Harvey began her career in 1988 when she joined local band Automatic Dlamini as a vocalist, guitarist and saxophonist. The band's frontman, John Parish, became her long-term collaborator. In 1991, she formed an eponymous trio called PJ Harvey and subsequently began her career as PJ Harvey. The trio released two studio albums called Dry (1992) and Rid of Me (1993) before disbanding, after which Harvey continued as a solo artist. Since 1995, she has released a further nine studio albums with collaborations from various musicians including Parish, former bandmate Rob Ellis, Mick Harvey and Eric Drew Feldman, and has also worked extensively with record producer Flood.
Among the accolades Harvey has received are both the 2001 and 2011 Mercury Prize for Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea (2000) and Let England Shake (2011), respectively, making her the only artist to have been awarded the prize twice. She has also garnered eight Brit Award nominations, seven Grammy Award nominations and two further Mercury Prize nominations. Rolling Stone awarded her three accolades: 1992's Best New Artist and Best Singer Songwriter, and 1995's Artist of the Year. Rolling Stone also listed Rid of Me, To Bring You My Love and Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea on its list of their 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. In 2011, she was awarded for Outstanding Contribution To Music at the NME Awards. In the 2013 Birthday Honours, she was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to music.
The Orange Monkey
PJ Harvey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And questions I could not hold back
An orange monkey on a chain
On a bleak uneven track
Told me that to understand
You must travel back time
I took a plane to a foreign land
Beneath a mountain's jagged shelves
Cloaked with snow and shadows sheer
Plates tipped up upon themselves
The pain of fifty million years
And mules and goats were running wild
A happy chaos carried on
And old men and the young boys smiled
And worked until the day was gone
The packs of sandy-coloured dogs
Walked streets that looked like building sites
But piles of rocks and dust and smog
Could not block out a different light
When I returned I ran to meet
The monkey, but his face had changed
He stood before me on two feet
The track was now a motorway
The Orange Monkey is a haunting and introspective song by PJ Harvey, one of the most enigmatic and talented singer-songwriters of our time. The song begins with the singer explaining how she was beset by a restlessness that she could not control. She sees an orange monkey on a chain, walking on a bleak and uneven track, and feels the urge to follow it. The monkey tells her that to understand, she must travel back in time, so she gets on a plane and goes to a foreign land, where she witnesses the pain of fifty million years beneath the jagged shelves of a mountain that is cloaked with snow and shadows. She sees old men and young boys working together until the day is gone, and packs of sandy-coloured dogs walking the streets that look like building sites.
When the singer returns, she goes to meet the monkey, only to find that his face has changed, and that he is now standing on two feet. The bleak and uneven track has been replaced by a motorway, and the world she knew has altered beyond recognition. The song is about the search for understanding, and the transformation that comes with it. It speaks to the human experience of feeling trapped, and the desire to break free from the chains that bind us.
Line by Line Meaning
A restlessness took hold my brain
I started to feel anxious and fidgety
And questions I could not hold back
I had too many questions weighing on my mind
An orange monkey on a chain
A symbol of curiosity and a desire for adventure
On a bleak uneven track
A representation of the unknown and uncertain journey ahead
Told me that to understand
The monkey suggested that understanding requires exploration
You must travel back time
Looking back at history and culture is key to understanding
I took a plane to a foreign land
I embarked on a journey to a distant and unfamiliar place
And said, I'll write down what I find
I promised to document my discoveries and experiences
Beneath a mountain's jagged shelves
I explored the rugged landscape beneath a mountain
Cloaked with snow and shadows sheer
The area was covered in snow and dark shadows
Plates tipped up upon themselves
The geological plates were tilted and folded on each other
The pain of fifty million years
The geological history and processes that shaped the landscape over millions of years
And mules and goats were running wild
I witnessed the unbridled energy and joy of animals in the wild
A happy chaos carried on
The animals lived in a joyous and carefree state of being
And old men and the young boys smiled
The local people were content and at peace, regardless of their age
And worked until the day was gone
Despite finding contentment, the people's work ethic remained strong
The packs of sandy-coloured dogs
I observed groups of dogs with fur the color of sand
Walked streets that looked like building sites
Despite the presence of the dogs, the area was under construction and looked like a construction site
But piles of rocks and dust and smog
There was a lot of pollution and debris in the area
Could not block out a different light
Despite the pollution, there was still something special and bright about this place
When I returned I ran to meet
Once I returned home, I wanted to see the monkey again
The monkey, but his face had changed
However, the monkey appeared different from the last time I saw him
He stood before me on two feet
The monkey was now standing upright like a human
The track was now a motorway
The path where the monkey previously stood had become an advanced and technological route
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: POLLY JEAN HARVEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Vinicius Paulino
She is a mature artist... She is a great human being... Fuck off the mainstream, the fame, the pop music... PJ is doing something far beyond the average... She touch me deeply in my soul. Thank you dude!!!
Alejandro Venegas Heresi
<3
Rubens lacerda
Falou perfeito!
pabloplato
i guess i'm the only one who really likes this album and connects with the theme of socio-political ills and the internal struggle over wanting to help and feeling powerless while somewhat responsible for the problems at the same time, huh? :/
Robert carl Clayton
Still her own sound, no comprimise, good for PJ
Wellingta Macêdo
Deep letter, full of lines and symbolism. Great singer. Loved it!
Milton Lescano
This is one of my favourites from the new album! Amazing job, Polly &co.!
Leangareh
I love this album so much! To me it's the most impressive musical release of the last few years. Would have loved to see a live show.
DubiousDrewski
My God, this is fantastic. This is a very unexpectedly themed video for this song, but I love it.
whanowa
I can't fully comprehend how her music makes me feel. And that's what I like about it.