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"I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" is a song from the Disney's 1967 animated film The Jungle Book. It was written by songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman and performed by Louis Prima as King Louie and Phil Harris as Baloo.

In the film, King Louie performs the number to share with Mowgli his desire to become a man, simultaneously trying to convince the man-cub to reveal to him the secret of the "man's red fire". In the latter part of the song, Baloo performs a scat duet with Louie to distract him, while Bagheera attempts to take Mowgli away from the Bandar-log.

Lyrics[]

King Louie: Now I'm the king of the swingers
Oh, the jungle VIP
I've reached the top and had to stop
And that's what’s botherin' me
I wanna be a man, mancub
And stroll right into town
And be just like the other men
I'm tired of monkeyin' around!

Oh, ooh-bee-doo, (Oop-dee-wee)
I wanna be like you-hu-hu (Hop-dee-doo-bee-do-bow)
I wanna walk like you (Cheep)
Talk like you (Cheep)
To-o-oo! (Wee-bee-dee-bee-dee-boo)
You'll see it's tru-u-ue (Shoo-be-dee-doo)
An ape like me-e-e (Scooby-doo-bee-doo-bee)
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
To-o-oo!

(Instrumental Bridge)

Now don't try to kid me, mancub
I made a deal with you
What I desire is man's red fire
To make my dream come true!
Now give me the secret, mancub
Come on, clue me what to do
Give me the power of man's red flower
So I can be like you!

(Instrumental Bridge)

Jiminy Cricket (Disney sing along songs only): [chuckles] Baloo, and Louie are singing whatever they want, and you can, too!

Baloo: HEY!
De-zop-ba-ronie
Hap-da-dee-ba-lat
Da-dat-dat-non
Hey, a-baby-dot-doo
Zaba-doo-doo-day-doo-bop
Doo-boo-doo-day, ze-bonz
Za-bop-bop-bobby

King Louie: Za-bah-doo-dee!
Baloo: Well, a-ree-bah-naza
King Louie: He-beh-do-beh-doy
Baloo: Well, a-lah-bah-zini
King Louie: Wadahlabat-boodalabat
Baloo: Seebahlalat-dodie
King Louie: Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Baloo: Well, a-ha ha ha ha
King Louie: Rrrrahr-rrrahr!
Baloo: Gettin' mad, baby!
Monkey: Hall-owallo-a-la la
Baloo: Mahata alottado
Monkey: Hodolata-deetle-do
Baloo: Do-zootle-dot-dot-dot-dot-dot
King Louie Gingle do doot do do do doot
Baloo: Zeep-i-doo-da hab a daah

King Louie:
You hoo hoo! (Oop-dee-wee)
I wanna be like you-u-u! (Hop-dee-doo-bee-do-bow)
All:
I wanna walk like you! (Cheep)
Talk like you (Cheep)
To-o-oo! (Wee-bee-dee-bee-dee-boo)
You'll see it's tru-u-ue! (Shoo-be-dee-doo)
Someone like me-e-e (Scooby-doo-bee-doo-bee)

Flunkey:
Can learn to be
Like someone
Like me

Louie and Baloo (variously):
(Take me home, daddy!)
Can learn to be
Like someone
Like you
(One more time!)

Baloo: Yeah!
Can learn to be
Like someone
Like me-e!
Cee-de-do-bop-bop
Bada-doodle
Dot-andot-andot-andot-andot...
(Man...)

King Louie: I'll ape your mannerisms
We'll be a set of twins
No one can tell where a mancub ends
And an orangutan begins
And when I eat bananas
I won't peel 'em with my feet
'cuz I'll become a man, mancub
And get some ettiquette!

Oh, ooh-bee-doo, (Oop-dee-wee)
I wanna be like you-hu-hu (Hop-dee-doo-bee-do-bow)
I wanna walk like you (Cheep)
Talk like you (Cheep)
To-o-oo! (Wee-bee-dee-bee-dee-boo)
You'll see it's tru-u-ue (Shoo-be-dee-doo)
An ape like me-e-e (Scooby-doo-bee-doo-bee)
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
To-o-oo!

