original I Love Makonnen song.
5. “Sweet Tuesday Morning” By Badfinger
The perfect love song is a heartfelt tune from 1971, “Sweet Tuesday Morning” by Badfinger. It features dreamy acoustics and lyrics referencing the smile of a loved one and total loss of fear.
In the lyrics, the narrator remembers that it is a Tuesday morning when his loved one comes and smiles at him. He notes how “All of my fears/They have left me.” He feels joy and brightness in the darkness for the first time.
And the best thing about it? Knowing that the woman you fall in love with is also in love with you.
6. “Tuesday Afternoon” By Moody Blues
At the pinnacle of the 1960s psychedelic rock movement, English rock band Moody Blues released “Tuesday Afternoon.” The song employs the charms of space, progressive and trippy rock music blended with unique vocals.
The lyrics are ambiguous and left to interpretation. However, lead singer and songwriter Justin Howard recalls how it was a Tuesday afternoon when he wrote the song. The song just came into his head.
He was also with his dog named Tuesday at that time, although he said the pooch had nothing to do with the song.
7. “Tuesday’s Dead” By Yusuf / Cat Stevens
Our next song on the list is Yusuf/Cat Stevens‘ “Tuesday’s Dead” from his 1971 album Teaser and the Firecat. Stevens talks about leaving a mark on history, his loneliness, and his inferiority to his predecessors.
Stevens hasn’t ever described the significance of Tuesday – or what the song means. Some interpretations see it as a continuation of the Babel story from the Bible. Others leave it up to interpretation. “Tuesday’s dead” is repeated in the lyrics. It offers a sense of futility about time that days no longer have meaning.
The lyrics reveal that gender and name don’t matter. The song recounts human limitations and the urge to create something groundbreaking to turn the world around.
8. “Tuesday I’ll Be Gone” By John Anderson Ft. Blake Shelton
Country music has a reputation for being emotional, and “Tuesday I’ll Be Gone” is no exception. John Anderson and Blake Shelton released this song in 2020 with heavy Southern rock influences.
The lyrics describe wanting to be alone and deciding to leave to find life somewhere. The narrator doesn’t know where he’s headed but knows something must change. He’s not even sure what to do after this just that he’s leaving on Tuesday.
Anderson and Shelton alternate lines to create a unique and heart-wrenching dialogue. There’s no mention of why the speakers chose Tuesday. But Anderson said the song came after a health scare nearly costing him his life.
9. “Tuesday Heartbreak” By Stevie Wonder
A song that mentions Tuesday relative to heartbreak, this Stevie Wonder hit recounts the unfairness of lost love. “Tuesday Heartbreak” features Wonder singing and playing the clavinet, bass, and drums.
The song uses R&B, funk, and soul vibes to create a romantic-yet-yearning tone. The lyrics describe the woman he loves breaking up with him on a Tuesday. Allegedly, she finds another man. And so this day reminds him of heartbreak.
Despite the pain, he still wants to be with her. He wants to “stay and never go away.” So if you’re looking for a song for post-breakup blues, give this one a try.
10. “Love You Till Tuesday” By David Bowie
Music legend David Bowie released “Love You Till Tuesday” in 1967. This may have been his attempt at writing a love song. Unfortunately, it comes out stalker-ish.
The start of the song finds Bowie sitting outside her window. He must have fallen in love quickly, observing how his “burning desire started on Sunday,” and he plans to love her “till Tuesday.” In addition, he hides in the apple tree and promises to “watch you until my love runs dry.”
Bowie uses Tuesday as a metaphor for a day-long rendezvous, an affair riddled with an obsession that might only last 24 hours. He then jokingly says he could maybe extend his love until Wednesday.
11. “Tuesday’s Broken” By Sugarland
Songs based on tragic events have the ability to pull on the heartstrings. Sugarland used “Tuesday’s Broken” as a response to recent school shootings. This is reminiscent of the 70s song “I Don’t Like Mondays,” which was based on the tragic San Diego shooting.
