Take me Back to the Jungle was the First track on the album “Take me Back to the Jungle” and makes for a brilliant song to listen to regardless of your age. It has an almost nursery rhyme sound to it, while at the same time it conveys a powerful message.
Take Me Back to the Jungle by Matt McGinn
Take Me Back To the Jungle
This is a brilliant song to kick the self titled album off and opens with a kinda Tarzan style roar, before bursting into the lyrics, sung in the broad and rough Glaswegian accent of Matt McGinn.
I always remember years ago having this album sat in my collection when a skateboarder friend came round to visit. His favorite music was Jungle. So when he saw the album title “Take me back to the Jungle” he thought “Aha! Let’s see how this sounds”.
I was in the kitchen making a brew at the time, so he just stuck it on the turntable and awaited what he expected to be Jungle music. Needless to say, he was quite shocked when the roar of the opening line pierced his ears, especially followed by McGinn’s “Take me back ta ra Jungle! Let me swing on tha Trees!”.
“What the F@#kin hell is this?” he yelled. I was in stitches at his reaction. However, with him also being a DJ as well as a skateboarder and Graffiti artist, we did have a little fun mixing some tracks from the album with some techno using the mixing gear and record decks that we had handy sitting around in the squats we lived in back then.
But i have to admit, it has been a while since I done anything like that. in fact, it’s been a while since I even recorded anything with the guitar. I must get some recording done soon as i have a lot of fresh material that i haven’t recorded yet. That might just actually be a little winter plan in the pipeline for this year. I guess we shall just have to wait and see wont we. I do miss recording songs and playing live gigs though. Hopefully I will get back into it again soon.
A Song for All ages
Matt McGinn, although he couldnt sing a note to save himself, was an absolute genius with lyrics and used the music he was surrounded by in the Calton area of Glasgow. This was mainly Irish and Scottish folk songs which McGinn would amazingly change the words to to make these songs.
He had a knack of being able to write a song that could sound like a nursery rhyme that a 3 year old could listen to and enjoy just as I did when I was first given the album by my grandfather as a toddler.
As the years went on, I began to understand the political meaning behind the song. I would recommend this song and album to any parent to give to their child as young as possible and let them own it themselves and take their own message from it as they grow up.
Lyrics
Take me back to the Jungle
Let me swing on the Trees
From the rattle and the rumble
I just want to be Free
I’m just a cheeky little Monkey
Living in the London Zoo
If you come along and see me there
I’ll sing a little song for you
Chorus
If you pick me Bananas and Peanuts
If you keep me happy, I’ll smile
But if you want to see me laughing now
Bring a little Iron file
Chorus
Some day that silly Zoo keeper
Will come too close to me
I’ll pick the pocket of is overall
Steal his cage door Key
Chorus
Charlie Darwin he told you,
I am your ancestor
Yet you treat me like an animal
I don’t know why what for
Chorus
My lunch is out in the jungle
Waiting patiently
Will some kind person come along
Make a little Monkey Free
Chorus
Well, I hope that you enjoyed listening to the song as much as I always do. I’d be really interested to hear what you think of the song too. So feel free to leave a comment below telling us what you think.
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