Code Monkey (song)

"Code Monkey"
Song by Jonathan Coulton
from the album Thing a Week Three
ReleasedApril 14, 2006 (2006-04-14)
RecordedApril 2006
Length3:10
LabelSelf-released
Songwriter(s)Jonathan Coulton
Producer(s)Jonathan Coulton

"Code Monkey" is a song by Jonathan Coulton, released on 14 April 2006[1] and part of his album Thing a Week Three released in December 2006. It is one of his most popular songs[2] and has since been downloaded over one million times.[3] The song is about a computer programmer who thinks in ape-like terms, and has been described as a "rocking anthem about dead-end programming jobs."[4]

The song was accidentally mastered and released in mono on the album Thing a Week Three. Jonathan Coulton later released the song in stereo for his compilation album JoCo Looks Back.[5] Although it does not have an official music video, it is still Coulton's most popular original song[citation needed], having developed a small-yet-devoted cult following.[citation needed]

In other media

A music video for the song was created by Mike Spiff Booth using imagery from the World of Warcraft video game series and uploaded to YouTube on September 23, 2006.[6]

The song has appeared in television commercials, and is the theme song for the G4 television network show Code Monkeys.[7]

In 2008, the song was featured in an animated video presented at a free ASIFA event, written by Tom Weiser and IdleAmbition.

In 2012, Chicago-based performance troupe VStheUNIVERSE released a short film based on Coulton's work entitled "Code Monkey."

References

  1. ^ "Thing a Week 29 – Code Monkey"
  2. ^ "Jonathan Coulton Answers Your Questions". Slashdot, 5/31/2011.
  3. ^ (No author.) "Pop songs based on office life are missing from musical history," The Times (United Kingdom), Section: Features, What else happened, pg. 2 – Career, June 7, 2007.
  4. ^ Clive Thompson. "Sex, Drugs and Updating Your Blog". The New York Times, 5/13/2011.
  5. ^ Coulton, Jonathan (October 10, 2008). "Funny Story". JonathanCoulton.com. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  6. ^ Mike Spiff Booth. "Code Monkey Music Video"
  7. ^ Coulton, Jonathan (June 11, 2007). "Code Monkeys". JonathanCoulton.com. Retrieved August 22, 2008.