Skid Row

Monkey Business

11 Meanings

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Monkey Business Lyrics

Outside my window there's a
Whole lot of trouble comin'
The cartoon killers and the
Rag cover clones

Stack heals kickin' rhythm
Of social circumcision
Can't close the closet on a
Shoe box full of bones

Kangaroo lady with her bourbon in a pouch
Can't afford the rental on a bamboo couch
Collecting back her favors 'cause her well is running dry
I know her act is terminal but she ain't gonna die

Slim Intoxicado drinkin' dime store hooch
Is always in a circle with his part-time pooch
Little creepy's playing dollies on the New York rain
Thinkin' Bowie's just a knife. Ooh the pain

I ain't seen the sun since I don't know when
The freaks come out at nine and it's twenty to ten
What's this funk That you call junk?
To me it's just monkey business

Blind man in the box that will probably die
The village kids laugh as they walk by
A psycho is on the edge of this human garbage dump
And the vultures in the sewers are telling him to jump

Into the fire from the frying pan
Tripping on his tongue for a cool place to stand
Where's this shade that you've got it made
To me it's just monkey business

CHORUS
Monkey business
Slippin' on the track
Monkey business
Jungle in black
Ain't your business
If I got no monkey on my back

CHORUS

The Vaseline gypsies and the silicone souls dressed to the society
Hypocrite heartbeat and cheap alibis can't get you by that monkey

CHORUS

Submitted by

thekronic420 On Jan 07, 2002

Outside my window there's a 
                                      Whole lot of trouble comin' 
                                      The cartoon killers and the 
                                         Rag cover clones

Stack heals kickin' rhythm 
                                        Of social circumcision 
                                      Can't close the closet on a 
                                       Shoe box full of bones

Kangaroo lady with her bourbon in a pouch 
                                Can't afford the rental on a bamboo couch 
                           Collecting back her favors 'cause her well is running dry 
                              I know her act is terminal but she ain't gonna die

Slim Intoxicado drinkin' dime store hooch 
                               Is always in a circle with his part-time pooch 
                             Little creepy's playing dollies on the New York rain 
                                Thinkin' Bowie's just a knife. Ooh the pain

I ain't seen the sun since I don't know when 
                             The freaks come out at nine and it's twenty to ten 
                                   What's this funk That you call junk? 
                                    To me it's just monkey business

Blind man in the box that will probably die
                                  The village kids laugh as they walk by 
                            A psycho is on the edge of this human garbage dump 
                            And the vultures in the sewers are telling him to jump

Into the fire from the frying pan 
                              Tripping on his tongue for a cool place to stand 
                                Where's this shade that you've got it made 
                                    To me it's just monkey business

CHORUS 
                                         Monkey business 
                                        Slippin' on the track 
                                         Monkey business 
                                          Jungle in black 
                                         Ain't your business 
                                    If I got no monkey on my back

CHORUS

The Vaseline gypsies and the silicone souls dressed to the society 
                       Hypocrite heartbeat and cheap alibis can't get you by that monkey

CHORUS

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Let the lyrics be lyrics

This isn’t the place for interpretations, memories, stories, or trivia — that’s what comments are for. Keep metadata, translations, and bracketed stage directions out unless they’re officially part of the song.

Edit lightly

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When in doubt, ask the crowd

Not sure what they’re singing in that fuzzy bridge? Drop a question in the comments and let the music nerds swarm. Someone always knows.

thekronic420

Submitter

2002-01-07 15:47:28

11 Meanings

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by gypsyXcurse

15y ago

I think this song might also be about addictions, the "kangaroo lady" is a woman who is an alcoholic. "The freaks come out at nine" refers to drug dealers. The vaseline gypsies might also refer to dealers but I think it's supposed to mean prostitutes. They're saying "whats this funk, that you call 'junk' (junk being slang for drugs.) "ain't your business if I got no monkey on my back" means it's nobodies business if I don't have a devil on my shoulder, meaning an addiction.

My Interpretation

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by amules 15y ago

I agree.. I think it's refering to the junkies.. I think they had a lot of friends on junk.. Wasted Time is also about on of their junkie friends who od'ed..

What ever the meaning.. Slamming tune!! S Bach Had an awesome voice back in the day..Thank god he got it all on tape :)

by archer1203 10y ago

@gypsyXcurse I agree with you also it's about drug addiction. Having a monkey on your back is slang for drug addiction What this funk that you call junk, junk is slang for heroin addiction.

by SpunkyFiveLegs

3m ago

To me this song is all about Washington Square Park in NYC. I know Rachel and Snake are from an hour outside of the City and I assume they spent a lot of time there or maybe even lived there at some point. So they know all about this legendary spot, which has always been a center of drug culture. It's a great spot, teeming with humanity and creativity, but you have to be aware of your surroundings. If somebody asks to bum a cigarette, you don't dare make the rookie mistake of pulling yours out, or ten other people will emerge from the shadows and you'll lose your whole pack.

Anyway, the song to me is about all the characters around there: "The Village kids" refers to park being at the heart of Greenwich Village, aka the Village. "In a circle" (which I always heard as "In the circle") to me is the fountain in the middle of the park which is the unmissable centerpiece of it. Part-time pooch doesn't necessarily mean a dog but if you go to the park, you will see a drunk dude in the fountain with his dog.

"The freaks come out at nine, and it's twenty to ten" just means the freaks are already out. Nine is about when it gets fully dark in NYC in the summer so there's that. "A cool place to stand" would be where to sell your drugs within the park.

And then there's the fact that they actually mention "playin' dollies in the New York rain, thinkin' Bowie's just a knife." Unmistakably NYC, but also backdoor referencing New York Dolls and David Bowie, noted makeup-wearing freaks.

I mean the whole thing is full of drug/prostitution/freak references obviously, but for me I pinpoint the scene in Washington Square. Go for a visit on a summer night and you'll see this song come to life.

My Interpretation

Positive

Subjective

Enjoyment

NYC

Drug Culture

Music Interpretation

Creativity

Urban Life

Anyway, the song to me is about all the characters around there: "The Village kids" refers to park being at the heart of Greenwich Village, aka the Village. "In a circle" (which I always heard as "In the circle") to me is the fountain in the middle of the park which is the unmissable centerpiece of it. Part-time pooch doesn't necessarily mean a dog but if you go to the park, you *will* see a drunk dude in the fountain with his dog.

Reason:

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by timesfive

18y ago

It's Skid Row talking about skid row. Hah. Love the riffs in this. Plus Sebastian's vocals rock.

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by Nikoz78

20y ago

Dave 'Snake' Sabo of Skid Row: "I think 'Monkey Business' - sooner or later everything is gonna be bared on the table, you can't hide. The song has to do with being honest."