Discover the story of the song > Monkey On My Back – Aerosmith

The protagonist is talking about a fortune teller who warned him that he won't be able to move forward in life unless he gets rid of the monkey on his back. He admits that he used to pretend that the devil made him do bad things and that he was the leader of a group that caused trouble. He says that he had everything but lost it all because he kept feeding into that monkey on his back. He then talks about how he would do anything to satisfy that monkey and that his life was like a rundown house. He questions where he should draw the line when all of his friends are dying and realizes that he needs to get rid of that monkey. The protagonist mentions how the fortune teller is asking for the head of the monkey, but he is starting to feel the weight and drag of the crystal balls. He ends by reiterating that he needs to get rid of that monkey on his back.