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.
That's My Girl
The Monks Lyrics
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What you doin' with that girl over there?
Well, that's a nice girl you got,
She sure looks good.
I bet you're gonna make love with her, huh?
Aren'tcha?
Yeah, that's a nice girl you got,
Hawwww!
Well, that's a good lookin' girl you got fella!
Hey, haven't I seen her somewhere before?
She sure looks familiar,
I can't . . . uh . . . let me see, uh . . .
That's a nice girl!
Wait, that . . . that's my girl you got!
You can't have my girl!
That's my girl!
Nobody can have my girl, she's my girl!
Aw, you quit that! No!
The Monks' song That's My Girl is a song that is open to interpretation, but it appears to be about a possessive man who becomes jealous when he sees another man flirting with his girlfriend. The song starts with someone commenting on the man's girl and how good she looks, but the possessive man becomes increasingly irate, repeatedly insisting that the girl in question is his and that no one can have her. The song appears to be a commentary on the possessiveness that can sometimes be a negative aspect of romantic relationships, as the possessive man's behavior is clearly unhealthy and potentially dangerous.
The lyrics of the song That's My Girl by The Monks have a very repetitive and simplistic structure, which may be intentional in order to emphasize the possessive and jealous nature of the singer. The repeated insistence that the girl in question is "my girl" reinforces the idea that the singer sees his girlfriend as an object to be possessed rather than as an independent person with her own agency. This objectification is further reinforced by the way that the singer becomes increasingly angry as the song progresses, suggesting that he sees his girlfriend's behavior as something that he has a right to control.
Despite its simplistic structure, the song That's My Girl by The Monks remains a relevant commentary on possessive romantic relationships and the dangers of toxic masculinity. By portraying the singer as someone who wants to control and possess his girlfriend at all costs, the song highlights the importance of respecting the autonomy and agency of one's partner, and the need for healthy communication and boundaries in any romantic relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, fella, What you doin' with that girl over there?
A curious and confrontational inquiry about the man's intentions with the girl.
Well, that's a nice girl you got, She sure looks good.
Acknowledgement of the girl's attractiveness and suitability as a partner.
I bet you're gonna make love with her, huh? Aren'tcha?
Suggesting a sexual encounter between the man and the girl, and seeking confirmation.
Yeah, that's a nice girl you got, Hawwww! Well, I bet you are gonna make love with her.
Repeated affirmation of the girl's desirability and assumption of sexual activity.
Well, that's a good lookin' girl you got fella! Hey, haven't I seen her somewhere before? She sure looks familiar, I can't . . . uh . . . let me see, uh . . . That's a nice girl!
Commenting on the girl's appearance and expressing a vague sense of recognition.
Wait, that . . . that's my girl you got! You can't have my girl! That's my girl! Nobody can have my girl, she's my girl!
Suddenly realizing that the girl is the wo/man's partner and claiming ownership of her, declaring his possessiveness and denying access to her.
Aw, you quit that! No!
Exasperated reaction to the situation and the other person's advances towards the claimed girl.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: DAVE HAVLICEK, GARY BURGER, LARRY CLARK, ROGER JOHNSTON, THOMAS SHAW
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind