Gorilla
(Flac) Warren Zevon Lyrics


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Written by Warren Zevon 1970 United Artists/ c. 1996 EMI Capitol Records Special Markets

Jungle telephone
Ding a dong ding ding _____ with a red mud
Ching a chong ching ching

Gorilla go bang bang ____________ling ling
Gorilla go bang bang ____________ling ling

Great white hunter
He shoot gun gun
Country boy baboon
Him go run run

Gorilla go bang bang ____________ling ling
Gorilla go bang bang ____________ling ling





Get Back Gorilla!!!!!!

Overall Meaning

The song "Gorilla" by Warren Zevon is an interesting piece of work that requires deep interpretation to make sense. The lyrics depict a jungle scene where a group of people is trying to catch a gorilla that is causing chaos in the jungle. The verse "Jungle Telephone, Ding a dong ding ding _____ with a red mud, Ching a chong ching ching" can be interpreted as a communication system in the jungle whereby they signal each other, possibly to alert others of the gorilla's presence. The red mud probably represents the gorilla's blood, depicting the violent scenes in the jungle.


The chorus, "Gorilla go bang bang ____________ling ling" seems to be the sound or the lyrics of a song that the people are dancing to while pursuing the gorilla. The great white hunter shooting his gun repeatedly while the "country boy baboon" runs away is a possible metaphor of how the powerful oppress the less powerful, and how the less powerful run away from the powerful. The "Get Back Gorilla" at the end of the song represents the people's desire to contain the gorilla, which probably represents the wild elements that are uncontrollable.


Line by Line Meaning

Jungle telephone Ding a dong ding ding _____ with a red mud Ching a chong ching ching
The sounds of the jungle convey a message as though a telephone is ringing; the mystery is cloaked in incomprehensible sounds and obscured in impenetrable red mud.


Gorilla go bang bang ____________ling ling Gorilla go bang bang ____________ling ling
The gorilla makes a loud noise that sounds like 'bang bang' and it echoes like 'ling ling,' implying the potential of a warning or threat.


Great white hunter He shoot gun gun Country boy baboon Him go run run
A colonialist hunter with great privilege and wealth fires a gun; a low-income rural dweller in the form of a monkey-like primate runs in fear, portrayed as a cruel power dynamic.


Gorilla go bang bang ____________ling ling Gorilla go bang bang ____________ling ling
Again, the gorilla makes a loud noise that sounds like 'bang bang' and echoes like 'ling ling,' possibly indicating anger, defiance or territoriality.


Get Back Gorilla!!!!!!
An aggressive command to a potentially hostile creature, attempting to establish control over the gorilla in a threatening and non-empathetic way.




Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: WARREN ZEVON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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