The Dickies were amongst the first punk rock bands to emerge from Los Angel… Read Full Bio ↴The Dickies were amongst the first punk rock bands to emerge from Los Angeles, and the first California punk band to be signed to a major record label and appear on network television.

The Dickies' style was campy and humorous with obvious influences from the Ramones. They were extremely popular in the UK and had a top 10 hit with "Banana Splits (Tra La La Song)" in 1979; oddly enough, many of their lyrics were about aspects of Southern California life not easily decipherable to those unfamiliar with the region, in songs like "Waterslide", "I'm A Chollo", "Manny, Moe and Jack", and "(I'm Stuck in a Pagoda with) Tricia Toyota", which is about a local TV news anchorwoman.

Drug problems slowed them down considerably in the 1980s, but they have continued playing and recording sporadically to the present day. In 1988 they did the theme music for the cult classic movie Killer Klowns from Outer Space.

Former Dickies guitarist Steven Fryette, who laughingly claims to have been one of the few who "survived" being in The Dickies, now designs and manufactures guitar amplifiers from his FRYETTE Amplification studios in Burbank, California. His FRYETTE (formerly VHT) amps are known worldwide, and have been used by many of today's top Heavy Metal and Rock touring acts, including Helmet, Danzig, Prong, Children Of Bodom, and many others.

Monkey See Monkey Do
The Dickies Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Wake up early in the morning sun arise
Confound the theory of evolution in your eyes
They don't want to tell you
They'll try to sell you
To dispel your fears
Listen here

We're all playing monkey see monkey do

We forgot what it's coming to
We're all playing monkey see monkey do
We forgot what it's coming to

Heads up patriotical Monday afternoon
I've got a rope and a tire hanging in my room
I'm not at my station
It's a fine vacation
Happens every year
Listen here

I've seen cannibals in the night
They live like animals stalking each other
Just to have some peace of mind
See them following the eyes of the blind

It's all right later in the evening

Sun goes down
Everyone's caroling while the zoo is burning down

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Dickies's song Monkey See Monkey Do speak to the idea that society has become complacent and has lost its way. The opening lines imply that the theory of evolution, the foundation of modern human understanding of our origins, is being confounded by the actions of people. The lyrics go on to say that despite the truth being obscured, people are being sold on falsehoods to dispel their fears. The phrase "monkey see monkey do" implies that people have lost their independent thinking, and are simply imitating everyone else without questioning why they are doing something.

The next verse invokes an image of a person taking a vacation, but instead of relaxing or enjoying time off, they have a rope and tire hanging in their room. This is a morbid image, one that suggests a person is contemplating suicide or some other act of self-harm, contradicting the idea of taking a break from work or regular routine. The final stanza talks about cannibals that "live like animals" and "stalk each other" just for some "peace of mind". This juxtaposition of animalistic behaviour with the idea of gaining peace of mind suggests that such behaviour is not only normal but desirable.

Line by Line Meaning

Wake up early in the morning sun arise
Get up early with the sunrise

Confound the theory of evolution in your eyes
Challenge the concept of evolution

They don't want to tell you
Others don't want to disclose the truth

They'll try to sell you
Others will attempt to deceive you

To dispel your fears
To alleviate your anxieties

Listen here
Pay attention

We're all playing monkey see monkey do
We are all copying each other

We forgot what it's coming to
We have lost sight of what is happening

Heads up patriotical Monday afternoon
Attention on patriotic afternoon

I've got a rope and a tire hanging in my room
There is a noose in my room

I'm not at my station
I am not where I should be