Traveling Wilbury’s Join Together In “Tweeter And The Monkey Man” Video

A Complicated, Beautiful Story

As the greatest story ever written through the form of lyrics, “Tweeter And The Monkey Man” appeared on the band’s first album, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 in 1988. With Dylan on lead vocals, backed by the boys, Bob published the song on his Special Rider Music Label but distributed rights to all members of the group.

Interesting Fact: This is the only Wilburys song on Vol. 1 not to feature Roy Orbison on lead or backing vocals.

In a fun, well- thought out story of a girl and guy drug dealer on the run from enemy “the undercover cop” and his sister, Jan, whom the monkeyman was romantically involved with. With hits like “Handle With Care” and “End Of The Line,” The Traveling Wilburys became one of the greatest super group combinations in the history of rock and roll.

With special studio footage with and without Roy, the band displays the vulnerability and reality that they experienced throughout the writing, recording and taping of this musical journey. Enjoy this seriously awesome video of the greatest voices and talents in rock!

+ Tweeter And The Moneyman Lyrics +

Tweeter and the Monkey Man were hard up for cash
They stayed up all night selling cocaine and hash
To an undercover cop who had a sister named Jan
For reasons unexplained she loved the Monkey Man

Tweeter was a boy scout before she went to Vietnam
And found out the hard way nobody gives a damn
They knew that they found freedom just across the Jersey Line
So they hopped into a stolen car took Highway 99

And the walls came down, all the way to hell
Never saw them when they’re standing
Never saw them when they fell

The undercover cop never liked the Monkey Man
Even back in childhood he wanted to see him in the can
Jan got married at fourteen to a racketeer named Bill
She made secret calls to the Monkey Man from a mansion on the hill

It was out on thunder road – Tweeter at the wheel
They crashed into paradise – they could hear them tires squeal
The undercover cop pulled up and said “Everyone of you’s a liar
If you don’t surrender now it’s gonna go down to the wire”

And the walls came down, all the way to hell
Never saw them when they’re standing
Never saw them when they fell

An ambulance rolled up, a state trooper close behind
Tweeter took his gun away and messed up his mind
The undercover cop was left tied up to a tree
Near the souvenir stand by the old abandoned factory

Next day the undercover cop was-a hot in pursuit
He was taking the whole thing personal
He didn’t care about the loot
Jan had told him many times it was you to me who taught
In Jersey anything’s legal as long as you don’t get caught

And the walls came down, all the way to hell
Never saw them when they’re standing
Never saw them when they fell

Someplace by Rahway prison they ran out of gas
The undercover cop had cornered them said “Boy, you didn’t think that this could last”
Jan jumped out of bed said “There’s someplace I gotta go”
She took a gun out of the drawer and said “It’s best if you don’t know”

The undercover cop was found face down in a field
The monkey man was on the river bridge using Tweeter as a shield
Jan said to the Monkey Man “I’m not fooled by Tweeter’s curl
I knew him long before he ever became a Jersey girl”

And the walls came down, all the way to hell
Never saw them when they’re standing
Never saw them when they fell

Now the town of Jersey City is quieting down again
I’m sitting in a gambling club called the Lion’s Den
The TV set was blown up, every bit of it is gone
Ever since the nightly news show that the Monkey Man was on

I guess I’ll go to Florida and get myself some sun
There ain’t no more opportunity here, everything’s been done
Sometime I think of Tweeter, sometimes I think of Jan
Sometimes I don’t think about nothing but the Monkey Man

And the walls came down, all the way to hell
Never saw them when they’re standing
Never saw them when they fell