1. The Monks (US) are a rock n r… Read Full Bio ↴There are two bands with this name:
1. The Monks (US) are a rock n roll band, primarily active in Germany in the mid to late sixties. They reunited in 1999 and have continued to play concerts, although no new studio recordings have been made. The Monks stood out from the music of the time, and have developed a cult following amongst many musicians and music fans.
Artists to have acknowledged the Monks as an influence include Henry Rollins, the Beastie Boys and Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys, as well as The Fall. The latter covered both I Hate You and Oh, How to Do Now on their 1990 album Extricate (under the titles Black Monk Theme Part I and Black Monk Theme Part II, respectively), as well as the song Shut Up! on their 1994 album Middle Class Revolt. The Fall have also covered "Higgledy-Piggledy" for the Monks tribute CD Silver Monk Time.
All the members were American GIs stationed in Germany in the mid-sixties. They began playing together in 1964, calling themselves the Torquays. The Torquays differed little from stinctive name and image to go with it. At the beginning of 1965, Dave Day and Roger Johnston, on a whim, got their heads shaved into monks' tonsures. The rest of the band followed their lead, and to complete the image, the band took to wearing a uniform - all black, sometimes in cassocks, with nooses worn as neckties. Eddie Shaw later claimed in his band autobiography "Black Monk Time" that the nooses were symbolic of the metaphorical nooses that all humanity wear. His explanation of the symbolism is unclear and confusing, but regardless, dressed as black monks, The Monks undoubtedly made a shocking visual impression.
Official Website: http://www.the-monks.com/
2. The Monks (UK) : After a four-year stint as the rhythm section for respected English trad rockers the Strawbs and a subsequent four-album run as Hudson-Ford, John Ford and Richard Hudson emerged in this utterly unexpected incarnation.As the '70s closed with punk at its apex, the Monks changed with the times. Unlike truly ticked-off punkers such as the Sex Pistols, they played it for a lark on their debut Bad Habits, which featured a leggy, cigarette-smoking, stocking-revealing nun on the cover. Revelling in their Englishness, they jabbed mirthfully at headbangers and ska-fanciers alike with spot-on spoofs including "Drugs in My Pocket," "Spotty Face" and of course "Johnny B. Rotten." Likely surprising even themselves, they watched as "Nice Legs Shame About Her Face" climbed to No. 19, borrowing the rhythmic strum Lou Reed perfected with Velvet Underground. Former drummer Hudson was playing bass by now, allowing one-time bassist Ford to be the band's guitarist. Terry Cassidy had full band member status as the writer or co-writer of half of the album's 12 tracks. Chris Pearce allowed Hudson to get out from behind the drum kit. Perhaps realizing the punk spoof concept didn't have much longevity, they had a fling with 1930s-style music as High Society in 1980. They returned to the ersatz punk of the Monks with Suspended Animation, an only-in-Canada release that didn't chart.
Bad Habits
The Monks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cheating at exams
Bad habits
Never washing hands
Bad habits
Smacking in their bugs
Bad habits
I won't do it again, uh oh
Bad habits
Buying dirty mags
Bad habits
Dodging in to flicks
Bad habits
Groping in the dark
Bad habits
I won't do it again, uh oh
Uh oh
All these things
They lower my resistance
Don't think I can
Stay the distance
All these things they say are bad
They feel so good to me, you know
I just don't think I can
Resist 'em
Bad habits
Staying out all night
Bad habits
Shouting at the kids
Bad habits
Beating up their wives
Bad habits
I won't do it again, uh oh
Uh oh
I won't do it again
I won't do it again
I won't do it again
I won't do it again
Bad habits
Thieving from the poor
Bad habits
Robbing from the banks
Bad habits
Shooting at the law.
Bad habits
I won't do it again, uh oh
Uh oh
I won't do it again, uh oh.
Uh oh
Bad habits
I won't do it again, uh oh
Uh oh
Bad habits
Never again
Fade
The Monks' song Bad Habits is a satirical commentary on the vices of modern society. The lyrics list various bad habits that people indulge in, such as cheating at exams, not washing hands, buying dirty magazines, staying out all night, and even stealing from the poor and shooting at the law. The song suggests that these habits are dangerous and harmful, but they still feel good to the person performing them. The repetition of "I won't do it again, uh oh" shows that the person is aware that their habits are wrong and harmful, but they can't seem to help themselves.
