He continues to write and record new material and performs live frequently throughout Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia.
Thompson was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2011 New Year Honours for services to music. On 5 July 2011, the degree of Doctor of Philosophy honoris causa was conferred on Thompson by the University of Aberdeen, in a ceremony at the University's Elphinstone Hall.
Bad Monkey
Richard Thompson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In life and love they say.
You got too close and now
That boy's gonna make you rue the day.
You grab his ankles when he flies,
Catch him when he falls.
Here's the thing to say to him
Before you climb the walls:
Said shame, shame on you, you Bad Monkey!
One day you're up, next day you're down,
Why do you monkey my heart around?
Said shame, shame on you, you Bad Monkey!
I'm not comin' on the roller coaster with you.
I see your nerves are jangled, honey,
You're a walking emotional wreck.
He's dealing you some jokers
Off the bottom of the deck.
He goes from joy to suicide
About 15 times a day.
Here's the thing to scream out loud
From 100 miles away.
Said shame, shame on you, you Bad Monkey!
One day you're up, next day you're down,
Why do you monkey my heart around?
I said shame, shame on you, you Bad Monkey!
I'm not comin' on the roller coaster with you.
Where's the joy in a boy who dribbles
When he drinks his tea.
I've seen better manners from
A baby chimpanzee.
On fairground rides you grip the sides,
And scream until you're blue.
You'll be screaming the rest of your life
If he gets hold with you.
Said shame, shame on you, you Bad Monkey!
One day you're up next day you're down,
Why do you monkey my heart around?
I said shame, shame on you, you Bad Monkey!
I'm not comin' on the roller coaster with you.
Shame, shame, shame,
Shame, shame on you, you Bad Monkey!
One day you're up next day you're down,
Why do you monkey my heart around?
I said shame, shame on you, you Bad Monkey!
I'm not comin' on the roller coaster with you.
I said I'm not comin' on the roller coaster with you.
No, no, no,
I'm not comin' on the roller coaster with you.
The lyrics to the song "Bad Monkey" by Richard Thompson tell the story of a girl who has become entangled with a boy who is unreliable and unpredictable. She has gotten too close to him, and now she finds herself in a situation where she is constantly on an emotional roller coaster. The girl is advised to shake off this "bad monkey" by someone who has seen the toll that this boy has taken on her. However, the girl is still struggling to sever ties with him as she still finds herself drawn to him.
The figurative language used in the lyrics is powerful and evocative. Thompson uses the "bad monkey" as a symbol for untrustworthy and irresponsible people in our lives. The monkey represents the chaos and unpredictability that can come with relationships that are not built on a foundation of trust and mutual respect. By encouraging the girl to let go of the monkey, the singer is telling her to let go of the constant drama and strife that this relationship is bringing.
Overall, "Bad Monkey" is a powerful song that highlights the importance of recognizing unhealthy relationships and letting go of them. Through the use of clever imagery and powerful lyrics, Richard Thompson has created a song that resonates with anyone who has been in a toxic relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
One thing always leads to another
Life and love are unpredictable and one situation can lead to another
You got too close and now / That boy's gonna make you rue the day
You got too involved with this boy and he'll make you regret it
You grab his ankles when he flies, / Catch him when he falls.
You're always there to catch him or help him in any way
Here's the thing to say to him / Before you climb the walls:
Before you get too frustrated with him, here's what you should say
Said shame, shame on you, you Bad Monkey!
You deserve to be ashamed of yourself, you bad influence
One day you're up, next day you're down, / Why do you monkey my heart around?
You're unpredictable and playing with my emotions
I'm not comin' on the roller coaster with you.
I'm not going to participate in your unpredictable behavior
I see your nerves are jangled, honey, / You're a walking emotional wreck.
I can see that you're constantly anxious and stressed out
He's dealing you some jokers / Off the bottom of the deck.
He's manipulating you unfairly
He goes from joy to suicide / About 15 times a day.
He experiences extreme mood swings frequently throughout the day
Here's the thing to scream out loud / From 100 miles away.
Here's what you should yell at him, even from a distance
Where's the joy in a boy who dribbles / When he drinks his tea.
There's nothing charming or endearing about a boy who can't even drink tea properly
I've seen better manners from / A baby chimpanzee.
Even a baby chimp has better manners than this boy
On fairground rides you grip the sides, / And scream until you're blue.
You're like someone who's screaming on a ride at an amusement park
You'll be screaming the rest of your life / If he gets hold with you.
If you stay with him, your life will be full of unpredictable and stressful situations
Shame, shame, shame, / Shame, shame on you, you Bad Monkey!
You should be ashamed of yourself for your behavior
I said I'm not comin' on the roller coaster with you.
I'm really not going to participate in your unpredictable behavior
No, no, no, / I'm not comin' on the roller coaster with you.
Definitely not going to participate in your roller coaster lifestyle
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: RICHARD THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tveshag
Amazing With Sir Richard
Thank you for sharing quality Stuff!
Folk ABC - Americana, Blues, Country
So glad you like Richard Thompson great music 🎸🎤🎵
Thanks for the nice comment !
Sunil Oberoi
THE SOUND QUALITY ON RICHARD THOMPSON ALBUMS IS ALWAYS MARVELLOUS. THIS ALBUM IS NO EXCEPTION .FELICITATIONS FOR ENGINEERS AT MASTERING AND RECORDING TEAM.