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Sunday, August 25, 2019

Song Lyrics #13 - Shock the Monkey


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 

16 comments:

  1. I don't think I have heard this song before. I can't figure out the lyrics either.

    Have a wonderful week!

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  2. 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.

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  3. This is new to me and I like it but, yeah, no idea what those lyrics mean LOL!

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  4. I have to play this when I get home from work. Lol.

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  5. I remember that song! I always thought it was weird.

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  6. Do 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???

    Karen @ For What It's Worth

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  7. I've never known what this song is about either.

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  8. I laugh, because I agree - I have no idea what this song is about, but it's catchy.

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  9. I'm right there with you. Not a clue what it means but it's still a fun song, lol.

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  10. Oh man, this brings me back to my teen years. No idea what this song is about either.

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  11. Very funny and confusing lyrics, but it is a fun song!

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  12. I love Peter Gabriel's music, but had never deciphered the lyrics to this song before. Having now read them, I'm even more baffled!

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  13. LOL, 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.

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  14. I 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...
    I love his music, anyway if they are obscure:))

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  15. I always thought it started "Call on me..." This is what happened in the days before Google!

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