jewstalker@yahoo.com August 1st, 2006 04:46AM  

This song is claerly about how since humans obtained knowledge, they also obtained the power to choose. Since we learned to choose, we become more ignorant. It is clear proof that our knowledge will be the downfall of our existence. We learned that we can percieve things in different ways, this gives us the ability to be wrong. Since we did learn to think for ourselves, we learned viloence. And we learned that this violence can be used to destroy those who stand in the way of our beleifs. Monkey is a referance to human beings, if no one discovered that in the translation, then they need to look depper into things.And one thing I would like to say, god didn't offer knowledge for the fact of thos song. If you have read the bible, and understood it, then you would know that the serpent in the garden of eden was satan, and the apple represented knowledge. God didn't want us to obtain knowledge for this very reason.If we know things, then we have the ability to choose, if we can choose then we can choose to disbeleive god, and if noone beleives in god, then he dies, he is kept alive through our beleif in him since beleof is the way he survies. Beleif is the most powerful tool humans beings have. But our ignorance gets in the way. That's all this is.

anonymous September 10th, 2006 11:09AM  

This song is clearly about the never ending war in the middle east over Israel (the promised land/eden)
where the Arabs and the Israelis are still primitive enough to fight for a piece of land, instead of living like brothers.

'right in two' in my opinion is from the bible, where two women come to king david each claiming that a baby belongs to her. The king says "cut it right in two, and give each woman half of the baby"
one woman agrees, the other doesnt, and prefers the other woman to have the baby, just so no harm is done to it.
That woman is clearly the true mother of the baby, and king david gives her the baby.

Maynard thinks the same should be done with the land.
Cut it right in two, and see who agrees and who doesnt, see who the land truly means more to.

So far by this method it seems that the Jews care more about Israel, since they are not the one constantly bombing the promised land.

eckoman72420 September 11th, 2006 04:05AM  

This song is written from a third person view of how the angels feel towards human beings and god. They can not figure out how humans can take for granted what god has blessed them with so bountifully (life, freedoms, relationships, etc.)
god gave humans the right to choose how they live their lives (which was a choice of his, not an obligation), and all humans could do in return is to become so selfish and conceited that they will kill their own kind for more material posessions, such as more land.
I think Maynard compaired humans to monkeys not to add comedy to the song, but because like monkeys, humans do what they see other humans do, they except it as acceptible behavior. By doing this, they give up god's gift of choice.
Instead of blessing others manually, we humans would rather use the knowledge god has given us for negative reasons, such as building weaponry.

anonymous October 1st, 2006 11:47PM  

This one is pretty obvious, and everyone seems to be getting it. It's all about how we humans as a race, despite all of our technological advances, are still the apes we once were.
"silly monkeys, give them thumbs, they make a club, and beat their brother down."

humans are still and more than ever bloodthirsty and primal, willing to kill their own kind over material possessions, using tools to further advance their own lives as individuals and not as a whole.

anonymous January 30th, 2007 05:13PM  

In my opinion, by listening to this song many times, and reading some of the interpretations, it is clear to me what mostly all of this song means.

As Maynard says
"Don’t these talking monkeys know that
Eden has enough to go around?
Plenty in this holy garden, silly old monkeys,
Where there’s one, you're bound to divide it,
Right in two."

For his second verse...
He talks about how Humans think not only about the resources they have upon their "own" lands, but how people search all of "eden" in order to gain more resources from their own greed. Though, we don't think of how much we really have...we just want more and more.

For his fourth verse...
"Father blessed them all with reason.
And this is what they choose.
Monkey, killing monkey, killing monkey
Over pieces of the ground."

I think of it as him saying how "father" (god) gave us this a more complex mind so we are able to think, and yet we don't use our mind to think logic, we just act. It somewhat relates to how your mother's say "Think before you speak"
When he says "Monkey, killing monkey, killing monkey. Over pieces of the ground." It's obvious that he's saying "monkeys" (humans) are killing their own brethren in order to embrace more land for their own greed.

For his fifth verse...
"Silly monkeys give them thumbs,
They forge a blade,
And where there's one they're bound to divide it,
Right in two.
Right in two."

