The song “Brass Monkey” was released on January 5, 1987, into a music world largely influenced by MTV and music videos. Rap and hip-hop music genres developed simultaneously underneath the hype and popularity of many early music videos.
With songs like “Cooky Pussy,” bands like Beastie Boys picked up on the largely underground rap to hip-hop conversion that came before today’s mainstream hip-hop recording artists.
Strangely enough, Beastie Boys started as an experimental punk rock band in the late seventies. Bands like the New York Dolls brought performance spectacle to punk rock, which in lyrical arrangement, aligns with rap. Beastie Boys mixed these burgeoning music genres together to produce a sound iconic to partying in the 80s.
Fun Facts:
- As confirmed by band member Mike D, the band took their name from Brass Monkey, a premixed cocktail sold by Heublein.
- Contrary to popular belief, a Brass Monkey isn’t a mix of malt liquor and orange juice—that drink is the “forty,” which colloquially refers to the 40-ounce bottle of malt liquor.
- The song is from Beastie Boys’ debut album, License To Ill, and is one of the best-selling debut albums of all time.
- “Brass Monkey” samples parts of “Wild Sugar.”
- The song sold a quick 500,000 copies in 1987 and promptly earned Gold certification.
- In 1987, the song peaked at #48 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, in 2012, it reached #32 on the Billboard Rap Digital Songs.
- With sales of License To Ill, Beastie Boys were one of the bands that prompted the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to institute the Diamond certification for selling 10 million copies.
- Both The Dave Matthews Band and Richard Cheese covered the song.
Lyrics
Brass Monkey
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass
Got this dance that’s more than real
Drink Brass Monkey, here’s how you feel
You put your left leg down
Your right leg up
Tilt your head back, let’s finish the cup
MCA with the bottle, D rocks the can
Ad-Rock gets nice with Charlie Chan
We’re offered Moët
We don’t mind Chivas
Wherever we go, we bring Monkey with us
Ad-Rock drinks three, Mike D is D
Double R foots the bill most definitely
I drink Brass Monkey and I rock well
I got a castle in Brooklyn, that’s where I dwell
Brass Monkey
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Because (brass)
I drink it anytime and any place
When it’s time to get ill, I pour it on my face
Monkey tastes def when you pour it on ice
Come on, y’all, it’s time to get nice
Cooling by the lockers, getting kind of funky
Me and the crew, we’re drinking Brass Monkey
This girl walked by, she gave me the eye
I reached in the locker, grabbed a Spanish fly
I put it in the Monkey, mixed it in a cup
Went over to the girl, “Yo, baby, what’s up?”
I offered her a sip (sip)
The girl she gave me lip (lip)
It did begin, the stuff wore in and now she’s on my tip
Brass Monkey
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass
Step up to the bar and put the girl down
She takes a big gulp and slaps it around
You take a sip, you can do it
You get right to it
We had a case in the place
And we went right through it
You got a dry martini, you thinking you’re cool
Take you place at the bar, I smack you off your stool
I’ll down a 40 dog in a single gulp
And if you got beef, you’ll get beat to a pulp
Monkey and parties and reelin’ and rockin’
Def-def, girls-girls, all y’all jockin’
The song and dance keepin’ you in a trance
If you don’t buy my record, I got my advance
I drink it, I think it, I see it, I be it
I love Brass Monkey, but I don’t give D it
We got the bottle, you got the cup
Come on everybody, let’s get f-
Brass Monkey
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey junkie
That funky Monkey
Brass Monkey!
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