This week I'm looking at Shock the Monkey by Peter Gabriel. This song is a trip, and I admit I have no idea what it's about! Even reading over the lyrics, I'm clueless. But... it's a catchy tune and I love the beat.
So what do you think?
Lyrics
Cover me when I run
Cover me through the fire
Something knocked me out the trees
Now I'm on my knees
Cover me, darling please, hey
Monkey, monkey, monkey
Don't you know you're going to shock the monkey
Fox the fox
Rat the rat
You can ape the ape
I know about that
There is one thing you must be sure of
I can't take any more
Darling, don't you monkey with the monkey, hey
Monkey, monkey, monkey
Don't you know you're going to shock the monkey, hey, hey
Shock the monkey, hey yeah
Monkey wheels keep turning
Monkey Something's burning
Monkey Don't like it but I guess I'm learning
Shock, shock, shock
Watch the monkey get hurt, monkey
Cover me when I sleep
Cover me when I breathe
You throw your pearls before the swine
Make the monkey blind
Cover me, darling please, hey
Monkey Too much at stake
Monkey Ground beneath me shake
Monkey And the news is breaking
Shock, shock, shock
Watch the monkey get hurt, monkey
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey to life
Shock the monkey to life
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey to life
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey to life
Something knocked me out the trees
Now I'm on my knees
Cover me, darling please, hey
Monkey, monkey, monkey
Don't you know you're going to shock the monkey
Fox the fox
Rat the rat
You can ape the ape
I know about that
There is one thing you must be sure of
I can't take any more
Darling, don't you monkey with the monkey, hey
Monkey, monkey, monkey
Don't you know you're going to shock the monkey, hey, hey
Shock the monkey, hey yeah
Monkey wheels keep turning
Monkey Something's burning
Monkey Don't like it but I guess I'm learning
Shock, shock, shock
Watch the monkey get hurt, monkey
Cover me when I sleep
Cover me when I breathe
You throw your pearls before the swine
Make the monkey blind
Cover me, darling please, hey
Monkey Too much at stake
Monkey Ground beneath me shake
Monkey And the news is breaking
Shock, shock, shock
Watch the monkey get hurt, monkey
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey to life
Shock the monkey to life
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey to life
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey to life
I don't think I have heard this song before. I can't figure out the lyrics either.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful week!
I have always loved this song but yes, you are right. The lyrics are really strange. I had to look them up and Gabriel himself said that it's a song about jealousy and how it releases one's primal instincts. So the monkey is jealousy. It does make more sense now.
ReplyDeleteThis is new to me and I like it but, yeah, no idea what those lyrics mean LOL!
ReplyDeleteI have to play this when I get home from work. Lol.
ReplyDeleteThe 80's were such a wild time!
ReplyDeleteI remember that song! I always thought it was weird.
ReplyDeleteDo ANY 80's songs make sense though Greg?? lol They seemed to when I listened to them back then but now I'm like WHAAAA???
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth
I've never known what this song is about either.
ReplyDeleteI laugh, because I agree - I have no idea what this song is about, but it's catchy.
ReplyDeleteI'm right there with you. Not a clue what it means but it's still a fun song, lol.
ReplyDeleteOh man, this brings me back to my teen years. No idea what this song is about either.
ReplyDeleteVery funny and confusing lyrics, but it is a fun song!
ReplyDeleteI love Peter Gabriel's music, but had never deciphered the lyrics to this song before. Having now read them, I'm even more baffled!
ReplyDeleteLOL, Gabriel is a genius (Genesis, anyone? and the Sledgehammer video?), so he's entitled to be mysterious. This song is from my era...I was 16 back then...AAARGH. I'll admit I always took it at face value (though it's clear that there are some pretty clever wordplays in there). You can get the strained relationship vibe quite well though.
ReplyDeleteI always thought it was about jealousy and the lover begging his girlie not to mess him about - 'fox the fox and rat the rat' etc...
ReplyDeleteI love his music, anyway if they are obscure:))
I always thought it started "Call on me..." This is what happened in the days before Google!
ReplyDelete