In this, I believe he is speaking of how all we do is "give them thumbs, then forge a blade" (create weapons) to only kill each other, and it fits well because of the fact of how you use a sword and it's used to "cut" things "right in two"

For his sixth verse...
"Monkey, killing monkey, killing monkey.
Over pieces of the ground.
Silly monkeys give them thumbs,
They make a club.
And beat their brother down.
How they survive so misguided is a mystery.
Repugnant is a creature who would
Squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here"

I think of this as him talking about us, in our own "safe havens" just as we use our own fists "They make a club and beat their brother down." to only slaughter our own brethren as we do with swords, guns...plastic objects O_o...etc...and it talks of us being reluctant to look up toward "heaven"

Most of the song I believe goes well with what's going on now, the war in Iraq, and has a great meaning towards what we're doing now.

Well, that's my opinion on what this song means.

RickOShay May 6th, 2007 10:59PM  

I think you're all on the right track. This song is about human greed and ethnocentrism. It's about our inability to share. We divide everything, even our beliefs, which often leads to war.

Angels watching monkeys kill monkeys is an oxymoron. They've combined Christianity and evolution in this song to further exemplify human's lack of unity. Religion vs. atheism, or religion vs any other religion, is at the grassroots of human division.

Most wars have been about religion or territory. Stupid Monkeys!

anonymous June 20th, 2007 07:23PM  

This song is an observation of religion from a religous person's perspective, with a pinch of political sadness to it.

Maynard repeatedly uses monkey as a metaphor for humans, in that we've evolved from Homo habilis and such to Homo sapien, however we have yet to abandon our primitive way of thought and action.

anonymous July 2nd, 2007 09:47PM  

This whole album reflects a battle on a spiritual level. Every song no matter what the personal context of the song has some reference to Christianity. It come to a conclusion with the Right of Two. Which speaks of angels questioning "the Father" (only religion which permits humans to call God Father is Christianity, through the Son) on why he gave them free will. This is straight out of the Bible the original sin of humans, was that of questioning
God's heart for his creation. And even before that God's most beautiful angel thought that he could become more powerful and in essence rebelled against God's plan. This angel fell and is now known as Satan. The songs holds its truth in the perspective that humanity is failing with every hard heart and cold word which ripples into wars and hate and violence. The really cool part is that though angels where created on a spiritual level they do not understand the love of redemption. We have the ability for such evil yet the forgiveness available to us is unlimited. Luke 7:41-43

anonymous August 24th, 2007 06:29AM  

I personally take this song as a metaphor of everything in this world from the start, to the now.

"Angels on the sideline,
Puzzled and amused.
Why did Father give these humans free will?
Now they’re all confused."

More or less when the earth was created, and "God" planned everything out, and was finished. The angels stood in amusement of Gods so called knowledge of knowing everything before it happens, and the love for his children he gave them the choice of destroying themselves, and the world that he created for them that was supposed to be a paradise, or a "heaven."

"Don’t these talking monkeys know that
Eden has enough to go around?
Plenty in this holy garden, silly old monkeys,
Where there’s one, you're bound to divide it,
Right in two."

With this stanza, I think it means that it's more than obivous that there's enough for everyone in this world, that we should share it and what has been giving to us. But since we chose to go our own way. We split everything up and kill or hurt things or people for it. We made everything into two parts. "Good vs Bad, My land and yours, etc."

"Angels on the sideline,
Baffled and confused."

Now the angels are completly dumbfounded that the maker of the childen he would do anything for, let them destroy themselves, and let pain, hunger, catstrophe etc. go on, and continue.

"Father blessed them all with reason.
And this is what they choose.
Monkey, killing monkey, killing monkey.
Over pieces of the ground."

vPrevious song.v
The angels ask "God" What are your (Intensions)to deal with these children of yours? What are you going to do to help them from destroying themselves when all they need is guidence? As we all know God gave us free will, and this is what we choose.

"Silly monkeys give them thumbs,
They forge a blade,
And where there's one they're bound to divide it,
Right in two.
Right in two."

(Continuing with the previous)
"God" told the angels he gaves us so much, more than anything else on this earth. Reason, intelect, feelings, and choice. So if they choose to destroy themselves by building weapons, and dividing everything into two, then let them. It's their choice not mine!

