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A Perfect Sunday Morning Playlist: 10 Songs to Start Your Day

Margo Guryan Take a Picture Instagram by @fense

Last Sunday, Twitter told me that #SundayMorning was trending, and I immediately thought of the outstanding song of (almost) the same name by Margo Guryan. It got me thinking: what would my perfect Sunday Morning playlist sound like?

Paint a picture: Hanging out on the couch with my big fat white cat Thunderclese and my French Press full to the brim. Sipping coffee, black as always, and listening to some good records at low volumes until the wife wakes up.

The rules are simple:

  1. Each song has to be pulled from my CD and record collection
  2. The song title needs to include the word “Sunday”

We’ll begin with the obvious:

“Sunday Mornin'” by Margo Guryan

One thing I love about Margo Guryan‘s Take A Picture is that the cover art embodies my Sunday morning mood with almost uncanny precision. Especially between October and April.

Margo Guryan Take a Picture Instagram by @fense

Released in 1968, Guryan’s “Sunday Mornin'” would find wider appeal in the version by Spanky and the Gang, but it’s always been her original–and the LP from whence it came–that I’ve loved.

I do not recall when exactly I discovered Margo Guryan’s, Take A Picture. I think it was around 2005 or 2006. It became an instant favorite thanks to this track, “Sunday Mornin'”.

Guryan’s blend of pop, psychedelic and folk was not unlike other more popular releases of the day by artists like The Beatles and The Beach Boys. In fact, it’s been reported that she drew much inspiration for the album from Pet Sounds, the song “God Only Knows” in particular.

“Sunday’s Pretty Icons” by Belle & Sebastian

We all have our least favorite albums from our favorite artists. For me, that is Write About Love by Belle And Sebastian. (Side note: I never really considered Storytelling a true LP by the band, though if I did, that would take the cake.)

It’s not that I hate the album; I do not. It’s just that it never stood out as a whole among what I always considered the greats and my favorites. Still, there are plenty of songs from Write About Love that I absolutely love. “Sunday’s Pretty Icons” is one of those tracks.

“Everyday Feels Like Sunday” by Of Montreal

“Everyday Feels Like Sunday” is pulled from the bonus EP included on The Sunlandic Twins, which was among what I consider to be Of Montreal’s pinnacle period of LPs (the three released between 2004 and 2007).

The song is plenty catchy and, while there are far better songs on Twins and its accompanying bonus EP, this one is truly a great Sunday morning song.

“Sunday Girl” by Blondie

Off their 1978 LP, Parallel Lines, “Sunday Girl” packs plenty of pop.

Unlike select other Blondie tracks, this one is just soft enough to work as an early morning tune. While the song never charted in the United States, it spent three weeks at #1 in the UK.

From Blondie to a handful of Swedish indie pop tunes.

“Sunday Lovely Sunday” by Edson

Edson released music between 1999 and 2004. The band found a home on Labrador Records and featured indie pop artist Pelle Carlberg, who would go on to release a few LPs under his own name on the Labrador label.

However, the EP that draws its name from this song was actually released on the U.S.-based indie pop and twee label Matinee Records. The signature Matinee sound fits the bill here.

Copies of Edson’s Sunday Lovely Sunday are available on Amazon:

“Sunday Morning” by Acid House Kings

Acid House Kings are single-handedly responsible for a pretty intense obsession with Swedish pop music that began sometime around 2005 and, to some extent, continues today. “Sunday Morning” is a lovely little pop ballad off their 2002 LP Mondays Are Like Tuesdays And Tuesdays Are Like Wednesdays.

The vocals of Julia Lannerheim are as cool and soft here as ever; perfect for a Sunday morning.

“Everyday Is Like Sunday” by Morrissey

I actually stumbled on a near mint promo copy of Morrissey‘s 7-inch for “Everyday Is Like Sunday” a few months back:

Morrissey 7 Inch Instagram by @fense

The thing was immaculate, and I snagged it for a cool $1.50.

Pretty cool stuff, right? “Everyday Is Like Sunday” is classic Morrissey; overly melodramatic, stunning lyrical prowess, but never quite living up to that which was created under The Smiths (though still pretty great). Not much else to say about it.

You’ll also find the song on his Viva Hate LP, also part of my collection.

“Suddenly Sunday” by The Marshmallow Overcoat

Taking it up a notch, “Suddenly Sunday” is actually a pretty solid pop tune. Much different from what you’d expect from 80s garage rock band The Marshmallow Overcoat. It can be found on the band’s double LP The Very Best of Marshmallow Overcoat.

Here the band keeps things a little softer, which fits the song and the day perfectly. Perhaps this song will show why I feel The Marshmallow Overcoat is one of the most underrated bands of the 80s and early 90s.

“Sunday Morning” by The Velvet Underground & Nico

You didn’t think I was going to leave this song off, did you? I mean, C’mon! You absolutely cannot have a Sunday-themed playlist without including the opening track off The Velvet Underground & Nico by The Velvet Underground & Nico! Quintessential!

The Velvet Underground & Nico Instagram by @fense

Of all the songs on this list, this one embodies the title and this playlist more than any other.

Furthermore, it’s prudent to note that last week also saw this record turn 50 years old. That alone is quite stunning. It’s a record that easily, hands down, stands the test of time.

“Long Drawn Sunday Night” by The Orchids

The best place to end is as the evening draws to a close, right?

“Long Drawn Sunday Night” comes from The Orchids’ 1991 Unholy Soul LP. I stumbled upon the CD on Sarah Records a number of years ago and snapped it up due to it being on the influential Sarah label.

This is a perfect wee-hours-of-the-morning, late-hours-of-the-night type of track.

What’s missing? What Sunday-themed song would you add to the mix?

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