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
- 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:
Singles:
Collections:
Soundtracks:
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
- 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
| 
