His eponymous debut album from 1982 is said to have provided a blueprint for the hard rock of the '80s. During the '80s and '90s, he worked with fellow hard rockers Lita Ford and Jon Bon Jovi -- he contributed heavily to the latter's 1990 solo debut Blaze of Glory -- as mainstream rock began to adapt his innovations. Nova found his greatest commercial success as a songwriter and producer for Celine Dion, earning a Grammy for her 1996 album Falling Into You. This success allowed Nova to be picky with his projects, but he eventually returned to his own recording career in 2018 with the release of 2.0.
Nova learned guitar when he was 15 years old, inspired equally by Jimi Hendrix and jazz. While he cut his teeth in local clubs, he also played George Harrison in a production of Beatlemania, spending his extra hours working as a studio engineer. Eventually, he landed a publishing deal, which led to a 1982 contract with Portrait Records.
Portrait allowed Nova to produce his own 1982 debut, which resulted in the album sounding unlike most other hard rock on the radio at that time. "Fantasy" hit at precisely the right moment, burning up the AOR rock charts but also receiving heavy play on MTV. This helped "Fantasy" reach the Billboard Top 40, climbing to number 23 while making it all the way to three on their Mainstream Rock chart. The album's second single, the power ballad "Fooling Yourself," reached 65 on the Hot 100, but Aldo Nova had legs, earning its first platinum certification in 1989 and a second in 1994.
Nova had a difficult time capitalizing on this success. On his 1983 sequel Subject…Aldo Nova, the guitarist ratcheted up the synthesizers and tied together the songs with a vague concept, conceits that made the album feel vaguely New Wave. "Monkey on Your Back," the album's lead single, went to 12 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart, but "Always Be Mine" couldn't get past 107. The album nevertheless managed to earn Gold certification in 1994. The record label intervened during the recording of 1985's Twitch to help steer him back onto the charts but it didn't help: the album stiffed upon its release. After its commercial failure, Nova asked to be let out of his contract with Portrait; his time with the label would be wrapped up with the release of the 1991 compilation, A Portrait of Aldo Nova.
At that point, Nova decided to recede from the spotlight. He chose to work as a session musician, producer, and professional songwriter, areas where he was experienced. During his ascent on the charts, he appeared on records by Michael Bolton and Blue Oyster Cult, but by 1984, he also was working on records by Lita Ford and Bon Jovi. The latter proved to be a crucial connection. In 1990, he played on Jon Bon Jovi's solo debut, Blaze of Glory, where he helped come up with the title track's lead riff. Bon Jovi had a history with Nova -- Nova appears on the 1984 debut by Jon's band -- and the rocker paid it forward six years later, signing Nova to his Jambco imprint and releasing Blood on the Bricks, but the record didn't go anywhere commercially, nor did the 1997 album Nova's Dream.
Of greater importance to Nova in the late 1990s was his collaboration with Celine Dion. He worked with the singer on some of her first albums, co-writing the song "A New Day Has Come," and the collaboration continued through her 1996 album Falling Into You. He produced part of the album, taking home a Grammy Award when it won Album of the Year in 1996. Another Grammy arrived when he worked with Latin rock group La Ley on Uno, which won the Grammy for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album in 2001. In 2003, he co-wrote "This Is the Night," which became a hit for Clay Aiken after he won American Idol.
Nova was firmly a behind-the-scenes artist by the 2000s, working as a producer and songwriter, toiling away on a rock opera called The Life and Times of Eddie Gage for the better part of a decade. Instead of releasing that, Nova mounted a comeback in 2018 with 2.0, an album where he offered new versions of his old hits.
His album "The Life and Times of Eddie Gage" was released in 2022.
Monkey on Your Back
Aldo Nova Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The song "Monkey on Your Back" by Aldo Nova tells the story of two kids in the city who have succumbed to addiction. The first character introduced is Timmy, who used to be witty but got hooked on drugs, most probably heroin ("too many rides on the horse"). The monkey on his back is a metaphorical representation of drug addiction that he can't fight. He found a dragon that bites, which refers to heroin's needle mark that punctures the skin, the hole in his arm at night. The monkey is always there, and he can't deny it. It is a representation of how addiction will always follow an addict wherever they go.
The second character introduced is Sally, who walks the streets and works on a corner every night. She gives her money to Willy, who is most likely her pimp. Willy gave her a habit that she didn't want, and she now has a monkey on her back that she cannot fight. Just like Timmy, she found a dragon that bites, which refers to a needle mark where she injects the drug, leaving a hole in her arm at night. The monkey is always there with her, and she has to walk the streets to buy it. The song's lyrics are a warning about the dangers of addiction and how it can ruin one's life.
Overall, "Monkey on Your Back" is a powerful and cautionary tale of two young people in the grips of addiction. The song serves as a reminder that addiction can happen to anyone, and it can be challenging to overcome. The monkey on their backs is an excellent metaphor for how addiction can be with you forever and how it can control your life.
