Jul 282012
I’m a big fan of the original Planet of the Apes and other works of art that ponder humankind’s ape-like nature. Who among us will be last man standing as we cite rock ‘n roll songs that specifically compare humans to apes or other simian ancestors? As always, keep your entries to one song per comment.
I’ll start with The Kinks’ “Apeman.”
The New York Dolls (Mach II) – “Dance Like A Monkey”
http://youtu.be/8_XEiV-l97o
Naturally, The Stones: Monkey Man.
hey hey we’re the monkees
You can ape the ape.
Don’t you monkey with the monkey.
“Shock the Monkey”
“In the time of chimpanzees I was a monkey.” – Beck, “Loser”
aloha
LD
See Jungle by Bow Wow Wow
I was the BIGGEST Planet of the Apes fan when I was a kid. My personal Rosebud is the stack of Planet of the Apes bubblegum cards I used to collect when the movie came out in ’68. They somehow disappeared, I think when my mom cleaned up my room, and I searched for them forever.
Later, I devised mad schemes to make an Apes latex mask, which my father ruined.
We used to run around in my neighborhood, playing Planet of the Apes, and arguing who got to be humans, and who got to be chimps, gorillas, or orangutans, and we’d throw nets on the humans and hit them with whips.
Ahhhh, the golden days of childhood.
Anyway, I submit “The Monkey Speaks His Mind” by Andre Williams.
The best song on The Yayhoos’ excellent album “Fear Not the Obvious” is about Hank Williams junior and is called “Monkey With a Gun”.
Then of course there’s Adam Ant’s “Picasso Visita el Planeta de los Simios”
Planet of The Apes is my favourite movie of all time. This explains a lot about me.
“This one’s for the bouncers….Big, big monkey man…”
The Specials – Monkey Man
“The Smartest Monkeys,” XTC
Speaking of XTC, I just downloaded Mike Keneally’s new album, “Wing Beat Fantastic,” co-written with notorious rock hermit Andy Partridge, and it’s plenty good. A bit proggier than XTC of yore, but not incomprehensively experimental like so many of Andy’s collaborations have been. For XTC fans, it’s definitely worth the dough. eMusic is cheapest!
“Monkey to a Man,” Elvis Costello
I think Ray Steven’s “Get Tarzan” would work…
There I said it.
The Kinks again with “King Kong.”
The Mummies – “(You Must Fight To Live) On The Planet Of The Apes”
http://youtu.be/xyWK0qUfop4
The Pixies – “Monkey Gone To Heaven”
Warren Zevon – “Gorilla, You’re A Desperado”
Apeman Hop – The Ramones
“He’s go so many problems, You can count them one by one
He’s a filthy, stupid apeman, He never has any fun
He lives in the jungle in a cave by a hill, Plays an old loud drum
He’s primitive, barely human”
My pick is Guitarzan by Ray Stevens. True Guitarzan is an obvious take off on Tarzan. OTOH Tarzan lived with apes and was I believe an honorary primate. Side note: I used to think of Ray Stevens as just a funny singer/songwriter. Now that I see how rightwing he is I lost any liking of his songs. Songs virulently anti Obama. I wonder how many other popular singers are ultra conservative. By pop I mean rock and roll, any form of rock and country or any combination.Lastly I believe in freedom of speech, expression regardless of my opinion of what someone says, writes or tweets. Anticensorship
Love that song!
Joe Tex – “One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show”
MIckey’s Monkey; The Miracles
“Monkey 23” by The Kills
The Knack: “Siamese Twins (The Monkey and Me)”
I can’t think of too many rockers aside from Johnny Ramone and the Nuge. Country is probably quite another matter but the one who come most readily to mind is HWII.
You Drive Me Ape (you Big Gorilla) by the Dickies
That Gorillaz song:
“There’s a monkey in the jungle
Watchin’ a vapour trail
Caught up in the conflict
Between his brain and his tail”
Bruce Springsteen – “Part Man Part Monkey”
…I believe it was a “B” side from 1987 or so… he performed it on the “Tunnel of Love” tour.
“Ape Man” – dub from Augustus Pablo
“Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey” said Mr. Lennon.
Daniel Johnston’s “King Kong”, later covered by Tom Waits.
With all the mentions of Ray Stevens, I’m surprised nobody referred to “Harry the Hairy Ape”.
“Ape Self Prevails In Me Still” by Quasi
Dylan does Bruce in TheTraveling Wilburys’ “Tweeter & The Monkey Man”.
Warren Zevon’s “Monkey Wash, Donkey Rinse”
This may not qualify. I get the overall sentiment of the song, which is pretty straightforward (“yeah, I’m going to hell, but anyone who’s interesting will be there, it’ll be a great party”), but I don’t get the monkey/donkey reference.
“Apeman Skank” by the Upsetters. Ya gotta love Lee Perry.
Neil Sedaka – “I Go Ape”
http://youtu.be/mk9Ma6PBbuA
Don’t gotta love Neil, but this one ain’t bad. There have been several versions of this Sedaka-penned number performed by those more adept at rocking than little Neil; The Rockin’ Vicars (feat. Lemmy), for instance: http://youtu.be/YMV7A_SO7WQ
Jerry Lee could have really gone to town on this one.
I know it says rock and roll song but I’m giving the man the finger (or the opposable thumb) and going with Sir Mix-A-Lot’s “Posse On Broadway”
Rrrollin’ with my posse we’re gettin’ kinda’ bored–
there’s not another posse with more points scored–
we don’t walk around like criminals or flex like big gorillas–
my homeboy Kid Sensation is the teenage lady killa’-
Does “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” count?
http://www.virtualrimshot.com/
Ronnie Dawson – “Monkey Beat City”
Not sure if there’s a specific comparison made in the lyrics, but I’ve always thought his appearance on Conan’s show was great (he was even better in person, particularly with these guys & gal backing him up…and a super nice guy, too), so it’s an excuse to post the video: http://youtu.be/RZiqS_-UE-s
Oh, I surrender! That’s just too good.
Ha.
Speaking of Lee Perry, he has a song called Super Ape, which, along with Return of the Super Ape, is collected on a compilation called Ape-ology. I know the Last Man Standing Rule is one per post, but stringing these out seemed silly.
I am currently the Last Ape Standing!
There’s a more recent Todd Rundgren song where he sings, “We could have had some brains, but we can’t be found / we were dragging our knuckles on the ground”.
Rufus Thomas – “Can Your Monkey Do The Dog?”
The Death of Mighty Joe Young by Devil Dogs
Glam Descend by the Solipsistics contains the reference to the album title “Jesus Of The Apes”. That guy’s stuff can be heard here –
http://www.reverbnation.com/artist/artist_songs/380461
James Taylor — “Gorilla”
Talking Heads, Facts of Life. Much of Naked, in fact, is like Byrne’s take on Planet of the Apes.
Slade – “Them Kinda Monkeys Can’t Swing”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ocrw6Mue14&feature=colike