Tweeter and the Monkey Man
Encyclopedia
"Tweeter and the Monkey Man" is a song by rock music
supergroup
The Traveling Wilburys that first appeared on the 1988 album Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
.
's Special Rider Music label, which indicates Dylan as the main writer. This is contradicted to a slight degree by George Harrison
's account of the song in "The True History of the Traveling Wilburys" documentary:
"'Tweeter and the Monkey Man' was really [written by] Tom Petty
and Bob [Dylan]. Well, Jeff[Lynne]
and I were there too, but we were just sitting there around in the kitchen, and he was for some reason talking about all this stuff that didn't make much sense to me, you know, it was that Americana kinda stuff and we got a tape cassette and put it on and then transcribed everything they were saying."
"Tweeter and The Monkey Man" is sometimes regarded as a playful homage to Bruce Springsteen
's songs. The lyrics include the titles of many Springsteen songs, and the song borrows many of Springsteen's themes and settings. For instance, the setting of the song itself is New Jersey, Springsteen's home state, and places like Rahway Prison and Jersey City are mentioned by name. Springsteen song title references include: "Stolen Car
", "Mansion On The Hill", "Thunder Road
", "State Trooper", "Factory", "The River
", "Lion's Den", and the song made popular by Springsteen but written by Tom Waits
, "Jersey Girl
". Additionally, "Lion's Den" and "Paradise" are each mentioned and prominently enunciated in the song, each being the title of a Springsteen song released after the Traveling Wilburys album.
Only Petty, Harrison, Dylan and Lynne took part in the song. This is the only Wilburys song on Vol. 1 not to feature Roy Orbison
on lead or backing vocals.
The story tells the story of two drug dealers – Tweeter and the Monkeyman –, their nemesis, "The Undercover Cop", and the nemesis's sister, Jan. It is hinted that Tweeter is a male-to-female transsexual, in the lines: "Tweeter was a boy scout / before she went to Vietnam...". Throughout the ballad, the fall of Tweeter and the Monkeyman is examined. Jan kills her brother, because of her love for the Monkeyman, and the story climaxes with a shootout on a bridge, as is seen in the lines: "She took a gun out of the drawer / And said 'It's best if you don't know' / The undercover cop was found face down in a field..." and "The monkey man was on the river bridge using Tweeter as a shield / Jan said to the Monkey Man, 'I'm not fooled by Tweeter's curl / I knew him long before he ever became a Jersey girl...".
, and the song became a radio hit in Canada.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
The Traveling Wilburys that first appeared on the 1988 album Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 is the debut album by the supergroup Traveling Wilburys and was recorded and released in 1988 to commercial success and critical acclaim.- Background :...
.
Background
The songwriting credits goes officially to all members of the band, but the song is published by Bob DylanBob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's Special Rider Music label, which indicates Dylan as the main writer. This is contradicted to a slight degree by George Harrison
George Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
's account of the song in "The True History of the Traveling Wilburys" documentary:
"'Tweeter and the Monkey Man' was really [written by] Tom Petty
Tom Petty
Thomas Earl "Tom" Petty is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He is the frontman of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and was a founding member of the late 1980s supergroup Traveling Wilburys and Mudcrutch. He has also performed under the pseudonyms of Charlie T...
and Bob [Dylan]. Well, Jeff
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
and I were there too, but we were just sitting there around in the kitchen, and he was for some reason talking about all this stuff that didn't make much sense to me, you know, it was that Americana kinda stuff and we got a tape cassette and put it on and then transcribed everything they were saying."
"Tweeter and The Monkey Man" is sometimes regarded as a playful homage to Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's songs. The lyrics include the titles of many Springsteen songs, and the song borrows many of Springsteen's themes and settings. For instance, the setting of the song itself is New Jersey, Springsteen's home state, and places like Rahway Prison and Jersey City are mentioned by name. Springsteen song title references include: "Stolen Car
Stolen Car (Bruce Springsteen song)
"Stolen Car" is a song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. It was originally released on his fifth album, The River...
", "Mansion On The Hill", "Thunder Road
Thunder Road (song)
"Thunder Road" is a song written and performed by Bruce Springsteen, and the opening track on his 1975 breakthrough album Born to Run. It is ranked as one of Springsteen's greatest songs, and often appears on lists of the top rock songs of all time.Rolling Stone magazine placed it as #86 on its...
", "State Trooper", "Factory", "The River
The River (Bruce Springsteen song)
"The River" is a song written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen, accompanied by the E Street Band. It was the title track of his fifth album, The River, and was a hit single in parts of Europe. It reached #25 in the Netherlands, and reached the top 10 in both Sweden and Norway...
", "Lion's Den", and the song made popular by Springsteen but written by Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
, "Jersey Girl
Jersey Girl (song)
"Jersey Girl" is a song composed and originally sung by American singer-songwriter Tom Waits from his 1980 album Heartattack and Vine.-Waits original:Waits wrote the song with his future wife Kathleen Brennan, who had been living in New Jersey...
". Additionally, "Lion's Den" and "Paradise" are each mentioned and prominently enunciated in the song, each being the title of a Springsteen song released after the Traveling Wilburys album.
Only Petty, Harrison, Dylan and Lynne took part in the song. This is the only Wilburys song on Vol. 1 not to feature Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison was an American singer-songwriter, well known for his distinctive, powerful voice, complex compositions, and dark emotional ballads. Orbison grew up in Texas and began singing in a rockabilly/country & western band in high school until he was signed by Sun Records in Memphis...
on lead or backing vocals.
Composition and Lyrical Content
Dylan sings lead on the song's verses (with the rest of the group joining in on the chorus sections). At five verses in 5 minutes 27 seconds, "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" is the longest Traveling Wilburys song put to record. The chorus was originally part of a verse, but was chosen later for the refrain.The story tells the story of two drug dealers – Tweeter and the Monkeyman –, their nemesis, "The Undercover Cop", and the nemesis's sister, Jan. It is hinted that Tweeter is a male-to-female transsexual, in the lines: "Tweeter was a boy scout / before she went to Vietnam...". Throughout the ballad, the fall of Tweeter and the Monkeyman is examined. Jan kills her brother, because of her love for the Monkeyman, and the story climaxes with a shootout on a bridge, as is seen in the lines: "She took a gun out of the drawer / And said 'It's best if you don't know' / The undercover cop was found face down in a field..." and "The monkey man was on the river bridge using Tweeter as a shield / Jan said to the Monkey Man, 'I'm not fooled by Tweeter's curl / I knew him long before he ever became a Jersey girl...".
Cover Version
Canadian rock band Headstones recorded a cover of the song for their debut album Picture of HealthPicture of Health
Picture of Health is the debut album by Canadian rock band Headstones. The music video for the "Cemetery" track is featured on the Canadian DVD release of the movie Hard Core Logo, starring Hugh Dillon and was also featured on the Canadian VHS release of Dance Me Outside, also starring Hugh...
, and the song became a radio hit in Canada.
External links
- Comment by Morten Felgenhauer on George Starostin's Music Reviews site – Discussing the song and Springsteen connections.
- "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" page at SpringsteenLyrics.com – Lyrics and info + details about the Bruce Springsteen/Bob Dylan story behind the song
- "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" page at The Dylan Lyric Commentaries
- Explanation and analysis of the song at everything2.com.