Brass Monkey (song)

"Brass Monkey" is a song by the American hip hop group Beastie Boys. It was a single released from their first album Licensed to Ill. It is also on the Beastie Boys' compilation album Solid Gold Hits.

"Brass Monkey"
Single by Beastie Boys
from the album Licensed to Ill
ReleasedJanuary 5, 1987 (1987-01-05)
Recorded1986
GenreHip hop
Length2:37
LabelDef Jam/Columbia Records
Songwriter(s)Beastie Boys, Rick Rubin
Producer(s)Rick Rubin
Beastie Boys singles chronology
"The New Style"
(1986)		 "Brass Monkey"
(1987)		 "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)"
(1987)

Background

"Brass Monkey" samples "Bring It Here" by Wild Sugar. The song features the Roland TR-808 drum machine. The song is named after the Heublein Company alcoholic drink of the same name, which is mentioned several times throughout the song. Cash Box called it a "scratchy rap send up."[1] Notably, professional wrestler "Speedball" Mike Bailey uses "Brass Monkey" as his entrance song on the worldwide independent circuit, particularly in Deadlock Pro Wrestling (DPW), Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (PWG) and Game Changer Wrestling (GCW).[2][3]

Covers

The Dave Matthews Band covered this song at Jones Beach, New York in 2013. It was strung in with "Too Much" and "Ants Marching".

Richard Cheese covered the song on his studio album Aperitif for Destruction, as well as on his live album Viva la Vodka as a medley, interpolated with lyrics from "Intergalactic", "Ch-Check It Out", "Sabotage" and "Three MC's and One DJ".

Charts
Chart (1987) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[4] 48
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[5]83
Chart (2012) Peak
position
US Billboard Rap Digital Songs[6] 32

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[7]
Mastertone 		Gold 500,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Single Releases" (PDF). Cash Box. March 21, 1987. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-08-08.
  2. "Themes « Mike Bailey « Wrestlers Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". Cagematch (in English and German). Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  3. Broggi, Fabio "Fantomius". "Mike Bailey: Profile, Career Stats, Face/Heel Turns, Titles Won & Gimmicks | Pro Wrestlers Database". The SmackDown Hotel. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  4. "Beastie Boys Album & Song Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  5. "Beastie Boys Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  6. "Beastie Boys' 'Licensed to Ill' Returns to Top 20 on Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-03-24.
  7. "American single certifications – Beastie Boys – Brass Monkey". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 27, 2023.


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