Album: Doolittle (1989)

Charted: 60

License This Song 

• There was a god
  An underwater god who controlled the sea
  Got killed by ten million pounds of sludge
  From New York and New Jersey
  
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  
  The creature in the sky
  Got sucked in a hole
  Now there's a hole in the sky
  And the ground's not cold
  And if the ground's not cold
  Everything is gonna burn
  We'll all take turns, I'll get mine too
  
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  
  Rock me, Joe
  
  If Man is five, if Man is five, if Man is five
  Then the Devil is six, then the Devil is six
  Then the Devil is six, the Devil is six
  And if the Devil is six
  Then God is seven, then God is seven, then God is seven
  
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven
  This monkey's gone to Heaven Writer/s: Charles Thompson
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 9

• AnonymousOR he got the monkey off his back, which is a expression about getting off dope. The religious is a part of it of course but also that habit (monkey) went to heaven.
• Luiz from PortugalI always tought that the number was a geometric progression: the man is 5 which is the smallest and the devil is 6 which is bigger than 5 but smaller than 7. "Then god is seven..."
• Toot from Heaven Read an analysis of the Pixies in relation to the island of Puerto Rico where Frank Black was “Come on Pilgrim-ed” to in college, it will all makes sense.
• Eric from Boston, MaThe writer of the third fact is a little confused: the Christian New Testament is not part of Hebrew scripture. So this person's speculations about 666 and 7s in Revelations aren't relevant. I think it should just be left at the Frank Black quote.
• Myfirstname from Lima, PeruFirst time I heard this song I thought of curious george cause in one of his stories he gets in a rocket for a special mission (I know, kinda silly)but this put aside, it is an awesome song, mainly I think, about people being stupid.
• Mynamemyway from Not Tellin', VaIn biology class, we were talking about the pollution of the ozone layer and I was dissppointed to find that I was one of the few who believed in it. After the discussion, we took a test and, after I was done, I wrote down the 2nd verse of this song on the front and turned it in to my teacher. I thought it was witty.
• Steve from Towson, MdSeems pretty obvious to me that it's an environmentally based song about the human race destroying both the sea and the sky. "An underwater guy who controlled the sea" is Triton. A sea which we pollute on a regular basis. "The creature in the sky Got sucked in a hole. Now there's a hole in the sky". Are airbourne pollutants that have created a hole in the ozone layer. I am guessing the monkey reference- is they are just shy of being human and we "are" human but too stupid to realize we are destroying the earth- i.e. we are monkeys- just shy of being human.
• David from Fairfax, VaIf you go to a Baltimore Orioles game, this song gets played for several of the players when they come up to hit. That's a little bizarre if you ask me... except maybe the thing about 10 million pounds of sludge from new york and new jersey during a yankee game.
• Echo from Normalville, MaCan't believe no one's commented for this! it's a perfect example of the Pixie's amazing way to put something so complex and serious into something so light and seemingly nonsensical.
  Rock me, joe

More Songfacts:

Constant Cravingk.d. lang

"Constant Craving" by k.d. lang deals with principles of Buddhism, including the cycles of birth and death.

JetPaul McCartney & Wings

The Australian band Jet took their name from the 1973 song of the same by Paul McCartney and Wings.

New York, New YorkFrank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra was 64 when he had his last hit: "New York, New York." The song pegged him to New York City, leaving Las Vegas to Elvis.

Undone - The Sweater SongWeezer

Weezer's "Undone - The Sweater Song" was written as a sad song about depression, but listeners heard it as a funny, ironic song.

Heaven KnowsRobert Plant

Robert Plant's "Heaven Knows" is a satirical look at the '80s, when style seemed to trump substance.

Give Me Everything (Tonight)Pitbull

Pitbull's line "I got it locked up like Lindsay Lohan" in his 2011 song "Give Me Everything (Tonight)" didn't go over well with Lohan, who sued him for defamation. Around this time, she was in a downward spiral and often getting arrested. Her case was thrown out, but she did get her life back together.

Editor's Picks

Daniel LanoisSongwriter Interviews

Daniel Lanois on his album Heavy Sun, and the inside stories of songs he produced for U2, Peter Gabriel, and Bob Dylan.

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

80s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

MTV, a popular TV theme song and Madonna all show up in this '80s music quiz.

Gary LewisSongwriter Interviews

Gary Lewis and the Playboys had seven Top 10 hits despite competition from The Beatles. Gary talks about the hits, his famous father, and getting drafted.

Which Songs are About Drugs?Fact or Fiction

"25 or 6 to 4" to "Semi-Charmed Life" - see if you can spot the songs that are really about drugs.

Tanita TikaramSongwriter Interviews

When she released her first album in 1988, Tanita became a UK singing sensation at age 19. She talks about her darkly sensual voice and quirky songwriting style.