Elvis Costello
Lyric guide

Monkey To Man

Read Monkey To Man lyrics by Elvis Costello on LyroVerse, with linked artist context and related song paths.

Elvis Costello visibility1 visits Video on page
person Curated by Ethan Walker LyroVerse team
Reference snapshot

The page facts to cite before the commentary

Use this page for the lyric text, linked artist context, and any LyroVerse editor's note attached to the song. Listener comments remain user-generated and should not be treated as the primary source.

Page type: lyric reference Artist: Elvis Costello Canonical path: /elvis-costello/monkey-to-man Related lyric paths: 6 Video embedded: yes
Lyrics

Monkey To Man

The lyric stays readable and compact here; the note and related paths sit nearby so you do not lose the song while looking for context.

A long time ago, our point of view

Was broadcast by Mr. Bartholomew

And now the world is full of sorrow and pain

And it's time for us to speak up again

You're slack and sorry

Such an arrogant brood

The only purpose you serve is to bring us our food

We sit here staring at your pomp and pout

Outside the bars we use for keeping you out

You've taken everything that you wanted

Broke it up and plundered it and hunted

Ever since we said it

You went and took the credit

It's been headed this way since the world began

When a vicious creature took the jump from Monkey to Man

Monkey to Man

Every time man struggles and fails

He makes up some kind of fairytales

After all of the misery that he has caused

He denies he's descended from the dinosaurs

Points up to heaven with cathedral spires

All the time indulging in his base desires

Ever since we said it

He went and took the credit

It's been headed this way since the world began

When a vicious creature took the jump from Monkey to Man

Monkey to Man

Big and useless as he has become

With his crying statues and his flying bomb

Goes 'round acting like the chosen one

Excuse us if we treat him like our idiot cousin

He hangs up flowers and bells and rhymes

Hoping to hell someone's forgiven his crimes

Fills up the air with his pride and praise

He's a big disgrace to our beastly ways

In the fashionable nightclubs and finer precincts

Man uses words to dress up his vile instincts

Ever since we said it

He went and took the credit

It's been headed this way since the world began

When a vicious creature took the jump from Monkey to Man

Quick answers

What this page can answer fast

Who performs "Monkey To Man"?

Elvis Costello performs "Monkey To Man", and this lyric page sits inside the Elvis Costello catalog on LyroVerse.

Are there related songs to explore after "Monkey To Man"?

Yes. The related section below points to All This Useless Beauty and Beautiful with a short reason for opening each page next.

Where can I find more songs by Elvis Costello?

Use the artist link near the top of the page or the related paths section below to keep moving through Elvis Costello's lyric pages.

Song Room

Interpretations, questions, and corrections for this song

Interpretations, questions, memories, and correction notes live together here. The room stays noindex while the best insights are reviewed.

Open Song Room
0 followers Selected insights only surface after moderation
Listener comments

What people are saying

0 comments
Add a short interpretation or memory

A strong comment here is specific: the phrase you keep hearing, the mood you come back for, or the reason this song stays in rotation.

Sign in to post the first listener note. Reporting stays open to everyone.

No listener comments on Monkey To Man yet.