Wire's coming back again,
Elastica, got sued by them
When Michael Jackson dies,
We're covering Blackbird
But won't it be absurd then
When no one knows what song they just heard
Unless someone on the radio
tells them first
So come on, come on, come on, come
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on
You monkeys.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Dandy Warhols's song Welcome To The Monkey House hint to the idea that modern music industry is mostly focused on profit rather than creativity. The opening line mentions Wire, a British punk rock band, and their return to the music scene. This could indicate that the music industry is fixated on nostalgia, and the focus is often on rehashing old classics rather than creating new music.

The next line "Elastica, got sued by them" refers to a lawsuit brought against the band Elastica for allegedly copying Wire's song "Three Girl Rhumba" in their hit "Connection." This line could symbolize the lack of originality in modern music, where it's common for artists to borrow from or even copy other artists' works.

The lines "When Michael Jackson dies, we're covering Blackbird" could be referencing that even though artists pay tribute to iconic musicians who have passed away, it becomes less of a tribute and more of an opportunity for profit. Blackbird, a song by The Beatles, is a classic and frequently covered song. The song's last line, "You monkeys," speaks to the listeners as if they are part of the industry, and the music industry relies on listener's unquestioning acceptance of whatever is produced.

Line by Line Meaning

Wire's coming back again,
The band Wire is making a comeback.

Elastica, got sued by them
Elastica was sued by Wire for plagiarism.

When Michael Jackson dies,
In the event of Michael Jackson's death.

We're covering Blackbird
The band will perform a version of The Beatles' song Blackbird.

But won't it be absurd then
It would be ridiculous if people didn't recognize the song.

When no one knows what song they just heard
It would be confusing if people didn't recognize the song being performed.

Unless someone on the radio
Unless a radio announcer informs listeners.

tells them first
Of the title and artist of the song.

So come on, come on, come on, come
Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Come on, come on, come on, come on
Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Come on, come on, come on
Let's go, let's go, let's go.