Edit for headphones, March 2021. Source file of this edit is on cd 3 of the 3 cd set "The Kinks Remastered" (cat.nr. ESB CD 268). In 1970 "Apeman" charted nr.5 in the UK, Germany, Australia and New Zealand. Nr.9 in Holland, nr.10 in Ireland, nr.19 in Canada. And nr.45 in the US.
A pssible reason why it charted so low in the US: in the lyrics "...the air pollution is a-foggin' up my eyes...", the word "a-foggin'" sounded too much like "a-fucking'". Ray Davies had to fly back to London to re-record this line, dubbing over with a more clear "a-foggin'" prior to its single release, in turn causing a delay in the US single release of the song. The original lyric remains intact on the album, and is heard at 2:21.
How sick can one American be?
APEMAN
(Ray Davies)
I think I'm sophisticated
'Cause I'm living my life
Like a good homo sapiens
But all around me
Everybody's multiplying
And they're walking round like flies, man
So I'm no better than the animals
Sitting in the cages in the zoo, man
'Cause compared to the flowers
And the birds and the trees
I am an apeman
I think I'm so educated
And I'm so civilized
'Cause I'm a strict vegetarian
And with the over population
And inflation and starvation
And the crazy politicians
I don't feel safe in this world no more
I don't want to die in a nuclear war
I want to sail away to a distant shore
And make like an apeman
I'm an apeman
I'm an ape, apeman
Oh, I'm an apeman
I'm a king-kong man
I'm a voodoo man
Oh, I'm an apeman
'Cause compared to the sun that sits in the sky
Compared to the clouds as they roll by
Compared to the bugs and the spiders and flies
I am an apeman
La la la la la la la
In man's evolution
He's created the city
And the motor traffic rumble
But give me half a chance
And I'd be taking off my clothes
And living in the jungle
'Cause the only time that I feel at ease
Is swinging up and down in a coconut tree
Oh what a life of luxury
To be like an apeman
I'm an apeman
I'm an ape, apeman
Oh, I'm an apeman
I'm a king-kong man
I'm a voodoo man
Oh, I'm an apeman
I look out the window
But I can't see the sky
The air pollution is a-fogging up my eyes
I want to get out of this city alive
And make like an apeman
La la la la la la la
Come on and love me
Be my apeman girl
And we'd be so happy
In my apeman world
I'm an apeman
I'm an ape, apeman
Oh, I'm an apeman
I'm a king-kong man
I'm a voodoo man
Oh, I'm an apeman
I'll be your Tarzan and you'll be my Jane
I'll keep you warm and you'll keep me sane
We'll sit in the trees and eat bananas all day
Just like an apeman
I'm an apeman
I'm an ape, apeman
Oh, I'm an apeman
I'm a king-kong man
I'm a voodoo man
Oh, I'm an apeman
I don't feel safe in this world no more
I don't want to die in a nuclear war
I want to sail away to a distant shore
And make like an apeman
La la la la la la la
®© WMG, UMG, SME on behalf of Sanctuary Records
