He was an accident waiting to happen
Most accidents happen at home
Maybe he should have gone out more often
Maybe he should have answered the phone

Hip-shakin' shoutin' in gold lame
That's how he earned his regal sobriquet
Then he threw it all away
For a porcelain monkey

He threw it away for a porcelain monkey
Gave it all up for a figureine
He traded it in for a night in Las Vegas
And his face of velveteen

From a shotgun shack singing Pentacostal hymns
Through the wrought iron gate to the TV room
He had a little world, it was smaller than your hand
It's a rockabilly ride from the glitter to the gloom

Left behind by the latest trends
Eatin' friend chicking with his regicidal friends
That's how the story ends
With a porcelain monkey

He threw it away for a porcelain monkey
Gave it all up for a figureine
He traded it in for a night in Las Vegas
And his face of velveteen

Hip-shakin' shoutin' in gold lame
That's how he earned his regal sobriquet
Then he threw it all away
For a porcelain monkey

He threw it away for a porcelain monkey
Gave it all up for a figureine
He traded it in for a night in Las Vegas
And his face of velveteen


Lyrics submitted by AlmightyTim, edited by PHR, davrow

Porcelain Monkey Lyrics as written by Jorge Calderon Warren William Zevon

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Porcelain Monkey song meanings
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    General Comment

    The Porcelain Monkey was a white figurine of a Monkey that was on a table in Elvis Presley's T.V. Room in Graceland.

    Here is a picture of said Monkey: jezsik.smugmug.com/Travel/USA/Memphis/i-jztjGs3/1/L/JEZ20050b-L.jpg

    Here is an interview with Warren Zevon where he explains how the song came about: zevonaticism.tripod.com/elvis.htm

    fm451on January 23, 2013   Link

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