Monkey (song) explained

Monkey
Cover:Monkey by George Michael.jpg
Type:single
Artist:George Michael
Album:Faith
Recorded:1987
Genre:
Length:
  • 5:02 (album version)
  • 4:47 (single version)
Label:Columbia
Producer:
Prev Title:One More Try
Prev Year:1988
Next Title:Kissing a Fool
Next Year:1988

"Monkey" is a US number-one hit song by English singer and songwriter George Michael. It was released as a single in 1988 and reached number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 13 on the UK Singles Chart. "Monkey" debuted at number 42 on 9 July 1988, reaching number-one for two weeks, beginning on 27 August 1988.

"Monkey" became Michael's sixth solo single reaching number-one in the US, and the fourth single to do so from the Faith album. George Michael joined Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston as three artists who all had four or more consecutive number one singles during the 1987–88 era, from one album (Michael Jackson scored five number-one hits from a single album (Bad) while Whitney Houston scored seven consecutive number-one hits from two albums).

"Monkey" also reached number-one in the US Hot Dance Club Play chart for two weeks and became his first dance number-one. When the song was released as a single, the single version was remixed by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

Background

In a retrospective interview about the album in 2010, Michael noted that the song was inspired by a friend of his dealing with drug and alcohol addiction but he didn't know how to help her. He used the term monkey to refer to her addiction. He asked his friend: Do you love the monkey or do you love me?[2]

Critical reception

Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "One of the most overtly funky, disco-oriented tracks on the LP Faith. A hard hitting dance number."[3]

Music video

The official music video for the song was directed by Andy Morahan[4] and choreographed by Paula Abdul. It comprises footage from the Faith Tour (including scenes of Michael performing intense choreography) and him performing the song in a simple white T-shirt and black hat against a white background. Some of the scenes are shown in grey scale, with the tour footage being shown with tinted blue lights all over.

Track listing

  1. "Monkey" (7-inch edit) – 4:47
  2. "Monkey" (a'cappella) – 3:40
  1. "Monkey" (extended version) – 8:06
  2. "Monkey" (a'cappella) – 3:40
  3. "Monkey" (extra beats) – 3:30
  1. "Monkey" (extended version) – 8:06
  2. "Monkey" (a'cappella) – 3:40
  3. "Monkey" (extra beats) – 3:30
  4. "Monkey" (7-inch edit) – 4:47

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1988)Peak
position
Canada (The Records Retail Singles Chart)[5] 6
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[6] 23
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[7] 4
Iceland (RÚV)[8] 18
Japan (Oricon)[9] 90
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[10] 23

Year-end charts

Chart (1988)Position
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[11] 69
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[12] 93
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[13] 83
US Billboard Hot 100[14] [15] 45

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: George Michael – Faith – Review. Jayson . Greene. Stylus Magazine. 17 July 2007. 10 February 2016. 14 September 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070914182833/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/articles/diamond/george-michael-faith.htm.
  2. Web site: George Michael Interview by Mark Goodier (2010) | Part 4 .
  3. Previews: Singles. Music & Media. 16 July 1988. 22. 19 July 2022.
  4. Web site: mvdbase.com - George Michael - "Monkey". Music Video DataBase. Garcia. Alex S. 1 November 2015.
  5. Hits of the World. Billboard. 68. 1 October 1988. 25 November 2017.
  6. Hits of the World. Billboard. 61. 20 August 1988. 25 November 2017.
  7. Web site: Singlet 1988-07 heinäkuu. https://web.archive.org/web/20160408012452/http://wiki.pomus.net/wiki/Singlet_1988-07_hein%C3%A4kuu. usurped. 8 April 2016. Finnish. Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. 25 November 2017.
  8. Web site: George Michael Chart History. RÚV. 7 November 2018.
  9. Web site: http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/88084/ranking/cd_single/. ja:ジョージ・マイケルのランキング. Oricon. Japanese. 25 November 2017. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20121023190007/http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/88084/ranking/cd_single/. 23 October 2012.
  10. Book: Fernando Salaverri. Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002. 1st. September 2005. Fundación Autor-SGAE. Spain. 84-8048-639-2.
  11. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 1988. Ultratop. 1 June 2020.
  12. Web site: Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1988. Dutch Top 40. 1 June 2020.
  13. Web site: Jaaroverzichten – Single 1988. dutchcharts.nl. 1 June 2020.
  14. 24 December 1988 . 1988 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles . Y-20 . Billboard . 100 . 52 .
  15. Web site: Billboard Top 100 – 1988. 3 October 2016.