This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
In the healthy, wealthy state of Mental Hygiene
We will teach you how to think a clean way
There'll be no more dirty looks
And no more dirty books
Now for your own good, we will take the choice away
There is a limit in the state of Mental Hygiene
To the difference of opinion we can allow, oh yeah
Now we must close an open mind
If it's open to a different kind
Well, how can you hurt us if we:
Clean up in the Monkey House tonight
Oh yeah, you're gonna be alright
We clean up in the Monkey House, house tonight
Now we can make or break your mind
With Mental Hygiene
And you will see things in the way we think you should
Oh yeah
In the quiet of the night
The first cut is the deepest in the fight
How can you blame us if we:
Clean up in the Monkey House tonight
Oh yeah, you're gonna be alright
We clean up in the Monkey House
We're gonna take you
We're gonna wash you whiter than white
In the Monkey House
Oh yeah!
Woh, ooh, ooh, ooh, woh, ooh, ooh, woh
In the quiet of the night
You can hear your own heart beating
In the quiet of the night
We'll take your breath away
Now you're gonna listen to the things we say
We gotta:
Clean up in the Monkey House tonight
Oh yeah, you're gonna be alright
We clean up in the Monkey House
We're gonna take you
We're gonna wash you whiter than white
In the Monkey House tonight
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha yeah!
We clean up in the Monkey House
We will teach you how to think a clean way
There'll be no more dirty looks
And no more dirty books
Now for your own good, we will take the choice away
There is a limit in the state of Mental Hygiene
To the difference of opinion we can allow, oh yeah
Now we must close an open mind
If it's open to a different kind
Well, how can you hurt us if we:
Clean up in the Monkey House tonight
Oh yeah, you're gonna be alright
We clean up in the Monkey House, house tonight
Now we can make or break your mind
With Mental Hygiene
And you will see things in the way we think you should
Oh yeah
In the quiet of the night
The first cut is the deepest in the fight
How can you blame us if we:
Clean up in the Monkey House tonight
Oh yeah, you're gonna be alright
We clean up in the Monkey House
We're gonna take you
We're gonna wash you whiter than white
In the Monkey House
Oh yeah!
Woh, ooh, ooh, ooh, woh, ooh, ooh, woh
In the quiet of the night
You can hear your own heart beating
In the quiet of the night
We'll take your breath away
Now you're gonna listen to the things we say
We gotta:
Clean up in the Monkey House tonight
Oh yeah, you're gonna be alright
We clean up in the Monkey House
We're gonna take you
We're gonna wash you whiter than white
In the Monkey House tonight
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha yeah!
We clean up in the Monkey House
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
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
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
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.
Trouble Breathing
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
While the obvious connections with suicide or alcoholism could be drawn easily, more subtly this song could be about someone who views the world through a negative lens constantly and how as much as the writer tries to show the beauty in the world, this person refuses to see it. It's one or another between the rope and the bottle. There is no good option for this person. They can't see it. Skiba sings it in a kind of exasperated way like He's tired of hearing this negative view constantly and just allowing that person to continue feeling the way they feel knowing he can't do anything about it. You can hear it when he says maybe you're a vampire.
Another Love
Tom Odell
Tom Odell
I think the meaning is pretty clear. This person got really burned in a previous relationship, and because of this is unable to love and show care in his present one, even though he so badly wants to. It's lovely song, and very sad. You can really feel how defeated and frustrated he is with himself.