Oo-oo-oo!
I wanna be like you-hu-hu
I wanna walk like you
Talk like you
To-o-oo!
You'll see it's tru-u-ue
An ape like me-e-e
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
To-o-oo!

Oo-oo-oo!
I wanna be like you-hu-hu
I wanna walk like you
Talk like you
To-o-oo!
You'll see it's tru-u-ue
An ape like me-e-e
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
To-o-oo!
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
To-o-oo!
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
Too!

I wanna go to the jungle
I wanna get out of town
And dance to that crazy rhythm
'Til the sun goes down
(Yeah!)

I wanna climb through the treetops
Swing myself back down
And then jump, hop, be-bop
I wanna monkey around

Ooh-ooh-ooh
I wanna be like you
I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too
You see it's true
Someone like me
Can learn to be like someone like you

(scat verse)
(Yeow! Come on!)

If you're an ape or a monkey
A chimp or a macaque
You got that crazy body language
Ooh, I wanna move like that

I can't explain the attraction
Mmm, but I guess it's true
The more you seem to be like me
The more I wanna be like you

Ooh-ooh-ooh
I wanna be like you
I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too
(Come on now!)

You see it's true
Someone like me
Can learn to be like someone like you
(Whoa-oh!)

Ooh-ooh-ooh
I wanna be like you
I wanna walk like you, talk like you, too
You see it's true
Someone like me
Can learn to be like someone like you
(Yeah, I wanna be like you!)

Can learn to be like someone like you
(Yes, I can)

Can learn to be (Learn to be)
Like someone
Someone like you!

I wanna be like you, you wanna be like me
You wanna be like me
(Yes I do!)

I wanna be like you, you wanna be like me
I wanna be like you (2x)

(Eee-yeow!)

Welcome to my jungle
I'm King Lou
You want to dance with me
Can you dance with me

Now, I'm the king of the swingers,
Oh, the jungle VIP,
I've reached the top and had to stop,
And that's what botherin' me.
I wanna be a man, mancub,
And stroll right into town,
And be just like the other men,
I'm tired of monkeyin' around!

Oh, oobee doo,
I wanna be like you,
I wanna walk like you,
Talk like you, too!
You'll see it's true,
An ape like me,
Can learn to be human too.

Now don't try to kid me, mancub,
I made a deal with you.
What I desire is man's red fire,
To make my dream come true!
Now give me the secret, mancub,
Come on,
Clue me what to do,
Give me the power of man's red flower,
So I can be like you!

Oh, oobee doo,
I wanna be like you,
I wanna walk like you,
Talk like you, too!
You'll see it's true,
An ape like me,
Can learn to be human too
Can you dance with me

Can You Walk like Me
Can You Talk like Me, ha ha
Can You Walk like Me
baby Can You Talk like Me, ow
Can You Walk like Me
Can You Talk like Me, ow
walk like, talk like
walk like, talk like me
Can you dance with me

Oh, oobee doo,
I wanna be like you,
I wanna walk like you,
Talk like you, too!
You'll see it's true,
An ape like me,
Can learn to be human too
That's what I'm going do

Oh, oobee doo,
I wanna be like you,
I wanna walk like you,
Talk like you, too!
You'll see it's true,
An ape like me,
Can learn to be human too
Human too. ow
Ahh Ahh
Oh Ya

Danno: Now you hip birdies swingers, top B-I-R-D's
Now this old room was full of gloom
The man that bothered me

The snoring, sleepy tikis were giving us the blues
But then you came and showed us how to wake up from the snooze

Oh, ooh!
We're gonna be like you!
We're gonna move like you, prove like you too!
Give us a clue: how to act like you
To make it learn to be ooh... Man too!

Now I'm the king of the swingers, whoa
The jungle VIP
I've reached the top and had to stop
And that's what botherin' me
I wanna be a man, mancub
And stroll right into town
And be just like the other men
I'm tired of monkeyin' around!

Oh, ooh-bee-doo,
I wanna be like you-hu-hu
I wanna walk like you
Talk like you
To-o-oo!
You'll see it's tru-u-ue
Someone like me-e-e
Can learn to be
Like someone
Like you-hu-hu!

Now don't try to kid me, mancub
I'll make a deal with you
What I desire is man's red fire
To make my dream come true!
Now give me the secret, mancub
Come on, clue me what to do
Give me the power of man's red flower
So I can be like you!