"Monkey, killing monkey, killing monkey.
Over pieces of the ground.
Silly monkeys give them thumbs,
They make a club.
And beat their brother down.
How they survive so misguided is a mystery.
Repugnant is a creature who would
Squander the ability to lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here"

With all these things "God" gave us, we chose to be like this. It's "Human Nature" to be greedy, to want more power, and to kill anything along with destroying others to achive our fleshly desires. Repugant as if we never learn, it's humanity to keep repeating itself. History to come full circle in the future. We are well aware of this, and instead of coming to a peaceful resolution, and try to be more spiritual. We are afriad and sick of the thought of death, and ignore it and give into our fleshly desires.

"Fight over the clouds, over the earth, over sky.
Fight over life, over blood, over air and light.
Over love, over sun, over nothing.
Fight till they die. Over what? Over lies and greed."

Self explanitory more or less. Fight over stupid things that honestly have no spirtual value. Just materialistic. Things that fade away in time, and will be forgoten.

"Angels on the sideline again.
Been so long with patience and reason.
Angels on the sideline again.
Wondering when this tug of war will end."

Angels are still in dismay, looking at "God" and asking "WHY?!?!?" They are in pain, and suffering. They need guidence, they need to be redericted toward the spirtual side of life, of what life's meant to be. A pleasent spirtual expirence. Not pain, insanity, and depression. So when are going to stop this "Tug of War" "God".

"Cut it all right in two.
Cut it all right in two.
Cut it all right in two.
Right in two.

Right in two."

As we cut everything into sections, of what's mine and yours. We still are unhappy, so we fight, argue, and kill to gratify our fleshly desires, and destroy what has been giving to us cause of our free will to choose destruction over peace.

Hoped you guys like my interpertation of the song feel free to put in your thoughts on my conclusion and shed some light on what I might be missing.

paja713 September 15th, 2007 01:17AM  

This isn't really a comparison of us to apes, it talks about us both, but I don't think you're really getting the main point. Its more of showing how we were given all these great traits and don't exactly use them correctly. given all reason and this what we choose. as advanced of a race we are we still don't see how simple and rewarding it would be if we all decided to stop fighting.

anonymous October 6th, 2007 12:01AM  

Honestly this is one of the easier songs to interpret. This is about how we humans have taken the gifts given to become a war like and greedy race of beasts.

anonymous March 8th, 2008 01:42AM  

Its interpretation of what angels would think with what all God has given and what we have done instead of realizing we have all we need but we won't divide it correctly to make it work, we don't think about anyone but ourselves and the ones that we can benefit off of.

anonymous March 19th, 2008 11:41PM  

"The problem is choice..."

I think that this song tackles the subject of Humans being able to understand that they have a choice but not understanding that they don't always have to make a choice.

It specifically mentions the wars that have gone in the name of religion by Christians, Muslims, and Jews (monkey killing monkey killing monkey) by inferring that Earth is Eden and that there is no need to make a choice on this matter when they have all been told and believe that there is obviously only one god (repugnant is the creature who would squander the ability to lift an eye towards heaven).

Basically whenever there is a constant we cannot compute how to deal with it. We must always have something to choose between and if we can't have it then we will use our opposable thumbs to make it.

The beauty of this song is that the Angels are all laughing/mesmerized at/by us and so is God. The Angels are on the sidelines watching the car crash but too enthralled by it to turn their heads. We are the main event. It was known that we would do this and it has become something of a sport to watch us do it again and again. (Angels on the sideline AGAIN, wondering when this tug of war will end).

Silly monkeys =)

PSN: LiquidJin (come get some if you dare...I've no qualms about dividing and conquering)

anonymous July 4th, 2008 10:41AM  

It's about how shit humans are. We covet everything, want to have more than everybody else and we kill each other for it. He's saying that there is enough to go around as in the earth has enough to feed everybody in the world, we won't run out. If two people are fighting over 1 thing you can just cut it in two, everyone's happy.

crow July 18th, 2008 10:04AM  

It's fairly obvious that he is referencing the Christian religion in one way or another.....but why? why even acknowledge the existence of angels or a grand spiritual divinity, god, father? especially when a large majority of the band's past work specifically mocks and challenges the religion? I understand and respect the notion that this album is certainly dedicated, or at least influenced by Judith, his mother, passing; and can appreciate the fact that she was a devote Christian, but this song has nothing to do with her.

