Grey Day

‘Grey Day,’ penned by Mike Barson, was the lead single from Madness‘ third studio album, ‘7.’ Released on April 17, 1981, the song significantly departed from the band’s early ska sound. It boldly explored darker themes with a more introspective tone, a musical journey that is sure to captivate fans and music enthusiasts. Despite not featuring the song’s title as a standalone phrase in the lyrics, a couplet in the chorus rhymes ‘grey’ with ‘day,’ encapsulating its melancholic essence. The song’s origins date back to 1978 when Madness, then known as “The North London Invaders,” first performed at Acklam Hall. However, it wasn’t until 1981 that “Grey Day” was officially recorded and released. Its release marked a significant moment in Madness’ musical evolution, showcasing their ability to delve into deeper emotional territory while maintaining their distinctive sound.

Lee: ‘Grey Day dated back to before we were Madness, when we were the North London Invaders… I was in and out of the band at the time, living up in Luton, but I do remember Mike writing the melody to that. And then it just disappeared for ages!

Mike: Lee had this echo machine – it had a tape that went around and around, like an analogue effect. In those days, it wasn’t easy to get equipment, so when he pulled it out at rehearsal we were all really excited, messing about with this echo box of his, and we did this early version of ‘Grey Day that was brilliant.But we didn’t tape it, and we could never remember how it went afterwards. When we finally got around to recording it we did something else instead, but still I think it turned out great. When I wrote lyrics in those days I’d just sit down and write and not really know what I was writing about, and the words would just come. People have said the song is about nuclear holocaust, and I’m like, “Yeah, that sounds good!” I wish it had been about that. What is it actually about? Like I said I don’t know! I was just trying to write something that was like the film Eraserhead. I loved that film, its weird atmosphere. I was just trying to capture that nightmarish feeling.