The Split Level - Children Are Bored On Sunday (1968)

When Dave Guard left The Kingston Trio in April 1961, he quickly put together his next folk singing outfit, the Whiskeyhill Singers. In July 1962, Liz Seneff (Elizabeth Seneff-Corrigan) joined the Whiskeyhill Singers to replace a departing Judy Henske. Unfortunately for Seneff, Guard was interested in moving to Sydney, Australia and the band was dissolved in October 1962, just months after she had joined. Seneff recorded a solo album, Now Listen to Liz in 1963 on the Gateway label. Although she would predominately be known as a solo artist for the rest of her life, there was one other short-lived band that she had been a part of: The Split Level.

Formed in either 1967 or 1968, The Split Level was composed of Liz Seneff (vocals, tambourine), Michael Lobel (guitar, flute), Lenny Roberts (vocals, guitar), and Al Dana (vocals, bass, sitar). They only recorded one album, which is sometimes referred to as being self-titled and other times referred to by a quote seen on the back of the sleeve, “Divided We Stand.” The album is full of pop melodies lightly mixed with sunshine psychedelia, Indian-inspired raga, and Latin-sounding Gregorian chants.

This song, which appeared as the album’s fourth track, was written by Louis Charles Auguste Claude Trenet, more popularly known as Charles Trenet, a prolific French singer and songwriter. The song was adapted by band member Michael Lobel and released in 1968 on Dot Records.



The Split Level - Children Are Bored On Sunday (1968)

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Lyrics:

French Lyrics	English Lyrics
Poor me, poor me Sundays bore me How I wish the week were here Sundays are the dullest days Enough to drive a fellow crazy Children in their Sunday best Protest against this day of rest So boring Snoring Is too wild to leave a child to do Les enfants s'ennuient le dimanche Le dimanche, les enfants s'ennuient En knickerbockers ou en robes blanches Le dimanche, les enfants s'ennuient Vienne vienne La semaine Lundi mardi jeudi Car la rue est toujours pleine De lumière et de bruit Sundays, Sundays They make me moan Wish they’d leave us kids alone Dull relationships on vacations Always seem to phone They arrive with, "sakes alive how you and sis have grown." Sunday's one day they should leave us kids alone Les enfants s'ennuient le dimanche Le dimanche, les enfants s'ennuient En knickerbockers ou en robes blanches Le dimanche, les enfants s'ennuient Sunday’s wrong for what we long for Mondays have what we seek That is what we sing this song for Kids are strong for the week Kids are strong for the week	Poor me, poor me Sundays bore me How I wish the week were here Sundays are the dullest days Enough to drive a fellow crazy Children in their Sunday best Protest against this day of rest So boring Snoring Is too wild to leave a child to do Children are bored on Sunday On Sunday, the kids are bored In knickerbockers or white dresses On Sunday, the kids are bored Next comes The week Monday Tuesday Thursday Because the street is always full Lights and sounds Sundays, Sundays They make me moan Wish they'd leave us kids alone Dull relationships on vacations Always seem to phone They arrive with, "sakes alive how you and sis have grown." Sunday's one day they should leave us kids alone Children are bored on Sunday On Sunday, the kids are bored In knickerbockers or white dresses On Sunday, the kids are bored Sunday's wrong for what we long for Mondays have what we seek That is what we sing this song for Kids are strong for the week Kids are strong for the week