Vocalist Kristian Bush stated that a report on a school shooting in the northeast (on a Tuesday) inspired the lyrics. “Tuesday’s Broken” describes a frightening Tuesday scene. As you probably guessed, the lyrics are dark and talk about how another kid in another school brought a gun.
It sheds light on the fact that some people are desensitized toward these issues. Sugarland also takes note that loneliness can push someone into doing horrific things.
12. “Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning” By Cowboy Junkies
Released in 1990, “Sun Comes Up, It’s Tuesday Morning” by Cowboy Junkies tells the story of a woman trying to get through the week without her partner. It’s that kind of breakup song.
In the lyrics, we discover how the narrator, a woman, misses her ex. She remembers what it was like when she and her lover were still together. She misses the sound of splashing water in the bathroom and the kisses when she was asleep.
The song uses Tuesday as a stabilizer, a way for the speaker to ground herself when she forgets she’s alone in her bed. Eventually, Tuesday helps her move on, and she realizes she enjoys the extra bed space.
13. “Tuesday Night” By Josh Abbott Band
Apathetic, cynical, and yet still charming. That’s how the 2014 hit “Tuesday Night” by Josh Abbott Band describes making it through the long week. The narrator feels sad on a Tuesday and feels really depressed.
To make matters worse, he keeps getting phone calls from his ex, and this worsens his sadness. Nothing helps him cope with the apparently recent breakup.
In this song, Tuesday represents monotony and the hassles of daily life after a breakup. He states that Tuesday feels like another Monday. He’s going through the motions, partying, and trying his best to move on.
14. “Lockdown On Date Night” By J.S. Ondara
The next song on the list is a single from the Kenyan singer-songwriter J.S. Ondara. “Lockdown on Date Night Tuesday” is from his album Folk n’ Roll Vol 1: Tales of Isolation. Notably, the songs on this album were written about the COVID-19 crisis.
In the lyrics, the singer reminisces about the times before COVID-19. In particular, they would go to Chinatown every Tuesday for a date. But all the restaurants and bars have been shut closed since then.
And so he invites her to put her red dress on, and he would don his best suit. They would have a date night in the dining room.
15. “Groovy Tuesday” By The Smithereens
Some days are special, while some are associated with sad experiences. But as The Smithereens‘ “Groovy Tuesday” tells us, any day can be good. Yes, even Tuesdays.
Most of us would agree that Tuesday is a gloomy day. And in the song, the narrator wakes up with a bad hangover on a Tuesday. However, it’s his mindset that changes how he looks at this particular day which, for him, is groovy.
It’s clear that the singer is like most of us when looking at Tuesday. But he realizes that “nothing lasts.” At one point, Tuesday can be depressing. But the next, it can be good.
16. “Cold Shower Tuesdays” By Bowling For Soup
In 2002, the American rock band Bowling for Soup released “Cold Shower Tuesdays.” The song finds the singer reminiscing on a past relationship.
From the way the verses of the song are set up, we can say that the singer is talking to a friend who has talked to his ex. He still misses her but doesn’t want her to know. In fact, he tells the friend that they can mention his Ferrari, just not the fact that he misses her.
He remembers how they broke up. But he also revisits the “little things” in his past relationship, such as the “cold shower Tuesdays.” These things enable him to appreciate the past and not see the bad things that led to the breakup.
17. “Forever Tuesday Morning” By The Mockers
Our next song is “Forever Tuesday Morning” by the New Zealand pop band The Mockers. The song conveys a sense of nostalgia and longing as the singer doesn’t want to lose the woman in his life.
The lyrics reflect the passage of time and the singer’s desire to hold on to the moment. Being with his lover is the most important to him right now. He may have been dependent on her to always be beside him, and losing her will make him lonely.
Thus, he implores her to stay in his life. Without her, he imagines his life as “forever Tuesday morning.”