The chorus of the song says "All these things they say are bad, they feel so good to me, you know, I just don't think I can resist 'em". This suggests that the person performing these bad habits might know that they are bad, but they cannot resist the temptation. The song is a social commentary on the moral decay of modern society and the dangers of giving in to one's vices.
Overall, Bad Habits is a commentary on the struggles faced by individuals when trying to resist bad habits, which seem so tempting despite their dangerous consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Cheating at exams
Dishonesty in academics
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Never washing hands
Unhygienic cleanliness practices
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Smacking in their bugs
Inhumane treatment of insects/bugs
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
I won't do it again, uh oh
Empty promises of change
Uh oh
Awareness of the consequences of actions
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Buying dirty mags
Purchasing pornographic magazines
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Dodging into flicks
Sneaking into movies without paying
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Groping in the dark
Sexual harassment or assault
All these things
Various negative actions
They lower my resistance
Indulging in bad habits weakens my ability to say no
Don't think I can
Doubt in one's own ability to change
Stay the distance
Maintain improvement in behavior over a long period of time
All these things they say are bad
Acknowledgment of societal norms and morality
They feel so good to me, you know
The pleasure of indulging in negative behavior
I just don't think I can
Doubt in one's own ability to change
Resist 'em
Overcome the urge to indulge in bad habits
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Staying out all night
Not coming home for extended periods of time
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Shouting at the kids
Verbally mistreating children
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Beating up their wives
Domestic violence and abuse
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
I won't do it again, uh oh
Empty promises of change
Uh oh
Awareness of the consequences of actions
I won't do it again
Reassertion of not indulging in bad habits
I won't do it again
Reassertion of not indulging in bad habits
I won't do it again
Reassertion of not indulging in bad habits
I won't do it again
Reassertion of not indulging in bad habits
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Thieving from the poor
Stealing from disadvantaged people
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Robbing from the banks
Committing robbery of financial institutions
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Shooting at the law.
Engaging in violence against law enforcement
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
I won't do it again, uh oh
Empty promises of change
Uh oh
Awareness of the consequences of actions
I won't do it again, uh oh
Empty promises of change
Uh oh
Awareness of the consequences of actions
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
I won't do it again, uh oh
Empty promises of change
Uh oh
Awareness of the consequences of actions
Bad habits
Repeating negative behaviors
Never again
Vowing to stop indulging in bad habits
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Anthony Vincent Fiacco, Cassidy Ford
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@cask8553
A truly wonderful piece of nostalgia. One of the best albums of 1979. The 70's, best decade in rock and music. The Devolution is obvious with music...and many other things..
@marksmusiccollection8373
No argument from me on any of that.
@stevewashere4122
Heard drugs in me pocket on a local college radio station back when it came out. Made me laugh, so I bought the album. It's pretty good & I still listen to it all these years later.
@charismurray9967
My friend and I listened to this all the time in middle school/high school! It still rocks! Thanks for the listen!
@marksmusiccollection8373
You're very welcome. Glad to help rekindle those school memories....
@JD-tv7pj
Amazing album. It was meant as a joke. But yes, as others have commented, it was huge in Southern Ontario. Thank you CKOC Hamilton AM Radio. I still have my copy on vinyl .
@jesse9647
Ive had this album in my rotation for about 10 years now. Wish I know how I found it or who showed me, cuz it's one of my favorite albums to this day. Never gets old, thanks for the upload
@marksmusiccollection8373
You're very welcome.
I stumbled across this album in 1979 or 1980 but, like you, I can't remember exactly how I discovered it.
@travisjohnson5051
I remember when this was new and my Aunt and Uncle played it a lot. So much that my, at the time, 6 year old sister was shocking people as she walked around singing "I got drugs in my pocket... drugs in my pocket". A few people got in trouble over that lol.
@paulamiller6109
Best album of the century. 40 years later, still one of my faves.