Meet people from all over the World
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

News:

Author Topic: Too Much Monkey Business  (Read 2558 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

KelMar

  • Guest
Too Much Monkey Business
« on: April 14, 2011, 12:38:36 AM »

Most lyric sites list "too much monkey business for me to be involved in" or some slight variation for the last line of each verse. To me, though, it sounds like John says "for me to imbibe again". Is that correct or am I just not hearing this right? I can't believe that with all the bands who have recorded this  I never heard it until I got Live at the BBC a little while ago. I love this version; it's like a jolt of caffeine to me! LOL
Logged

Bobber

  • Guest
Re: Too Much Monkey Business
« Reply #1 on: April 14, 2011, 06:55:44 AM »

Being not a native speaker, I have never been able to get exactly what John's singing. ha2ha It sure doesn't sound like 'to be involved in'.
Logged

peterbell1

  • Getting Better
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 690
Re: Too Much Monkey Business
« Reply #2 on: April 15, 2011, 08:58:08 AM »

I suppose when the Beatles were learning songs they would have to buy a copy of the record, play it on what was probably a poor quality turntable, through small speakers, and try to work out the lyrics for themselves. They didn't have the luxury of CD-quality recordings, decent headphones, and lyric websites to help them.
So I'm sure there will be quite a few mistakes in the lyrics of their various cover versions. And songs will have been passed from band to band so the mistakes will have multiplied, like in a game of Chinese Whispers.
Plus John was notorious for forgetting words to songs - even his own - so he may have just made something up on the spot to fill in a gap.
In fact, it's surprising they got any of the words right at all  ;D
Logged

KelMar

  • Guest
Re: Too Much Monkey Business
« Reply #3 on: April 15, 2011, 03:16:16 PM »

Yes, that is what I've always thought too but I just wondered if others are hearing the same thing I am.
Logged

yavanna

  • A Beginning
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 134
Re: Too Much Monkey Business
« Reply #4 on: April 15, 2011, 05:20:37 PM »

I usually hear " to much monkey buisness for me to invite him again"   ha2ha
Logged
If the sun has faded away
I'll try to make it shine

Gary910

  • Getting Better
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 595
  • Beatles Collector
Re: Too Much Monkey Business
« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2011, 11:34:26 PM »

Listening to the Chuck Berry version, it sounds like "...to be involved in."

I know that is what the majority of the lyrics websites say, but John loved Chuck so, I don't know if he would mess it up intentionally.
Logged
And now you've changed your mind, I see no reason to change mine --Lennon/McCartney

TomMo

  • A Beginning
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Gender: Male
  • Posts: 224
  • You Can't Do That
Re: Too Much Monkey Business
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2012, 10:36:13 PM »

I have to agree. Sounds like "imbibe" to me. As I've posted elsewhere, John was not good at remembering lyrics of cover songs. But somehow in this case, it works. Too much Scotch and coke.
Logged
"Beware of soft shoe shufflers"

KelMar

  • Guest
Re: Too Much Monkey Business
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2012, 05:08:06 AM »

I have to agree. Sounds like "imbibe" to me. As I've posted elsewhere, John was not good at remembering lyrics of cover songs. But somehow in this case, it works. Too much Scotch and coke.

I haven't really listened closely to this in a while but I just did with the Bose headphones on and I'm sure it's "imbibe". I've always found John's lyric difficulties rather endearing.
Logged
 

Page created in 0.169 seconds with 54 queries.