In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
There was a god
An underwater god who controlled the sea
Got killed by ten million pounds of sludge
From New York and New Jersey
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
The creature in the sky
Got sucked in a hole
Now there's a hole in the sky
And the ground's not cold
And if the ground's not cold
Everything is gonna burn
We'll all take turns, I'll get mine too
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
Rock me, Joe
If Man is five, if Man is five, if Man is five
Then the Devil is six, then the Devil is six
Then the Devil is six, the Devil is six
And if the Devil is six
Then God is seven, then God is seven, then God is seven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
An underwater god who controlled the sea
Got killed by ten million pounds of sludge
From New York and New Jersey
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
The creature in the sky
Got sucked in a hole
Now there's a hole in the sky
And the ground's not cold
And if the ground's not cold
Everything is gonna burn
We'll all take turns, I'll get mine too
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
Rock me, Joe
If Man is five, if Man is five, if Man is five
Then the Devil is six, then the Devil is six
Then the Devil is six, the Devil is six
And if the Devil is six
Then God is seven, then God is seven, then God is seven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
This monkey's gone to Heaven
Lyrics submitted by numb, edited by McKean, gregory727, Wintceas
Monkey Gone to Heaven Lyrics as written by Charles Thompson
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
it's been said before, but not on this site seemingly, but this song seems to be about the ruinous effect on the environment of human pollution. Black Francis said that the inspiration for the song was a sense of anger at the destruction of the natural world, and this is clear from the lyrics...
In the first verse some kind of underwater worker is killed by all the trash from N.Y and N.J being dumped in the sea. I think the line "this monkey's gone to heaven" refers to this fellow. Humans are 'monkeys' we evolved from them, and this one has died and gone to heaven.
The second verse continues on a broader note, refering to the depletion of the ozone layer ("there's a hole in the sky") and the global warming consequences thereof ("everything's gonna burn...") this is everybody's problem: ("we'll all take turns") and now I think that the line about the monkey going to heaven instead refers to the singer dying due to the collapse of the earths environment.
I've no idea how the final verse relates to this, although I like the interpretation given by tenniel above.
couldnta said it better myself
"Humans are 'monkeys' we evolved from them, and this one has died and gone to heaven."<br /> <br /> This is the most obvious example.<br /> I think that they are actually referring to how we are destroying the planet and simply for power. Humans evolved from monkeys; evolved being the key word. However, we seem to have the comprehension and foresight of our hominid brothers. I am not saying that monkeys are not intelligent creatures, but you would think that our capacity of understanding would be better. It's kind of ironic really, humans are being referred to as monkeys-destroying the planet and killing each other and all-however, monkeys, as far as observations go, are more in tune with nature. Whereas we humans continually try to find new ways to destroy each other and further distance ourselves from nature.<br /> <br /> I think that "the guy undersea" is the ecosystem of the hydrosphere.<br /> <br /> As far as man is 5; devil is 6; god is 7 goes... I think that if we were to look at the biblical aspect, we would see that God is the greatest conceived being. Therefore, man starts out at 5, and since we have an obsession with linear time frames, he ends at 7. Man is a priori at birth because he is an innate being; he is 5. He then grows through life and becomes tainted and disillusioned by the want and the need of power. Power consumes man and he would sell his soul to attain as much power as he can consume; now man is at 6, the middle of his life. On man's death bed he realizes that power is not worth anything at the end of his life. Notice how this is all linear. He then dies, and lets go of all the power he has acquired throughout his life and he reaches a state of nirvana; now man is 7. <br /> If God is the ultimate being, and nothing greater than God can be conceived, then it would make sense that on the linear scale, he is the highest and ultimate number. Perhaps the reason he is "7" instead of "10" is because "7" is the highest conceivable state of being.
yeh, that sounds cool only there would be no heaven if we are evolved from monkeys.<br /> I think it means something like a grease monkey or just a plain laborer.
Yeah, this makes sense. But I don't think the "underwater guy who controlled the sea" is some kind of worker. I believe he's referring to Neptune. If Neptune is the “spirit of the sea” who was killed by the sludge from New York and New Jersey it fits perfectly with your interpretation of the song. I’m a go with that.
Actually there is a interview , where he gets asked whether the song is about Pollution and stuff and he says it is not.
Actually there is a interview , where he gets asked whether the song is about Pollution and stuff and he says it is not.
i agree with TwotoneTwo. We evolved from a common ancestor according to the currently accepted theory of evolution. It would be impossible to coexist with a species that we would have evolved from. Sorry to stray from the meaning of the song. But i am an academic asshole _