Tweeter and the Monkey Man

Song infobox
Name = Tweeter and the Monkey Man


Artist = The Traveling Wilburys
Album = Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1
Released = 1988
track_no = 9
Recorded = 1988
Genre = Rock
Length = 5:27
Writer = Traveling Wilburys
Label =
Producer =
[ Chart position = ]
prev = Margarita
prev_no = 8
next = End of the Line
next_no = 10"Tweeter and the Monkey Man" is a song by rock music supergroup The Traveling Wilburys that first appeared on the 1988 album "Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1". The songwriting credit is to all members of the band and is published by Bob Dylan's Special Rider Music. Dylan also sings lead on the song's verses (with the rest of the group joining in on the chorus sections).

The lyrics of the song tell the gritty story of the title characters--a transsexual drug dealer nicknamed Tweeter and her partner in crime, known only as The Monkey Man--and their nemesis the "Undercover Cop". At five verses in 5 minutes 27 seconds, "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" is the longest Traveling Wilburys song put to record.

"Tweeter and The Monkey Man" is sometimes regarded as a playful homage to Bruce Springsteen's songs. The lyrics include the titles of many Springsteen songs, and the song borrows many of Springsteen's themes and settings. For instance, the setting of the song itself is New Jersey, Springsteen's home state, and places like Rahway Prison and Jersey City are mentioned by name. Springsteen song title references include: "Stolen Car", "Mansion On The Hill", "Thunder Road", "State Trooper", "Factory", "The River", and the song made popular by Springsteen but written by Tom Waits, "Jersey Girl". Additionally, "Lion's Den" and "Paradise" are each mentioned and prominently enunciated in the song, both being the title of a Springsteen song released after the Traveling Wilbury's album.

In the Traveling Wilbury's DVD (released as part of their 2007 box set) the making of the song is described. George recounts that Dylan and Petty were discussing "Americana shit that we didn't understand." The conversation was taped, and later translated by the group into the basis of the song. The chorus was originally part of a verse, but was chosen later for the refrain.
The Headstones sing a cover of Tweeter and The Monkey Man on their album "Picture of Health".

External links

* [http://starling.rinet.ru/music/wilburyc.htm Comment by Morten Felgenhauer on George Starostin's Music Reviews site] - Discussing the song and Springsteen connections.
* [http://www.springsteenlyrics.com/lyrics/t/tweeterandthemonkeyman.php "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" page at SpringsteenLyrics.com] - Lyrics and info + details about the Bruce Springsteen/Bob Dylan story behind the song
* [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/2667/tweeter.html "Tweeter and the Monkey Man" page at The Dylan Lyric Commentaries]
* [http://www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1161326 Explanation and analysis of the song at everything2.com.]