“Monkeying Around”…

Johnny-on-the-Spot … by John Foster …

My wife and I were driving home recently and dodged a flattened, frozen raccoon in the road.

A fur-bearing Frisbee.

It made me remember “The Animal Fair”.

(Sorry! That’s just the way my mind works.)

Remember singing “The Animal Fair” as a kid?

It was sung by minstrels and sailors in the late 1800’s.

“I went to the animal fair.

The birds and the beasts were there.

The big baboon, by the light of the moon

was combing his auburn hair.

The monkey bumped the skunk

and sat on the elephant’s trunk.

The elephant sneezed and fell to his knees

and that was the end of the monk,

The monk, the monk, the monk.”

In my childhood version, it was “the monkey, he got drunk and climbed up the elephant’s trunk.”

Speaking of monkeys, how about “Pop Goes the Weasel”?

History tells us that “weasel” meant “coat” and “pop” was about pawning possessions.

So, “Pop goes the weasel” was about pawning possessions.

It’s a traditional English and American song, a country dance, a nursery rhyme and a singing game from the mid 19th century.

It’s probably best remembered as the music for Jack-in-the boxes and ice cream trucks.

“All around the cobbler’s bench

the monkey chased the weasel.

The monkey thought ’twas all in fun. Pop! Goes the weasel.

A penny for a spool of thread

a penny for a needle.

That’s the way the money goes.

Pop! Goes the weasel.

The painter needs a ladder and brush.

The artist needs an easel.

The dancer needs a fiddler’s tune.

Pop! Goes the weasel.

I’ve no time to wait and sigh

or tell me the reason why.

Kiss me quick. I’m off. Goodbye!

Pop! Goes the weasel.”

How about the phrase, “A monkey’s uncle”?

That’s an idiom used to express disbelief, amazement or surprise.

The phrase originated as a sarcastic response to the idea that humans descended from apes.

Let’s talk about the “monkey wrench”.

It’s the smooth-jawed adjustable wrench, a 19th century refinement of the 18th century British “coach wrench”.

The Brits thought the tool’s jaws resembled a monkey’s face.

The phrase can also mean “to sabotage a project or plans” as to “throw a monkey wrench into it.”

Of course, at recess in elementary school, we played on the “Monkey Bars” before someone decided the risk of a fall from them outweighed the benefit of the physical workout we got.

I don’t believe “Monkey Bar” deaths ever got close to the numbers we saw with COVID.

Other “monkeys” come to mind for me.

There was “J. Fred Muggs” who was part of the original “Today Show” with Dave Garroway, Frank BlaIr and Jack Lescoulie.

“Lance Link” starred in a 60’s series called “Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp.”

It was a short-lived Saturday morning spoof of “I Spy” which aired in the early 70’s, featuring over-dubbed voices for Lance, as well as Baron von Butcher (Lance’s arch enemy) and Lance’s love-interest Mata Hairi.

I found it quite amusing.

There was also a lady chimp on two episodes of “Gilligan’s Island and of course “Planet of the Apes”.

I won’t even get into David Jones, Mickey Dolenz, Michel Nesmith and Peter Tork otherwise known as “The Monkees”.

Well, not surprisingly, all this “monkey talk” did take me back to 1963 with The Miracles and a young vocalist named Smokey Robinson.

Remember “Mickey’s Monkey”?

“Well, this cat named Mickey came from out of town, yeah.

He was spreading new dances all around

and in just a matter of days, yeah

his dance became the new teenage craze.

And the people see him dancing, they begin to sing

(Lum-de-lum-de-lay-ey)

to see this cat to that monkey thing.

(Lum-de-lum-de-lay-ey)

It’s really something to see

(Lum-de-lum-de-lay-ey)

this cat named Mickey doing that monkey

(Lum-de-lum-de-lay-ey)”

Is that enough “Money Business” for you?