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From: brenner@aruba.DEC
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: Monkeys on one's back, musically
Message-ID: <7187@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 18-Apr-84 14:50:14 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.7187
Posted: Wed Apr 18 14:50:14 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 19-Apr-84 04:16:22 EST
Organization: DEC Engineering Network
Lines: 25

(okay, here goes nuthin')

People have already responded helpfully about the usage of "monkey" in 
"Red Red Wine" and "Shock the Monkey", but I thought I'd throw in my two cents 
on other monkeys. (Be it known I'm no expert (not that it looks like that's a 
prerequisite round here :-) ), I'm just a gifted amateur music listener.)

I've heard the terms "monkey man" and "monkey woman" occur in old-time 
down-and-dirty Black blues, usually signifying persons of great sexual prowess. 
Low-down blues, by the way, abounds with marvelous slang for sexy stuff, like 
"mojo", "jelly roll", etc. Anyone want to go off on a tangent and discuss that 
topic?

Anyhow, lots of white rock'n'rollers picked up those terms along with the blues 
mode and sound. I think especially of the Rolling Stones song "Monkey Man", 
whose lyrics make pretty clear what the term is all about. It also occurs in 
the Steely Dan song "Gold Teeth" (that's version one, not "Gold Teeth II") -- 
the line is "There ain't nothin' in Chicago for a monkey woman to do." And I'm 
sure it occurs in many other places.

Signing off on my maiden transmission to net.music,

					Ellen Brenner
	
					...decvax!decwrl!rhea!aruba!brenner