Line by Line Meaning
let me tell you a story
The singer is about to share a story with a moral lesson.
about two kids in the city
The story is about two young people who live in an urban area.
see they both have a problem with life
Both kids are struggling with issues in their lives.
and it isn't very pretty
Their situations are not good or desirable.
there's a kid called timmy
The first person in the story is a boy named Timmy.
he use to be pretty witty
Timmy was once clever and had a good sense of humor.
but then too many rides on the horse
Timmy became addicted to drugs, specifically heroin.
got him hooked and it's a pity
His addiction is unfortunate and sad.
cause now he's got a monkey
The drug addiction is metaphorically referred to as a 'monkey on his back.'
he's got a monkey can't fight it
Timmy is struggling to overcome his addiction.
monkey
The 'monkey' on Timmy's back represents his heroin addiction.
on his back he can't deny it
Timmy cannot deny the existence and impact of his addiction.
monkey
The monkey symbolizes Timmy's addiction throughout the song.
he found a dragon that bites
Timmy also has to deal with the negative impacts of using dirty needles to inject drugs.
a hole in his arm at night
The use of dirty needles has resulted in abscesses and track marks on Timmy's arms.
where all the monney goes
The money Timmy spends on drugs is going towards supporting his addiction.
monkey,monkey on his back
Reiteration of the 'monkey on his back' metaphor.
a dirty monkey
The use of 'dirty' highlights the negative and unclean aspects of Timmy's addiction.
well there's a girl called sally
The second person in the story is a girl named Sally.
she walks the streets in the city
Sally is a sex worker in the city.
she works down on the corner every night
She stands on a street corner to solicit clients for her services.
gives her money up to willy
Sally is giving her earnings to her pimp named Willy.
you see her man's big willy
Willy is referred to as Sally's 'man' and is known for being physically large.
and when he met her she was pretty
Before being introduced to drugs and prostitution, Sally was an attractive person.
but he gave her a habit that she didn't want
Willy forced Sally into drug addiction and prostitution, even though she did not want to participate.
now that's a pity
Sally's current situation is unfortunate and regrettable.
cause now she's got a monkey
Sally is also struggling with drug addiction.
she's got a monkey can't fight it
Like Timmy, Sally is struggling to overcome her addiction.
she found a dragon that bites
Sally is using dirty needles to inject drugs.
a hole in her arm at night
Sally is experiencing the physical impacts of using dirty needles.
monkey'monkey on her back
Reiteration of the 'monkey' metaphor, now pertaining to Sally.
a dirty monkey
'Dirty' is used again to highlight the negative aspects of Sally's addiction.
now listen everybody
The singer is addressing the audience and preparing to give advice.
cause there's a moral to the story
The story has a lesson or message that the singer wants to convey.
clean up your act
The lesson is to stop engaging in unhealthy or dangerous behavior.
get the monkey off your back
Stop succumbing to addiction or other unhealthy situations.
or you'll be sorry
Continuation of the lesson: continued unhealthy behavior leads to negative consequences.
keep yourself clean
Maintain physical and mental cleanliness by avoiding unhealthy habits and situations.
cause the monkey plays mean
The addiction can be harmful and difficult to overcome.
he'll put a knife in your back
The addiction or unhealthy behavior can betray and hurt you in the end.
then the man in the black
A mysterious character, the 'man in the black' is involved in negative consequences.
will show you a dragon that bites
The man is connected to dirty and unsafe drug use.
and you'll wind up with a
Continuation of the lesson: negative consequences of unhealthy behavior.
monkey'monkey on your back
Final reiteration of the 'monkey' metaphor, and culmination of the negative consequences.
Lyrics © Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NOVA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
mreoski
The entire SUBJECT album is awesome, IMHO.
I particularly enjoy Track 3 “Armageddon” and the scorching - Track 12 - “War Suite”
It will forever remain engrained in the memories of my gloriously misspent youth.
I purchased it on vinyl, and to this day enjoy listening to it.
It’s crazy to think that during this era, and shortly thereafter, Aldo got hooked on the China White.
rmas32
I remember buying this on vinyl at the, "Record Store" after seeing the video on MTV! Yes, once upon a time they actually played music videos! The 80's ruled!!!
旧名A B 新名kamiyama-chairdesklamp
MTV today: Misnomer TeleVision.
Dio Dimebag Kilmister
I bought mine at Karma Records. It was a music store and head shop. They sold bongs and every type of pipe and paraphernalia for smoking weed, er...tobacco. Yes, it was a tobacco shop. hehe...
avidrocker
@Dio Dimebag Kilmister eh yeah, tobacco "quote un quote" :)
Richard Dick
@Dio Dimebag Kilmister Karma Wacky Tabacky
Nexus974
I can’t tell you how much I miss those days
Eternally Thankful 3771
Aldo Nova showed some bravery here - as well just being a great song - he writes an anti drug abuse song when cocaine use was rampant and promoted widely in the industry... gotta give him credit for showing some backbone with this one.
Green Manelishi
I believe that "horse" is a reference to heroin.
Brian Scott
These were the days when coke was in and opiates we're out.
joh kangiser
Seems like a Reagan just say no ad, i wonder if we promoted drug treatment and normalized getting help in the 80s instead of stereotypical reefer madness behavior