Last night and the night before
The thunder crowed and the rooster roared
I woke up sweatin' on somebody's floor
You know, how the story goes
The dirty streets, they can be so mean
Everybody tryin' to live so clean
Me, I'm stuck here in between
And it's a fine line
Down on monkey hill
Saw a brother screamin' on the corner
Talkin' 'bout some low down dirty shame
And he said, "Gonna get so high that I just don't know my name"
Between the buildings and the alleyways
That's where the livin' is done
Where the young boys chase the dragon
That's where flesh and steel are one
Down on monkey hill
Saw another brother testifyin' this mornin'
Talkin' 'bout how he lost everything
And he said, "Gonna get so high that I just don't know my name"
Everybody's talkin' shit and jivin'
Hard to tell which is which
Dealers and squealers
Businessmen and bankers
They all be scratchin' that itch
Down on monkey hill
Saw another brother testifyin' this evenin'
Talkin' 'bout how he left his soul in DeNang
And he said, "Gonna get so high that I just don't know my name"
Gonna get so high
Don't know my name
Down on monkey hill