The Monkey Time Explained

The Monkey Time
Type:	single
Artist:	Major Lance
Album:	The Monkey Time
B-Side:	Mama Didn't Know
Genre:	R&B
Label:	Okeh
Producer:	Carl Davis
Prev Title:	Delilah
Prev Year:	1963
Next Title:	Hey Little Girl
Next Year:	1963

"The Monkey Time" is a song written by Curtis Mayfield and performed by Major Lance. It reached No. 2 on the U.S. R&B chart, No. 8 on the U.S. pop chart, and No. 32 in Canada in 1963.^{[1] [2]} It was featured on his 1963 album The Monkey Time,^[3] was arranged by Johnny Pate and produced by Carl Davis.^[4]

The track ranked No. 49 on Billboard magazine's Top 100 singles of 1963.^{[5] [6]}

Other charting versions

• The Tubes released their take on the song as a single in 1983 which reached No. 16 on the U.S. rock chart and No. 68 on U.S. pop chart.^[7] It was featured on their album Outside Inside.

Other versions

• The Miracles - on their 1963 album The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey.^[8]
• Georgie Fame - on his 1964 album Fame at Last.^[9]
• Gene Barge - on his 1965 album Dance with Daddy "G".^[10]
• Archie Bell & the Drells, - on their 1968 album I Can't Stop Dancing.
• The Mad Lads released a version, entitled "Monkey Time '69" on their 1969 album The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Lads.^[11]
• Laura Nyro and Labelle - as a medley with "Dancing in the Street", on their 1971 album Gonna Take a Miracle.^[12]
• Al Kooper - on his 1972 album A Possible Projection of the Future / Childhood's End.^[13] Kooper also released it as a single the same year, but it did not chart.
• Johnny Rivers - on his 1977 album Outside Help.^[14]
• Jimmy Burns - on his 1999 album Night Time Again.^[15]
• The Action - on their 2004 compilation album Uptight and Outasight.^[16]
• The Velvelettes - on their 2004 compilation album The Velvelettes: The Motown Anthology.^[17]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Major Lance, "The Monkey Time" Chart Positions. March 10, 2019.
2. Web site: CHUM Hit Parade - September 9, 1963.
3. Web site: Major Lance, The Monkey Time. . 1963 . March 10, 2019.
4. Web site: Major Lance, "The Monkey Time" Single Release. March 10, 2019.
5. "Top Records of 1963", Billboard, Section II, December 28, 1963. p. 30. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
6. Kowal, Barry. Billboard Magazine's (USA) Top 100 Single Recordings of 1963, Hits of All Decades. August 27, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2019.
7. Web site: The Tubes, "The Monkey Time" Chart Positions. March 10, 2019.
8. Web site: The Miracles, The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey. . 11 November 1963 . March 10, 2019.
9. Web site: Georgie Fame, Fame at Last. . 1964 . March 10, 2019.
10. Web site: Gene Barge, Dance with Daddy "G". . 1965 . March 10, 2019.
11. Web site: The Mad Lads, The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Lads. . 1969 . March 10, 2019.
12. Web site: Laura Nyro and Labelle, Gonna Take a Miracle. . 17 November 1971 . March 10, 2019.
13. Web site: Al Kooper, A Possible Projection of the Future / Childhood's End. . 1972 . March 10, 2019.
14. Web site: Johnny Rivers, Outside Help. . 1977 . March 10, 2019.
15. Web site: Jimmy Burns, Night Time Again. . 1999 . March 10, 2019.
16. Web site: The Action, Uptight and Outasight. . March 10, 2019.
17. Web site: The Velvelettes, The Velvelettes: The Motown Anthology. . 31 October 2004 . March 10, 2019.