I wan'na be like you
Bruce Reitherman Lyrics


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Now I'm the king of the swingers, the jungle V.I.P
I reached the top and had to stop
And that's what bothering me
I want to be a man, man-cub, and stroll right into town
And be just like those other men
I'm tired of monkeying around
Now don't try to kid me, man-cub, I'll make a deal with you
What I desire is man's red fire to make my dreams come true
So give me the secret, man-cub, clue me what to do
Give me the power of man's red flower so I can be like you

Ooh-bi-doo, I wan'na be like you
I want to walk like you, talk like you, too
You see it's true, an ape like me
Can learn to be like you, too

Now don't try to kid me, man-cub, I made a deal with you
What I desire is man's red fire to make my dream's come true
So give me the secret, man-cub, clue me what to do
Give me the power of man's red flower so I can be like you

Ooh-bi-doo, I wan'na be like you
I want to walk like you, talk like you, too
You see it's true, an ape like me
Can learn to be like you, too

Break it down boys, break it down boys, break it down
Break it down boys, break it down boys, break it down

Now I'm the king of the swingers, the jungle V.I.P.
I reached the top and had to stop
And that's what bothering me
I want to be a man, man-cub, and stroll right into town
And be just like those other men
I'm tired of monkeying around

Ooh-bi-doo, I wan'na be like you
I want to walk like you, talk like you, too
You see it's true, an ape like me
Can learn to be like you, too





Can learn to be someone like me

Overall Meaning

The song "I Wan'na Be Like You" by Bruce Reitherman is from the 1967 Disney movie, "The Jungle Book". The lyrics tell the story of King Louie, an orangutan who longs to be like Mowgli, the man-cub. Louie is portrayed as the "king of the swingers" and the "jungle V.I.P." but he wants to be more than just a monkey. He wants to have the power of man's red flower, or fire, to make his dreams come true. He makes a deal with Mowgli, asking him to give him the secret to being human.


The chorus of the song is a repeated plea from Louie to Mowgli, stating that he wants to be like him. He wants to walk like him and talk like him, to the point where an ape like him can learn to be like a human. The song is a commentary on the desire to fit in with the dominant culture, to be accepted as one of the "other men" in town. Louie feels like he is tired of monkeying around, of being seen as an animal.


The song is not just a catchy tune with a fun beat, but it also highlights some deeper themes about identity, acceptance and conformity. It suggests that it is important to be yourself, rather than to try to imitate others. The song is a reminder to embrace your individuality and not to be afraid to be different.


Line by Line Meaning

Now I'm the king of the swingers, the jungle V.I.P
I've made it to the top of the jungle and now I'm in charge


I reached the top and had to stop
I've achieved my goals but now I feel stuck


And that's what bothering me
I'm not content with my current position


I want to be a man, man-cub, and stroll right into town
I want to be a human and be able to live amongst them in the city


And be just like those other men
I want to fit in with the humans and be like them


I'm tired of monkeying around
I'm frustrated with the limitations of being an ape and want to be a human


Now don't try to kid me, man-cub, I'll make a deal with you
I'm serious about wanting to be like a human and I'm willing to make a deal to achieve my goal


What I desire is man's red fire to make my dreams come true
I want access to human tools and technology to make my dreams a reality


So give me the secret, man-cub, clue me what to do
I need the knowledge and guidance of a human to become like them


Give me the power of man's red flower so I can be like you
Give me access to fire so I can use it to create and achieve like humans do


Ooh-bi-doo, I wan'na be like you
I really want to be like you


I want to walk like you, talk like you, too
I want to be able to move, communicate, and behave like a human


You see it's true, an ape like me
It may seem unlikely, but I believe that I can become like a human


Can learn to be like you, too
I have the ability to learn and adapt to become like a human


Break it down boys, break it down boys, break it down
Let's take a moment to celebrate and enjoy this music




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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