It seems to me that something has changed. I am not judging Maynard or the band as a whole, but his lyrics seem one of three things:

Heart felt, honest portrayals of a newly founded god fearing man, either through age, life experience and loss or simply the true realization of death.

songs written in respect for his mother, perhaps even in a cynist, typical, Maynard approach to her beliefs.

or

A complete labyrinth masterpiece of metaphors and idioms that I am thus far to def to decipher.

anonymous August 18th, 2008 10:19PM  

Actually, potentially it's a biblical interpretation of man's un-grateful nature towards the "creator" stating that our ability to reason is none the less over ridden by our greed and desire to claim all and everything. And the jealousy put forth by the "angels" as traditionally Angels were created first and yet humans remain the chosen favourites (ever watched the movie dogma?) and regardless of the power of choice and free will we, as humans without fail tear down what should be whole (right in two), in an attempt to stake our claim on EVERYTHING. We are given gifts to be used as tools and we make weapons. It's a seriously deep reflection on human nature and our tragic habbit of raping,pillaging and plundering and yet it's told from the perspective of what we regard as a "higher being" or a "detached commentator" allowing us to view our own actions as ridiculous and self destructive.

MaxQ November 11th, 2008 01:29PM  

I think pretty much everyone is on the right track...

I find the following themes notable
- The concept of the Arab Israeli conflict.
- That we are being referred to as monkeys
- The presented story of King David’s judgment to cut the baby right in two
- Dante’s comment on humanity failing to appreciate their existance

Since I usually read the Quran/Koran I may have something to add further. Obviously Maynard did not write just quoting the Bible or the Mishnah, but seems to also have added some elements of the Quranic tradition (cannot say for sure).

* The very first story in the Quran is about the angels (universal forces) being asked to submit to Adam (man)… all bow down except “Iblees” (synonymous not quote the same as “Satan/Shaitan”) which in English translates to “That which causes grief/misery”. So the only thing not under Man’s control is his/her ability to cause chaos and divide. Hence we see the amazement or the angles and the expression “give them thumbs and they forge blade” or “make a claw to strike their brother down”.

* It should also be noted that as per the Quran, Adam was told not to approach “this tree” (not “a tree of knowledge” but a parable to branching or division). As we go on, when the people of the covenant break the Sabbath (a tool to avoid societal breakup) God says to them “Be you held in contempt like apes!” which obviously strikes a chord with the song’s interpretation. All a human being is, is an ape if he/she chooses to go against reason and would rather prefer division, greed and war.

* The line “repugnant is … ground” has striking similarity one of Quran’s verses: “You squandered your good things in your life of the world and only sought immediate comfort therein. This Day you are rewarded with a humiliating doom because of your unjust pride, and because you drifted away from humanity.”

Comments welcome…

bryony2 November 19th, 2008 09:09AM  

I believe that there is more to this song... If you listen carefully, 'monkey' is used in connection with Eden, and as we all know christianity greatly opposed to Darwin's theory of evolution. I think this song is to deliberately annoy a certain group of people. I agree with the other comments about humanity and suchly as well, but I thought I'd put my worth in too lol :)

mouse357mag December 12th, 2008 07:30PM  

When he says angels on the sidelines
talking about actully monkeys looking
at the human race and saying hey they are no
better than us

we know the difference of right and wrong but yet
we still stay on our destructive path

monkey killing monkey killing monkey over pieces of the ground
is just everyone killing each other over the simplist of things that really no one owns

given thumbs
They forge a blade
And then there's one bound to divide it
Right in two
we create tools to survive but there's always one
who will turn that tool into a weapon

Silly monkeys give them thumbs
They make a club
And beat their brother down
once they find out that its a weapon they kill one another
for the simple reasons of greed

Fight over the clouds, over wind, over sky
Fight over life, over blood, over air
Fight over love, over sun, over another
Fight each other,
here greed is the focus over humans trying to own what
is really not there's nor can be owned

Angels on the sideline again
Been so long with patience and reason
Angels on the sideline again
Wondering when this tug of war will end
those monkeys are still watching and learning
maybe they will take over once we kill each other off

pera13 January 28th, 2009 05:17AM  

It has the same message as "people are people" by Depeche Mode in my opinion.. As a whole, the song is wonderful, brings me a certain peace of mind..