Porcelain Monkey

Album: Life'll Kill Ya (2000)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song is about Elvis Presley, specifically the decadence and swift decline of his later years. The title refers to a figurine in Elvis' TV room at Graceland. Zevon saw his longtime songwriting partner Jorge Calderon's postcard picture of the room and thought it would make a good starting point for the song.
  • Zevon took a dim view of what he considered Elvis' overrated stature in American music, but decided the story of Elvis' decline would fit in well with the theme of the Life'll Kill Ya album. >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Joshua - Twin Cities, MN, for above 2

Comments: 2

  • Pat from Albuquerque, NmApparently Elvis collected and decorated with porcelain monkeys in his later years--a lot of them. Try Googling "Elvis Porcelain Monkeys."
  • Andy from Baltimore, MdI knew it was about Elvis. It's typical Zevon, grim subject, songwriter detached about it. But I couldn't find out what the porcelain monkey was. Thanks for posting that.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Graduation Songs

Graduation SongsFact or Fiction

Have you got the smarts to know which of these graduation song stories are real?

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-Outs

Goodbye, Hello: Ten Farewell Tour Fake-OutsSong Writing

The 10 biggest "retirement tours" that didn't take.

Maxi Priest

Maxi PriestSongwriter Interviews

The British reggae legend tells the story of his #1 hit "Close To You," talks about his groundbreaking Shabba Ranks collaboration "Housecall," and discusses his latest project with Robin Trower.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Chris Rea

Chris ReaSongwriter Interviews

It took him seven years to recover from his American hit "Fool (If You Think It's Over)," but Chris Rea became one of the top singer-songwriters in his native UK.

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. Televangelists

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. TelevangelistsSong Writing

When televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart took on rockers like Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, the rockers retaliated. Bono could even be seen mocking the preachers.