Discover the story of the song > Shock The Monkey – Peter Gabriel

The protagonist is asking his partner to protect him while he's vulnerable, but warns her not to mess with someone or something that could cause him harm. He uses the metaphor of a monkey that can shock and hurt him, and tells his partner not to throw her valuable things at it. The protagonist then talks about the monkey causing chaos and danger, and begs his partner to help him avoid getting hurt by it. The song ends with a repetition of the phrase "Shock the monkey" and calls for the monkey to return to life.