Fire Coming Out Of The Monkey's Head – English Lyrics

• By: Gorillaz
• Album: Demon Days

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the English language through the powerful storytelling of Gorillaz's 'Fire Coming Out of the Monkey's Head'. This song offers a unique opportunity to learn through its clear, narrative structure, spoken by the iconic actor Dennis Hopper. The allegorical tale of the 'Happyfolk' and 'Strangefolk' not only provides a rich vocabulary but also a deeper understanding of political and social commentary in music, making it a compelling and memorable way to enhance your language skills.

[English]

Once upon a time at the foot of a great mountain,

there was a town where the people known as Happyfolk lived,

their very existence a mystery to the rest of the world,

obscured as it was by great clouds.

Here they played out their peaceful lives,

innocent of the litany of excess and violence

that was growing in the world below.

To live in harmony with the spirit of the mountain called Monkey was enough.

Then one day Strangefolk arrived in the town.

They came in camouflage, hidden behind dark glasses,

but no one noticed them.

They only saw shadows.

You see, without the Truth of the Eyes,

the Happyfolk were blind.

Falling out of aeroplanes and hiding out in holes.

Waiting for the sunset to come, people going home.

Jump out from behind them and shoot them in the head.

Now everybody dancing the dance of the dead,

the dance of the dead,

the dance of the dead.

the dance of the dead

the dance of the dead

the dance of the dead

In time, Strangefolk found their way into the higher reaches of the mountain,

and it was there that they found the caves of unimaginable Sincerity and Beauty.

By chance, they stumbled upon the Place Where All Good Souls Come to Rest.

The Strangefolk, they coveted the jewels in these caves above all things,

and soon they began to mine the mountain,

its rich seam fueling the chaos of their own world.

Meanwhile, down in the town,

the Happyfolk slept restlessly,

their dreams invaded by shadowy figures digging away at their souls.

Every day, people would wake and stare at the mountain.

Why was it bringing darkness into their lives?

And as the Strangefolk mined deeper and deeper into the mountain,

holes began to appear,

bringing with them a cold and bitter wind

that chilled the very soul of the monkey.

For the first time, the Happyfolk felt fearful

for they knew that soon the Monkey would soon stir from its deep sleep.

And then came a sound.

Distant first, it grew into castrophany

so immense it could be heard far away in space.

There were no screams.

There was no time.

The mountain called Monkey had spoken.

There was only fire.

And then,

nothing.

Oh, little town in the USA,

your time has come to see

There's nothing you believe you want.

But where were you when it all came down on me?

Did you call me? No.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ A1	noun - a large natural elevation of the earth's surface rising abruptly from the surrounding level; a large steep hill.
Happyfolk /ˈhæpiˌfoʊk/ B1	noun - (in the context of the song) the people who lived happily at the foot of the mountain; (general 'folk') people in general.
Strangefolk /ˈstreɪndʒˌfoʊk/ B1	noun - (in the context of the song) the mysterious, unwelcome people who arrived in the town; (general 'folk') unfamiliar or unusual people.
obscured /əbˈskjʊərd/ B2	adjective - not discovered or known about; uncertain. verb - kept from being seen; concealed.
peaceful /ˈpiːsfʊl/ A2	adjective - free from disturbance; tranquil.
violence /ˈvaɪələns/ B1	noun - behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something.
harmony /ˈhɑːrməni/ B2	noun - the quality of forming a pleasing and consistent whole; agreement or concord.
camouflage /ˈkæməflɑːʒ/ B2	noun - the disguising of military personnel, equipment, and installations by painting or covering them to make them blend in with their surroundings; a disguise.
blind /blaɪnd/ A2	adjective - unable to see. verb - make unable to see, either temporarily or permanently.
dance /dæns/ A1	noun - a series of steps and movements that you perform to music. verb - to move your body and feet in a way that matches the rhythm and style of music.
caves /keɪvz/ A2	noun - a large natural underground chamber in a hillside or cliff.
coveted /ˈkʌvɪtɪd/ C1	verb - greatly desired or envied.
jewels /ˈdʒuːəlz/ B1	noun - a precious stone or gem; a valuable ornament.
mine /maɪn/ B1	verb - to extract coal, minerals, or other valuable substances from the earth by digging. noun - an excavation in the earth from which ore or minerals are extracted.
chaos /ˈkeɪ.ɒs/ B2	noun - complete disorder and confusion.
invaded /ɪnˈveɪdɪd/ B2	verb - entered (a country or region) with armed forces in order to occupy or conquer it; (figurative) intruded on (something) in an unwelcome manner.
darkness /ˈdɑːrknəs/ A2	noun - the partial or total absence of light.
bitter /ˈbɪtər/ B1	adjective - having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; (of a person or their words) feeling or showing strong animosity or resentment; (of cold or a cold wind) intensely cold.
fearful /ˈfɪərfʊl/ B1	adjective - feeling or showing fear or anxiety.
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A1	noun - combustion or burning, in which substances combine chemically with oxygen from the air and typically give out bright light, heat, and smoke. verb - to shoot a gun or other weapon.

