Lyrics

Said the Signifyin' Monkey to the lion one day "There's a great big elephant down the way Goin' round talking, I'm sorry to say About your mama in a scandalous way Yes, he's talking 'bout your mama, and your granma too And he don't show too much respect for you Now you weren't there and I sure am glad 'Cause what he said about your mama made me mad." Signifyin' Monkey, stay up in your tree You are always lying and signifyin' But you better not monkey with me The lion said, "Yeah? Well I'll fix him I'll tear that elephant limb from limb" Then he shook the jungle with a might roar Took off like a shot from a .44 He found the elephant where the tall grass grows And said, "I come to punch you in your long nose" The elephant looked at the lion in surprise And said, "Boy, you better go pick on somebody your size" The lion wouldn't listen, he made a pass The elephant slapped him down in the grass The lion roared and sprung from the ground And that's when that elephant really went to town I mean he whipped that lion for the rest of the day And I still don't see how the lion got away But he dragged on off, more dead than alive And that's when that monkey started his signifyin' jive Signifyin' Monkey, stay up in your tree You are always lying and signifyin' But you better not monkey with me The monkey looked down and said, "Ooh-wee! What is this beat up mess I see? Is that you, lion? Ha-ha! Do tell Man, he whipped your head to a fare-thee-well Give you a beating like it wasn't nothing You supposed to be king of the jungle, ain't that some stuff? You big overgrown pussycat, don't you roar I'll hop down there and whoop you some more" The monkey got to laughing and jumpind up and down But his foot missed the limb and he plunged to the ground The lion was on him with all four feet Ground that monkey to hamburger meat The monkey looked up with tears in his eyes And said, "Please, Mister lion, I-I apologize I meant no harm, please let me go And I'll tell you something you really need to know" Signifyin' Monkey, stay up in your tree You are always lying and signifyin' But you better not monkey with me The lion stepped back to hear what he'd say And that monkey scampered up a tree and got away "What I wanna tell you," the monkey hollered then "Is if you fool with me, I'll sic the elephant on you again" The lion just shook his head and said, "You jive If you and your monkey children want to keep alive Up in them trees is where you better stay." And that's where they are to this very day Signifyin' Monkey, stay up in your tree You are always lying and signifyin' But you better not No you better not You are always lying and signifyin' But you better not monkey with me