Monkey Business Top Ten: Shock the Monkey (#1)
By Four Walls
@FourWalls (86652)
United States
November 1, 2021 9:37am CST
Time to put this monkey back in its cage! Again, I want to offer sincere thanks to @DocAndersen for suggesting this theme of songs with “monkey” in the title. To nobody’s surprise, here’s the biggest gorilla in the lot.
#1: Shock the Monkey - Peter Gabriel
Well duh. Could there be any other song on top?
Somewhere between leaving Genesis and having all that success with So, Peter Gabriel released A LOT of albums named Peter Gabriel. The US record label didn’t see the humor in that, so they forced him to give his 1982 album another name. Gabriel decided on “Security,” but the album title remained eponymous everywhere else in the world.
And, if it hadn’t been for “Sledgehammer,” this would probably be Gabriel’s best-known song.
It’s a gem, that’s for sure.
Thanks again Scott, and thank you all for reading.
Shock the Monkey
Written by Peter Gabriel
Recorded by Peter Gabriel
From Peter Gabriel (“Security”), 1982
You throw your pearls before the swine:
The official Shock The Monkey video. Directed by Brian Grant.Follow Peter Gabriel on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7C4sUpWGlTy7IANjruj02IOptions t...
13 people like this
13 responses
@FourWalls (86652)
• United States
19 Apr 22
This is an absolute KILLER song, and one of the gems of the 80s.
1 person likes this
@porwest (112812)
• United States
20 Apr 22
@FourWalls I cannot disagree. Loved it then and love it now.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
2 Nov 21
i would have thunk no other.
perfect end to a great list - oh musical list genius!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86652)
• United States
2 Nov 21
Thanks for the suggestion!! It was a lot of fun!! And look at all the songs I left off…
fun song from 1967. off of his cd "the real mr heartache, the little darlin years"
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
2 Nov 21
@FourWalls what an epic song, but the master made the right choices (this time)!
1 person likes this
@xstitcher (39019)
• Petaluma, California
2 Nov 21
Ah, Genesis...my Mom was a fan of Phil Collins.
1 person likes this
@cmoneyspinner (9218)
• Austin, Texas
1 Nov 21
This song was for a movie soundtrack. Right? I do still like this song. But then ... I love Peter Gabriel!
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86652)
• United States
1 Nov 21
It may have been used in a movie, but it wasn’t written expressly for a movie.
1 person likes this
@cmoneyspinner (9218)
• Austin, Texas
2 Nov 21
@FourWalls - Oh! It's kind of like Seal's song "Kiss From a Rose". It was not written for the Batman movie but they used as part of the soundtrack anyway.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222310)
• United States
2 Nov 21
I wish I knew what news shocked the monkey. Don't know this one either; but thanks so much for an interesting countdown.
1 person likes this
@dgobucks226 (37621)
•
5 Nov 21
Love the choice but was also waiting for "Monkey Man" by the Rolling Stones to make your list? Now that really is a shock the monkey
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (52905)
• Mojave, California
2 Nov 21
Cool song, this guy made some cool videos if I remember right. There you go next countdown, coolest music videos top 10. I have no talent in that so will pass the buck. 
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (91299)
• United States
1 Nov 21
I loved Peter Gabriel and did not know this song.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (97991)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
2 Nov 21
No once again I do not know this the monkey songs are shocking me and I don't plan on shocking the monkey, You know what I just got reminded of that monkey toy when you turn it on it bangs its cymbals, and when the Grinch played by Jim Carrey had a very giant cymbal playing monkey lol
1 person likes this
@arunima25 (93194)
• Bangalore, India
1 Nov 21
I did not know this song. Thanks for sharing it.
1 person likes this