Key Grammar Structures

• there was a town where the people known as Happyfolk lived

  ➔ Relative Clause ('where') & Reduced Relative Clause (Past Participle)

  ➔ The word "where" introduces a relative clause providing more information about "a town". "known as Happyfolk" is a reduced relative clause (originally "who were known as Happyfolk") acting as an adjective.

• obscured as it was by great clouds.

  ➔ Concessive Clause with 'as' (Inversion)

  ➔ The phrase "obscured as it was" is an inverted concessive clause, meaning 'although it was obscured'. This structure emphasizes the condition. Highlight: "obscured as it was".

• To live in harmony with the spirit of the mountain called Monkey was enough.

  ➔ Infinitive as a Subject

  ➔ The infinitive phrase "To live in harmony with the spirit of the mountain called Monkey" functions as the subject of the sentence. Highlight: "To live".

• Falling out of aeroplanes and hiding out in holes. Waiting for the sunset to come, people going home.

  ➔ Present Participles as Adverbial Phrases

  ➔ The present participles "Falling", "hiding", "Waiting", and "going" introduce adverbial phrases that describe simultaneous actions or conditions, often implying 'while' or 'as'. Highlight: "Falling", "hiding", "Waiting", "going".

• it was there that they found the caves of unimaginable Sincerity and Beauty.

  ➔ Cleft Sentence ('It was... that...')

  ➔ This is a cleft sentence, used to emphasize a particular part of the sentence, in this case, the adverb of place "there". Highlight: "it was there that".

• its rich seam fueling the chaos of their own world.

  ➔ Participle Phrase (Absolute Phrase - Present Participle)

  ➔ This is an absolute phrase where "its rich seam" is the subject and "fueling" is the present participle. It describes a consequence or accompanying circumstance of the main action. Highlight: "fueling".

• their dreams invaded by shadowy figures digging away at their souls.

  ➔ Participle Phrase (Absolute Phrase - Past Participle)

  ➔ This is an absolute phrase, where "their dreams" is the subject and "invaded" is the past participle. It describes the state or condition of the dreams, often linked to the main clause. Highlight: "invaded".

• bringing with them a cold and bitter wind that chilled the very soul of the monkey.

  ➔ Present Participle Phrase of Consequence/Result

  ➔ The phrase "bringing with them..." is a present participle phrase that expresses the consequence or result of the preceding action (holes began to appear). Highlight: "bringing".

• for they knew that soon the Monkey would soon stir from its deep sleep.

  ➔ Conjunction 'for' (meaning 'because') & Future in the Past ('would stir')

  ➔ The conjunction "for" is used here to give a reason, similar to 'because'. "would stir" is the future in the past, describing an action that was expected to happen from a past viewpoint. Highlight: "for", "would stir".

• There's nothing you believe you want.

  ➔ Complex Relative Clause with Omitted Relative Pronoun

  ➔ This is a complex sentence with two embedded clauses, where the relative pronouns 'that' are omitted: "There's nothing [that] you believe [that] you want." Highlight: "you believe you want".