Oh, ooh-bee-doo,
I wanna be like you-hu-hu
I wanna walk like you
Talk like you
To-o-oo!
You'll see it's tru-u-ue
Someone like me-e-e
Can learn to be
Like someone
Like you-hu-hu!

Now you might think it's ridiculous
That me, a Gigantopithecus
Would ever dream, I'd like to team
The likes of you, mancub
But together, we'd have powers
All the jungle's treasures ours
I got desire, you've got the fire
But the dream I dream takes two!

So, oooh,
I wanna be like you-hu-hu
I wanna use that flame
Just the same
You can do it, too
Oh, how magnificus it would be
A Gigantopithecus like me
Could learn to do
Like you humans do
Can learn to be
Like someone
Like you
Can learn to be
Like someone
Like me!

Now I'm the king of the swingers
Oh, the jungle VIP
I've reached the top and had to stop
And that's what botherin' me
I wanna be a man, mancub
And stroll right into town
And be just like the other men
I'm tired of monkeyin' around!

So, ooh-bee-doo,
I wanna be like you-hu-hu
I wanna walk like you
Talk like you
To-o-oo!
You'll see it's tru-u-ue
Someone like me-e-e
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
To-o-oo!

Don't try to kid me, mancub
I made a deal with you
What I desire is man's red fire
So I can be like you!
Just give me the secret, mancub
Ha, clue me what to do
Give me the power of man's red flower
And make my dreams come true!

Oh, ooh-bee-doo,
I wanna be like you, oh
I wanna walk like you
Talk like you
To-o-oo!
You'll see it's tru-u-ue
That someone like me-e-e
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
To-o-oo!

Now you might think it's ridiculous
That me, a Gigantopithecus
Would ever dream, I'd like to team
With the likes of you, mancub
But together, we have the power
All the jungle's treasures ours
I got desire, you've got the fire
But the dream I dream takes two!

Oh, ooh-bee-doo,
I wanna be like you, oh
I wanna walk like you
Talk like you
To-o-oo!
You'll see it's tru-u-ue
Someone like me-e-e
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
To-o-oo!
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
To-o-oo!
Can learn to be
Hu-u-uman
To-o-oo!

Videos[]

Other versions[]

Performer(s) Title(s) Translations(s) Language
عاطف الشرقاوي & سامي مغاوري (Sami Meghawri & Atef ِAl Sharqawi) (1999 version) "نفسي أكون إنسان" "I Wanna Be A Human" Arabic
Booker Pittman & Alberto Perez (1968 version)
Márcio Simões & Mauro Ramos (2014 version)
"O Rei do Iê-Iê-Iê" "The King of Yeah-Yeah-Yeah" Brazilian Portuguese
Тодор Стефанов (Todor Stefanov) & Николай Петров (Nikolai Petrov) "Искам Човек Да Съм" Bulgarian
Cantonese
? & Soběslav Sejk (1975 version)
? & Radan Rusev (1994 version)
Czech
Svend Asmussen & Freddy Albeck "Et menn'ske li'som du" "A human like you" Danish
Willem Duyn & Coen Flink "Ik Ben Net Als Jij" Dutch
Esko Toivonen & Reino Bäckman (1968 version)
Eeki Mantere & Pekka Lehtosaari (1993 version)
Finnish
José Bartel & Jean Stout "Être un homme comme vous" "Being a Man Like You" French
Klaus Havenstein & Edgar Ott "Ich Wäre Gern Wie DU" "I would like to be like YOU" German
Greek
עמי מנדלמן (Ami Mendelman) & דני ליטני (Danny Litani) Hebrew
Hindi
Gyula Bodrogi & László Csákányi "Egy ilyen majom embernek való" "A monkey like that is for humans" Hungarian
Kristján Kristjánsson & Egill Ólafsson "Að vera eins og þú" "Being like you" Icelandic
Indonesian
Lorenzo Spadoni & Tony De Falco "Voglio essere come te" "I Want to be Like You" Italian
? & 千葉順二 (Junji Chiba) (1968 version)
石原慎一 (Shinichi Ishihara) & 鹿野由之 (Yoshiyuki Kano) (1994 version)
"君のようになりたい" (Kimi no Yō ni Naritai) "I'd like to be like you" Japanese
Korean
Flavio Farfán & Germán "Tin Tin" Valdés "Quiero Ser Como Tú" "I Wanna Be Like You" Latin American Spanish
? & 雷威遠 (Lei Wei-Yuan) Mandarin
Harald Heide-Steen Jr. & Paul Åge Johannessen Norwegian

