To Much Monkey
Chuck Berry Lyrics


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Runnin' to-and-fro, hard workin' at the mill
Never fail in the mail, yeah, come a rotten bill
Too much monkey business, too much monkey business
Too much monkey business for me to be involved in

Salesman talkin' to me, tryin' to run me up a creek
Says you can buy it, go on try it, you can pay me next week, ahh
Too much monkey business, too much monkey business
Too much monkey business for me to be involved in

Blonde haired good lookin', tryin' to get me hooked
Want me to marry, get a home, settle down, write a book
Too much monkey business, too much monkey business
Too much monkey business for me to be involved in

Same thing every day, gettin' up, goin' to school
No need for me to complain, my objection's overruled, ahh
Too much monkey business, too much monkey business
Too much monkey business for me to be involved in

Pay phone, something wrong, dime gone, will mail
Order suit, hoppered up for telling me a tale, ahh
Too much monkey business, too much monkey business
Too much monkey business for me to be involved in

Been to Yokohama, been fightin' in the war
Army bunk, army chow, army clothes, army car, aah
Too much monkey business, too much monkey business
Too much monkey business for me to be involved in

Workin' in the fillin' station, too many tasks
Wipe the windows, check the tires, check the oil, dollar gas
Too much monkey business, too much monkey business
Don't want your botheration, get away, leave me





Too much monkey business for me

Overall Meaning

In Chuck Berry's song "Too Much Monkey Business," the singer sings about the many mundane and frustrating aspects of everyday life that are wearing him down. He mentions hard work at the mill, getting a rotten bill in the mail, and being hassled by a salesman who wants to sell him something on credit. He's also pursued by a woman who wants him to settle down and get married, which he sees as just another form of "monkey business." He's fed up with the same routine every day and feels like there's just too much going on - too much monkey business - for him to handle.


The song seems to capture the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of daily obligations and responsibilities, without any room for adventure or excitement. The references to being in the army and fighting in a war suggest that even the most extreme experiences can still be part of the same kind of monotonous routine. Overall, the song is a humorous and catchy expression of frustration with modern life, and the pressures we all face to keep up with the demands of society.


Line by Line Meaning

Runnin' to-and-fro, hard workin' at the mill
I am constantly moving and working hard at the factory.


Never fail in the mail, yeah, come a rotten bill
Every time I check my mail, I receive a bill that I cannot afford to pay.


Salesman talkin' to me, tryin' to run me up a creek
A salesman is trying to trick me into buying something I do not need.


Says you can buy it, go on try it, you can pay me next week, ahh
The salesman is tempting me to buy now and pay later, which is not a good idea.


Blonde haired good lookin', tryin' to get me hooked
A woman is trying to seduce me into settling down and getting married.


Want me to marry, get a home, settle down, write a book
This woman wants me to abandon my current lifestyle and become a responsible family man.


Same thing every day, gettin' up, goin' to school
My life is monotonous and repetitive, consisting of going to school every day.


No need for me to complain, my objection's overruled, ahh
Even if I complain about my situation, it will not change anything, as my objections are ignored.


Pay phone, something wrong, dime gone, will mail
There is an issue with the payphone, and I do not have any change to make a call. I will have to try again later.


Order suit, hoppered up for telling me a tale, ahh
Someone is trying to trick me by telling an exaggerated story to get me to buy a suit.


Been to Yokohama, been fightin' in the war
I have experienced the challenges of war, having fought in Yokohama.


Army bunk, army chow, army clothes, army car, aah
Despite being in the army, the mundane aspects of daily life remain the same, such as sleeping in army bunks and eating army food.


Workin' in the fillin' station, too many tasks
My job at the gas station requires me to juggle multiple responsibilities and duties.


Wipe the windows, check the tires, check the oil, dollar gas
I have to perform maintenance tasks like checking the oil and tires, as well as providing gas for customers.


Too much monkey business, too much monkey business
I am fed up with all of the nonsense, deception, and stress in my life.


Don't want your botheration, get away, leave me
I am not interested in dealing with other people's problems or concerns. Please leave me alone.




Lyrics © ENTERTAINMENT ONE U.S. LP
Written by: Chuck Berry

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@pbjonesful

Great song. In the news today because Olivio Rodrigo was accused of plagiarizing Elvis Costello's Pump It Up, and his response was it's all good as he based that song on Bob Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues which in turn was inspired by Chuck Berry's Too Much Monkey Business.

@mrblue99999

Brought me here as well. Truth.

@BrushesOfMagic

This is the only song on the list I was unaware of. Lol Good to hear something new.

@terrylee4455

💎🎩

@terrylee4455

@@BrushesOfMagic Elvis's better LOL🙋‍♂️

@factorylad5071

I have become so programmed now I stand up automatically when anyone plays Johny B Goode and if I have sufficient momentum I will do the Berry Duck Walk around the room a few times.

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@plasteredbastard

His phrasing and verbal gymnastics was unmatched by any of his peers. Chuck was the first poet of this art form.

@shangpush

Actually, IMHO, the BEST rock lyricist bar none. ie "She moves around like a wayward summer breeze . . . " etc. What a vocabulary, what imagination! No one consistently captured the zeitgeist -- the essence, flavor, and the joyous excitement of the post-war 1950s and rock & roll's early years in a new land of plenty -- better than did Chuck Berry. "Did I miss the skyscrapers did I miss the long freeways . . ?" And we miss Chuck Berry.

@jimhughon621

shangpush well not really he did write my dingaling (I do love this)

@fwee5785

L

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