The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Way down in the jungles of Africa there was noting but the monkey treat
They slapped and kicked everybody around but they never ever heard of the Gorilla Beat
Gorilla, Gorilla Beat (2x)
Cause there was nothing else but the monkey treat
But there were three cool apes who had enough of the fighte and they started to clack their teeth
They stood straight up and they went wild over that crazy Gorilla Beat
It began when the cool cats clacked their teeth
They chopped down the big old pinetree hit it hard with a stick
They slapped the liana and grabbed a guitar and that's when they started the gorilla lick
Them crazy apes began to move their feet (2x)
Gorilla
They slapped and kicked everybody around but they never ever heard of the Gorilla Beat
Gorilla, Gorilla Beat (2x)
Cause there was nothing else but the monkey treat
But there were three cool apes who had enough of the fighte and they started to clack their teeth
They stood straight up and they went wild over that crazy Gorilla Beat
It began when the cool cats clacked their teeth
They chopped down the big old pinetree hit it hard with a stick
They slapped the liana and grabbed a guitar and that's when they started the gorilla lick
Them crazy apes began to move their feet (2x)
Gorilla
Lyrics submitted by chrisjudah
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
Van Halen
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.