18. “Tuesday’s Child” By Steven Curtis Chapman
Are you familiar with the nursery rhyme “Monday’s Child”? Contemporary Christian singer-songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman wrote his own version, making it clear that he wants to be a “Tuesday’s Child.”
In the lyrics, the singer reflects on his life so far. He lives with expectations of himself that do not happen. He is humbled when he realizes that his plans do not reflect God’s will. Still, “His grace still stands.”
The singer recognizes that, like a Thursday’s child, he’s got far to go. But he’d rather be a Tuesday’s child who’s “full of grace.” He seeks to have the faith of a child and God’s grace filling him.
19. “Tuesdays” By Jake Scott
Though “Tuesdays” was released just recently as of this writing, singer-songwriter Jake Scott isn’t new to the scene. He had been co-writing for the likes of Carrie Underwood and Jason Mraz, among others, before deciding to sing his own songs.
“Tuesdays” is a heartfelt love song that reflects the beginning of a lifelong commitment called marriage. In the song, the groom-to-be is asking for the blessing of either his father or future father-in-law. The old man has some things to tell him about the biggest decision he’s going to make.
The singer is told that marriage is more than just living together as a couple. It’s not just the fights, the highs and lows, or the best days and worst days. “Love is the Tuesdays” means going through mundane seasons of their lives together without losing their love for each other.
20. “Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad)” By The Allman Brothers Band
At Fillmore East is The Allman Brothers Band‘s 1971 album and contains the blues standard “Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday Is Just As Bad).” The song was originally written and recorded by T-Bone Walker.
The lyrics go through the days of the week, beginning with a stormy Monday. There’s no improvement by Tuesday, and even Wednesday and Thursday are bad days.
It gets a little better on Friday when “eagle flies,” meaning the payday comes. Saturday is for having fun, and Sunday is for going to church. The song ends with a prayer where the singer asks the Lord to send his lover back to him.
21. “Tuesday” By Hippo Campus
Up next is “Tuesday” by Hippo Campus from their 2017 album Landmark. At its core, it’s all about Tuesday being the best day of the singer’s life.
In the song, the singer gets wasted on a Tuesday and makes a “conversation with a box of wine.” The case of having the best day could be attributed to drinking or being in love.
It’s the liquor that gives him the courage to call his love interest on a Tuesday. According to his friends, he’s lucky to be in a relationship with her. But it’s an unhealthy relationship marked by “alcoholic tendencies underneath our fingertips.”
22. “Tuesday Heartache” By Steve Perry
We’re almost at the end of our list, this time with Steve Perry‘s “Tuesday Heartache.” From the 1994 album For the Love of Strange Medicine, the song talks about how things keep moving forward despite breakups.
The song begins with the singer lamenting how he can be brokenhearted on a Tuesday when the other night they were just happy. He knows that love comes and goes. One day, everything is like a fairy tale. The next, it’s a disaster.
But he has no choice but to move on because life’s like that. The world does not stop revolving just because you’ve broken up with your lover.
23. “On Tuesday” By Men Without Hats
Last but not least is Men Without Hats‘ “On Tuesday.” The song is from the band’s third studio album, Pop Goes the World.
As you can imagine, “On Tuesday” recounts all the things that happened on this particular day. It begins with the singer coming across this woman during a storm. She comforts him, and feelings grow.
Her presence in his life brings about positive changes. Though she makes him cry “like a child being born,” she also makes him smile. She makes him happy like no one has ever done before. And everything began on that Tuesday.
Summing Up Our List Of Tuesday Songs
As you can see from the list above, Tuesday is a surprisingly prevalent theme for songwriters. And there are still a lot of songs out there that would make a good addition to your Tuesday playlist.
You have to admit, there’s just something different about this day. Breakups, or meeting your significant other… A lot can happen on a Tuesday.
Whether this particular day of the week is special to you, we suggest you save all of the songs on our list. You can listen to them any day of the week.
