"Code Monkey" | |
---|---|
Song by Jonathan Coulton | |
from the album Thing a Week Three | |
Released | April 14, 2006 |
Recorded | April 2006 |
Genre | Indie rock, comedy |
Length | 3:10 |
Label | Self-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]
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."