The Monkey

Lyrics

The monkey speaks his mind

And three monkeys sat in a coconut tree

Discussing things as they are said to be

Said one to other now listen, you two

“There’s a certain rumour that just can’t be true

That man descended from our noble race

Why, the very idea is a big disgrace, yea”

No monkey ever deserted his wife

Starved her baby and ruined her life

Yea, the monkey speaks his mind

And you’ve never known a mother monk

To leave her babies with others to bunk

And passed them on from one to another

‘Til they scarcely knew which was their mother

Yea, the monkey speak his mind

And another thing you will never see

A monkey build a fence around a coconut tree

And let all the coconuts go to waste

Forbidding other monkeys to come and taste

Why, if I put a fence around this tree

Starvation would force you to steal from me

Yea, the monkey speaks his mind

Here’s another thing a monkey won’t do

Go out on a night and get all in a stew

Or use a gun or a club or a knife

And take another monkey’s life

Yes, man descended, the worthless bum

But, brothers, from us he did not come

Yea, the monkey speaks his mind

Yea, now the monkey speaks his mind

Credits

• Written by: Dave Bartholomew and Pearl King
• Produced by: Dennis Herring and Elvis Costello
• Musicians:

Elvis Costello - recitation, Gibson Super 400

Steve Nieve - upright piano

Davey Faragher - Hofner bass

Pete Thomas - drums

Dennis Herring - Magnatone Typhoon Electric Guitar

Discography

Albums:

• The Delivery Man, 2004 (LP & Japanese version only)
• The Delivery Man (Deluxe Edition), 2005
• The Clarksdale Sessions, 2005

Singles:

• Monkey To Man, 2004

Collections:

• none

Soundtracks:

• none

Various Artists collections:

• none
• This section may be incomplete.

Alternate Versions:

• The Monkey (live for iTunes)

Futurama Sessions (iTunes download), 2004

Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar

Steve Nieve - keyboards

Davey Faragher - bass

Pete Thomas - drums

• The Monkey (live at the Hi-Tone Cafe, Memphis, TN 2004-09-17 late show)

Club Date: Live In Memphis (DVD), 2005

Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocal, guitar

Steve Nieve - keyboards

Davey Faragher - bass

Pete Thomas - drums

• The Monkey (live at Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 2005-09-20)

From The Big Apple To The Big Easy: The Concert For New Orleans (DVD), 2006

Musicians:

Elvis Costello - vocal

Dave Bartholomew - vocal, trumpet

Diana Krall - piano

The Dirty Dozen Brass Band:

Gregory Davis - trumpet

Roger Lewis - saxophone

Kevin Harris - saxophone

Terence Higgins - drums

Jamie McLean - guitar

Efrem Towns - trumpet

Michael Foster - sousaphone

Revert Andrews - trombone