We’ve probably heard Peter Gabriel‘s “Shock the Monkey” from 1982’s Security over a hundred times, but we still don’t know what the hell he’s talking about. A lot of people say it’s about jealousy, but we’re not entirely convinced. So, kids, why don’t you tell us what you think. To help you a little, we’ve included the lyrics, after the jump.
Shock the monkey to live
Shock the monkey to liveCover 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
Monkey, monkey, monkey
Don’t you know when you’re going to shock the monkeyFox 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
Monkey, monkey, monkey
Don’t you know you’re going to shock the monkeyWheels keep turning
Something’s burning
Don’t like it but I guess I’m learningHow about we take this to the next level?
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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
Monkey, monkey, monkey
Don’t you know you’re going to shock the monkeyToo much at stake
Ground beneath me shake
And the news is breakingShock! – watch the monkey get hurt, monkey
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey
Shock the monkey to life
truthy
it is my understanding that Peter G has always been really interested freud and jung and darwin and ties all things together somehow through his work. This song is supposed to be about getting in touch with a more primitive/animalistic state of being, the id, if I remember correctly. A good companion piece to his song Digging in the Dirt, which is on the Steam album I think.