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View Full Version : Tweeter and The Monkey Man : Discuss


beatlemad
May 31, 2004, 08:24 AM
Well, I just love this song and it's my Wilbury highlight.But what do other people think of it? What do you think of the lyrics, the story even? Is it Bob at his best?
I'd be interested to hear what others think! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Heres the lyrics:

Tweeter and the Monkey Man were hard up for cash
They stayed up all night selling cocaine and hash
To an undercover cop who had a sister named Jan
For reasons unexplained she loved the Monkey Man

Tweeter was a boy scout before she went to Vietnam
And found out the hard way nobody gives a damn
They knew that they found freedom just across the Jersey Line
So they hopped into a stolen car took Highway 99

And the walls came down all the way to hell
Never saw them when they're standing
Never saw them when they fell

The undercover cop never liked the Monkey Man
Even back in childhood he wanted to see him in the can
Jan got married at fourteen to a racketeer named Bill
She made secret calls to the Monkey Man from a mansion on the hill

It was out on thunder road - Tweeter at the wheel
They crashed into paradise - they could hear them tires squeal
The undercover cop pulled up and said "Everyone of you's a liar
If you don't surrender now it's gonna go down to the wire

And the walls came down all the way to hell
Never saw them when they're standing
Never saw them when they fell

An ambulance rolled up - a state trooper close behind
Tweeter took his gun away and messed up his mind
The undercover cop was left tied up to a tree
Near the souvenir stand by the old abandoned factory

Next day the undercover cop was hot in pursuit
He was taking the whole thing personal
He didn't care about the loot
Jan had told him many times it was you to me who taught
In Jersey anything's legal as long as you don't get caught

And the walls came down all the way to hell
Never saw them when they're standing
Never saw them when they fell

Someplace by Rahway prison they ran out of gas
The undercover cop had cornered them said "Boy, you didn't think that this could last"
Jan jumped out of bed said "There's someplace I gotta go"
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
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 walls came down all the way to hell
Never saw them when they're standing
Never saw them when they fell

Now the town of Jersey City is quieting down again
I'm sitting in a gambling club called the Lion's Den
The TV set been blown up, every bit of it is gone
Ever since the nightly news show that the Monkey Man was on

I guess I'll go to Florida and get myself some sun
There ain't no more opportunity here, everything's been done
Sometime I think of Tweeter, sometime I think of Jan
Sometime I don't think about nothing but the Monkey Man

And the walls came down all the way to hell
Never saw them when they're standing
Never saw them when they fell

sourmilkpinky
May 31, 2004, 04:30 PM
First off I have never been one who can analyze songs/music.
I have piss-poor hearing and often need the lyrics to understand most songs.

I wouldn't consider myself a Dylan fan, I barely consider myself a Springsteen fan. But I enjoy listening to many of their songs. I couldn't even bring myself to write 'most' there. I think if I were to listen to them more I might become a fan but who has the time.

As for the song in question, since it is not of either of those two, I have listened many times so I will give this a shot.


It is not in my top five of this album. But there isn't a single song on Vol. I don't absolutely love sooooooo.

At first the lyrics were very confusing but I am known for having to reread stories so that didn't surprise me.
Bob's best? I don't have enough knowledge for that question.
It is a good story, I am not a big fan of 'hoodlum' stories but they make very good songs. I feel no pity for the 'characters' and like Bob and his chorus don't really notice them in real life either.
I like the music, it is catchy enough to keep me interested.


In addition, to even tease with the thought that this song was directed towards Bruce I think is far-fetched. The references are certainly intriguing. But it just makes me more curious to know what might have been behind 'the rumors'. Is Bob trying to write a Bruce song? or teasing him that his career was unnoticeable and that they were just a bunch of hoodlums? But by this time I don't think there could be much doubt that Springsteen was more than a flash in the pan. Who knows?

Boy I didn't mean to ramble, Ok folks your turn for the discussion.

Legs
Jun 01, 2004, 02:30 PM
I like it when you ramble Pinky!
I am unrambled for the moment, don't really care much for this song, words I can barely understand, so thanks for posting.To me it sounds like a McCarntey's Magneto and Titanium man kind of thing, which aren't my favourite kind of songs anyway.

sourmilkpinky
Jun 01, 2004, 05:59 PM
aaawwww thanks Legs.
When you say 'that type' of song, do you mean the nararrative/story-like songs?

Like I said in my previous post my hearing is so bad I must have the lyrics to understand these songs. Therefore the beat and music must also grab and hold my attention. Not to mention the 'story' has to make enough sense and follow some grammar rules, if that makes sense.

Tweeter and The Monkey Man certainly does that even if it may be a little confusing. After reading your post about Paul's song I had to pull it out and give a listen. It didn't grab me.

It may also be the speed of the song. If you haven't figured me out by now, I am not generally a 'fan' of slower songs.

Miss O'Dell
Jun 02, 2004, 07:27 AM
I often wonder who is the narrator of this song. I think its either The Monkey Man (because at times all he thinks about is the Monkey Man) or the raqueteer named Bill.

beatlemad
Jun 02, 2004, 07:34 AM
You know, I've never thought about it like that.Give's me an excuse to listen to it again though! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif

beatlemad
Jun 02, 2004, 07:57 AM
You know, it could be Tweeter, The Monkey Man, Bill or Jan!!
In fact the only person it couldn't be is the cop as he's dead!!! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Thanks Miss O'Dell. You've given me more reason to listen to the song over and over again! http://www.beatlelinks.net/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif

beatlemad
Apr 27, 2005, 10:10 AM
Bumping this back up for any new members to chip in with opinions. Did I mention it was a great song?!

beatlebangs1964
Apr 27, 2005, 10:42 AM
I am unrambled for the moment...don't really care much for this song, words I can barely understand, so thanks for posting.To me it sounds like a McCarntey's Magneto and Titanium man kind of thing, which aren't my favourite kind of songs anyway.

Unrambled? :thinker: Good neologism, Legs!

I agree, this one does indeed put one in mind of Magneto & Titanium Man.

ABCKO
Apr 28, 2005, 12:01 AM
I'd say that the narrator is none of the above... as he refers to all of those characters in the "third-person" mode...

Sally
Apr 28, 2005, 05:26 AM
I think it's the best Wilbury song, typical Dylan and just brilliant.

beatlebangs1964
Apr 29, 2005, 08:13 AM
Although this was never one of my favorites, it is a good example of setting a coherent, flowing story to music.

FPSHOT
May 04, 2005, 01:12 PM
Isn't this just one of those many Dylan songs where Bob is just telling a story which others would tell in a book or magazine or at one of the so called amazing Birthdays?

Try to invent such a story...it's not easy...but it sure is Bob...

Then I can see them at the kitchen table doing this and them playing their acoustics and at the right time join in for the "and the walls came down..." bit

I hardly care about lyrics in a song so in this case I am not bothered, to me it's one of the many kitchen table songs they did and that is what makes me love it.