Mother Love Bone was established in 1988 by former Green River members Jeff Ament, Bruce Fairweather and Stone Gossard, former Malfunkshun frontman Andrew Wood and former Ten Minute Warning and Skin Yard drummer Greg Gilmore. Initially, the group was formed in 1987 out of the cover band Lords of the Wasteland which featured Wood, Gossard, Ament and Malfunkshun drummer Regan Hagar. By early 1988 the band had added Fairweather, replaced Hagar with drummer Greg Gilmore and changed its name to Mother Love Bone.
This new line-up quickly set about recording and playing area shows and by late 1988 had become one of Seattle's more promising bands. Wood's exuberant on-stage personality, outlandish clothes and dreamy lyrics helped bring attention to the band. In the 1996 grunge documentary, Hype!, Seattle engineer Jack Endino called Wood "the only stand-up comedian frontman in Seattle," a reference to Wood's playful style of interacting with Mother Love Bone fans.
In early 1989, the band signed to PolyGram subsidiary Mercury Records. As part of its contract PolyGram also created the Stardog Records imprint exclusively for the band. In March 1989, the group issued its debut EP, Shine, becoming the first of the new crop of Seattle bands to have a release on a major label. The record sold well and rapidly increased the hype surrounding the band. John Book of Allmusic said the "record contributed to the buzz about the Seattle music scene."
In late 1989, the group returned to the studio (this time in San Francisco, California) to record its debut album, Apple. Despite some initial difficulties, the record was on-time for its projected March 1990 release. By this point interest in the band had hit a fever pitch and it seemed destined that the band were going to make it big. Only days before Apple was slated to be released, however, frontman Andrew Wood, who had a long history with drug problems, overdosed on heroin. After spending a few days in the hospital in a coma, Wood died, effectively bringing the group to an end. The album would see release later that year on July 19, 1990. Kim Neely of Rolling Stone said that the album "succeeds where countless other hard rock albums have failed, capturing the essence of what made Zep immortal – dynamics, kids! – and giving it a unique Nineties spin."
Half Ass Monkey Boy
Mother Love Bone Lyrics
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It's a surefire method to waste your life away
But I'm obliged to give you my disease
I'm abracadabra I do what I please
Stone cold mama,she's a bird from a feather
I focus all my energy, understanding you
Such a pretty little prancer in a burgundy blue
Witch hazel eyeballs taking care of love
Stone cold mama, she's a bird from a feather
Half-assed monkeyboy
Half-assed monkeyboy
Half-assed monkeyboy
Half-assed monkeyboy
If you want a plate oof my beef swellington baby
You're gonna have to pay the cover charge
Open wide let me suck the gate
The lyrics to Mother Love Bone's "Half Ass Monkey Boy" are full of imagery and metaphors that might be difficult to decipher on first listen. At its core, the song is about the danger of wasting your life away by indulging in vices and not pursuing your dreams with purpose. The singer describes himself as an "abracadabra" figure who can do whatever he pleases, but he recognizes that this lifestyle can be infectious, like a "disease" he's passing on to others. Meanwhile, the "stone cold mama" figure seems to represent someone who is more focused and grounded, but who also understands the singer's perspective.
The second verse is perhaps the most cryptic, as the singer describes a "pretty little prancer" with "witch hazel eyeballs" who is somehow "taking care of love." It's possible that this is another allusion to the dangers of addiction or a superficial lifestyle, with the prancer representing someone who doesn't take things seriously and the eyeballs symbolizing a lack of clear vision or insight. The song ends with the repeated refrain of "half-assed monkey boy," which seems to be a dismissive label the singer is applying to himself, as if he recognizes his own shortcomings and is trying to mitigate them.
Line by Line Meaning
Scratching and dreaming till night turns into day
Wasting time by staying up all night doing meaningless activities and fantasizing about things that will never happen.
It's a surefire method to waste your life away
Continuing the previous point, this behavior will lead to a meaningless existence and will not contribute to a successful life.
But I'm obliged to give you my disease
Despite the negative consequences of living a life like this, the singer feels compelled to share it with others.
I'm abracadabra I do what I please
The artist feels like they have the power to do anything they want, like a magician saying the magic word or spell.
Stone cold mama - she's a bird from a feather
Describing a woman who is cold and unemotional, possibly someone who the artist is trying to impress or win over.
I focus all my energy, understanding you
The singer is devoting all of their attention and effort to try and understand this woman they are interested in.
Such a pretty little prancer in a burgundy blue
Describing the woman again, using poetic language and implying that she is graceful and beautiful.
Witch hazel eyeballs taking care of love
Using a metaphor to describe the woman's attentive and caring nature, with witch hazel being a medicinal plant known for its soothing and healing properties.
Remember the key mama - understand my words
Asking the woman to pay attention to what the artist is saying, to understand their perspective or message.
Stone cold mama - she's a bird from a feather
Repeating the description of the woman, emphasizing her cold and unemotional nature.
Half-assed monkeyboy (4x)
Using an insult to describe someone who is not taking life seriously, doing things poorly or incompletely.
If you want a plate of my beef swellington baby
A metaphor for the artist's affection or love, comparing it to a fancy dish.
You're gonna have to pay the cover charge
Using another metaphor, implying that the woman will have to do something to prove that she deserves the singer's affection or love.
Open wide let me suck the gate
A vulgar and sexual lyric that doesn't have a clear meaning beyond being provocative and crude.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ANDREW WOOD, BRUCE IAN FAIRWEATHER, GREG A. GILMORE, JEFFREY ALLEN AMENT, STONE C. GOSSARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind