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Monkey Boys

from Monkey Boys by Ali George

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about

When I was around 13 years old, a fight was organised to take place at my school between myself and a boy I didn’t know. Neither of us wanted the fight to go ahead, but the leading thugs at the hellhole which was my school had declared that it would go ahead. It was considered a kind of circus freak show, as both myself and my unwilling rival were physically unimpressive, and we were both quite unpopular. Everyone thought it was a great joke!

As an anxious and timid kid, I was dreading the fight so much that I couldn’t sleep for days leading up to the event. In the morning on the day of the fight my nerves could no longer take it, and I broke down. I confessed the truth to my parents and ratted out my ape-like tormentors to my parents and then to the headteacher (a decision I don’t regret in the slightest to this day). The fight never happened, and I managed to avoid the “Monkey Boys” for the rest of the term. Whatever disciplinary procedures took place; the kids left me alone (so perhaps the school wasn’t as much of a “hellhole” as I make it out to be).

The following year I made friends with a nice group of guys and my life got much easier, thankfully.

Looking back on the incident now, I realise it was very possibly motivated by darker reasons than simple teenage cruelty. There were very few mixed-race kids in my school. I have Indian ancestry as well as British, and I certainly didn’t look like an average white kid when I was a teenager. I was called a “paki” on multiple occasions. The racial element is hard to ignore. The other kid was bullied for being gay. It was certainly no picnic.

I’m extremely glad those days are over. They might be over for me, but there are thousands of kids who are going through similar experiences right now all over the world.

lyrics

On the way to school today I broke down on the corner
The tears all down my shirt and tie
I am due to fight today with the weakest kid in school
It’s all been organised, and I’m scared I’ll lose

He’s got nothing against me
And I don’t have a single thing against him
It’s out of our hands
These monkey boys are out of their minds
We just don’t belong here
It all seems so strange and so cruel
We don’t have a choice
These monkey boys rule the school

On the way to school today I learned something about life
You’ve got to keep your head down low
You’re never going to fit in here
These people are insane
And school is just a flawed idea

They’ve got nothing against me
In fact, I’m a good distraction
It’s out of control
These monkey boys are out of their minds
I’m partly to blame here
I shouldn’t have tried to fit in
It’s strange and it’s cruel
These monkey boys rule the school
It’s so strange and so cruel
These monkey boys rule the school
So strange and so cruel
These monkey boys rule the school
So strange and so cruel
These monkey boys rule the school

All rights reserved. © Ali George 2020.

credits

from Monkey Boys, track released June 2, 2023
releases June 2, 2023
Written by Ali George. © Ali George 2020.
Produced and Mastered by Josh Clark.
Recorded at Get Real Audio Studios in Bath. Some additional recording made in Athens, Greece.

Ali George - Vocals, Electro-Acoustic Guitar, Backing Vocals.
Josh Clark - Drums, Percussion.
Irakles Kopitas - Electric Bass.
Jools Scott - Organ.

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Ali George Bath, UK

Ali George is a British singer-songwriter with a distinct fingerstyle guitar technique, mellow vocals, and an earthy songwriting style. Inspired most deeply by Bon Iver, Nick Drake, and John Martyn, he has been active in the southwest English folk scene for 20 years. His new album “Watchful Days” will be released in July 2023. ... more

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