Folklore: The Higher A Monkey climbs . . .

Subject: Folklore: The Higher A Monkey climbs . . .
From: GUEST,Goose Gander
Date: 04 Oct 10 - 10:22 PM

The higher a monkey climbs, the more he shows his tail.

Source?

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Higher A Monkey climbs . . .
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 06:04 AM

The only place I have heard it is a 78rpm by Fiddlng Bob Larkan sung to a slightly faster vesrion of the tune "Waiting for the Federals" or probably better known as "Seneca Square Dance".

Hoot

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Higher A Monkey climbs . . .
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 06:45 AM

...is the harder he falls.

= supposed Jamaican proverb.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Higher A Monkey climbs . . .
From: Jim Carroll
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 10:30 AM

Liverpool kids song

The higher up the mountainside,
The greener grows the grass.
The higher up the donkey's tail,
The browner is his ass

Jim Carroll

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Higher A Monkey climbs . . .
From: Joe_F
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 06:29 PM

Some years ago, someone in the New York Times attributed the saying "The higher the monkey climbs, the more he shows his rear" to Gen. Stillwell. This elicited several corrective letters, which were printed under the heading "Monkey watching through the ages". One of them (I think a spoof) had it in Latin from an ancient Roman author. It is, at any rate, of some antiquity.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Higher A Monkey climbs . . .
From: Gibb Sahib
Date: 05 Oct 10 - 07:18 PM

Sorry, I mis-remembered the Jamaican version of the proverb, above. What I was thinking of was:

"The higher the monkey climbs is the more he expose." Which appears to be exactly the same idea as these other versions.

It was featured in this early 60s ska track:
Justin Hinds

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Higher A Monkey climbs . . .
From: GUEST,glueman
Date: 06 Oct 10 - 02:59 AM

Great track, scratchy as hell from sound system abuse. Got a stack of this stuff. Two way family favourites and rocksteady, the folk well of the 60s inner city kid.