Andrzej Arciszewski & Jan Prochyra (1968)

Piotr Fronczewski (2016)

"Człowiekiem chciałbym być" (1968)

"Gdybym jak ty być mógł" (2016)

"I would like to be a Man" (1968)

"If I could be Like You" (2016)

Polish
Pedro Malagueta & José Jorge Duarte "Quero Ser Como Tu" "I Wanna Be Like You" Portuguese
Ioan Gyuri Pascu & Alexandru Arșinel Romanian
Олег Анофриев (Oleg Anofriev) & Дмитрий Назаров (Dmitry Nazarov) "Как ты я стать хочу" Russian
Marián Labuda st. & Oldo Hlaváček Slovak
Leppe Sundevall & Rolf Bengtsson "Jag Vill Va' Som Du" Swedish
Tamil

Telugu

? & กฤษณะ ศฤงคารนนท์ (Kritsana Saringkhannon) Thai
Turkish

Trivia[]

  • During the writing of the song, the Sherman Brothers originally wrote the back and forth scat between Baloo and Louie to be "answer-answer". Dick eventually told Phil Harris to make up his own answers to Louis Prima's phrases, leading to him saying "Gettin' mad, baby!" after Prima growled.
    • The scat lyrics, as said by Richard Sherman, are meaningless, having been completely ad-libbed by Prima and Harris; albeit during separate recording sessions.
  • It was parodied in House of Mouse as "I Wanna Be Like M-O-You".
  • The first few lines of the song are used in earlier Elaut claw machines when the machine is on but idle.[1]
  • Originally, Prima recorded the song with his band, Sam Butera and the Witnesses. But in the end, the Disney studio orchestra recorded the instrumentation.
  • During the first instrumental part of the song King Louie says Chewbacca a few times. This is ironic because the first Star Wars movie premiered a whole decade after The Jungle Book.
Wikipedia
This page uses content from the English Wikipedia page I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song). The list of authors can be seen in the page history. Text from Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply.


v - e - d
The Jungle Book Logo
Media
Films: The Jungle Book (soundtrack/video) • The Jungle Book 2 (video) • Rudyard Kipling'sMowgli's Story2016 Live-action Film (soundtrack/video) • Sequel Film

Shows: Jungle Cubs
Video Games: The Jungle BookThe Jungle Book Groove PartyThe Jungle Book: Mowgli's Wild AdventureThe Jungle Book: Mowgli's RunDisney Classic Games CollectionDisney Speedstorm
Books: More Jungle Book... Further Adventures of Baloo and Mowgli

Disney Parks
Animated film: Country Bear Musical JamboreeDisney's Explorers LodgeDisney Animation BuildingEsperanza Character CarouselGarden of the Twelve FriendsIt's a Small WorldRhythm of the Jungle

Live action: Disney Movie MagicThe Jungle Book: Alive with Magic
Entertainment: AnimagiqueDisney's BelieveDisney's WishesDisney Classics: The Music & The MagicFantasmic!Festival of Family & FriendsHakuna Matata Time Dance PartyIt's Party Time... with Mickey and FriendsJourney into the Jungle BookMickey's Gift of DreamsMickey's Magical Music WorldMickey and the Magical MapMickey and the Wondrous BookMickey presents: “Happy Anniversary Disneyland Paris”One Man's Dream II: The Magic Lives On!Rivers of Light: We Are OneSuper Duper Jumpin' TimeThe Forest of Enchantment: A Disney Musical Adventure
Restaurants: Colonel Hathi's Pizza Outpost
Shops: Adventureland Bazaar
Parade: Disney's Dreams On Parade: Moving OnDisney's Magical Moments ParadeDisney's Party ExpressDisney Adventure Friends CavalcadeDisney Magic on ParadeDisney Stars on ParadeFlights of Fantasy ParadeJubilation!Move It! Shake It! MousekeDance It! Street PartyMickey's Soundsational ParadeThe Wonderful World of Disney Parade
Firework: Celebrate the MagicCelebrate! Tokyo DisneylandDisney Dreams!Disneyland ForeverHappily Ever AfterMickey's Mix MagicMomentousTree of Life Awakens
Summer: Adventure is Out There!The Jungle Book Jive
Halloween: Happy Hallowishes

Characters
Original: MowgliBalooBagheeraKing LouieShere KhanKaaColonel HathiWinifredHathi, Jr.Buzzie, Flaps, Ziggy, and DizzyAkelaRamaShantiRakshaWolf PupsSeeonee PackJungle PatrolFlunkeyBandar-log

Deleted characters: Rocky the RhinoBuldeoTabaqui
Sequel: RanjanRanjan's FatherMessuaShanti's MotherLucky
Rudyard Kipling's: MowgliBalooBagheeraShere KhanKing LouieKaaGrey BrotherNathooKitty BrydonColonel Geoffrey BrydonSergeant ClaiborneDr. Julius PlumfordWilliam BooneSergeant HarleyBuldeoTabaquiLt. John WilkinsIndian BanditsAlice, Rose, and Margaret
Jungle Cubs: Arthur and CecilThe CrocMahraNed, Jed & FredMungoLeahCainDholesWinifred's UncleMcCoyDictator TurtleWhitehood
Mowgli's Story: BagheeraShere KhanLi'l RakshaChilBiranyiTarzan Chimp
2016 film: MowgliBalooBagheeraShere KhanKaaIkkiMr. PangolinGiant SquirrelFred the Pygmy HogMowgli's Father
House of Mouse: King Larry

Locations
JungleAncient RuinsMan VillageIndiaAsia
Episodes
Season One: "A Night in the Wasteland" • "How the Panther Lost His Roar/The Humans Must Be Crazy" • "Hathi Meets His Match/Buffaloed" • "Mondo Mungo/Bare Necessities" • "Who Wants to Be a Baboon?" • "Red Dogs" • "The Great Kaadini" • "Hulla Baloo/Shere Bliss" • "Treasure of the Middle Jungle" • "Feather Brains/Benny & Clyde" • "Splendor in the Mud" • "Trouble in the Jungle/Fool Me Once..." • "The Coming of the Wolves"

Season Two: "The Ape Who Would Be King" • "Trunks for the Memories/Kasaba Ball" • "Hathi's Makeover/Curse of the Magnificent Melon" • "The Five Bananas/Birthday Snake" • "Old Green Teeth/The Elephant Who Couldn't Say No" • "Hair Ball/A Tale of Two Tails" • "Waiting for Baloo/Tree for Two" • "Nice Tiger/Sleepless in the Jungle"

Songs
Original: "Colonel Hathi's March" • "The Bare Necessities" • "I Wan'na Be Like You" • "Trust in Me" • "That's What Friends are For" • "My Own Home"

More Jungle Book: "Baloo's Blues" • "Jungle Fever" • "If You Wanna See Some Strange Behavior (Take a Look at Man)" • "It's a Kick"
Jungle Cubs: "Take Your Sweet, Sweet Time" • "Jungle Cub Love" • "Everything's Gonna Be Right with the World"
The Jungle Book: Mowgli's Story: "The Monkey Time"
The Jungle Book Groove Party: "The Jungle's No Place for a Boy" • "Join the Ranks" • "Go Bananas in the Coconut Tree" • "A Mood for Food" • "We Are the Vultures" • "Run" • "A Brand New Day"
Sequel: "The Jungle Rhythm" • "W-I-L-D" • "Right Where I Belong"
Deleted: "Brothers All" • "The Song of the Seeonee" • "Monkey See, Monkey Do" • "I Knew I Belonged to Her" • "In A Day's Work" • "The Mighty Hunters" • "I've Got You Beat" • "Braver"

See Also
Disney Sing Along Songs: The Bare NecessitiesTaleSpinDisney's Jungle BoogieMowgli and Baloo's Jungle Jams
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