I Wan'na Be like You

"I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song)" is a song sung by King Louie, Baloo and Mowgli from Walt Disney's 1967 film, The Jungle Book. The song was sung by Louis Prima and written by songwriters Robert and Richard Sherman.

The lyrics tell about King Louie's wish to be a man and know how to make fire, possibly knowing that, with fire, the apes would rule the Jungle because all animals fear it including Shere Khan. It was included in Disney Sing Along Songs: The Bare Necessities, Let's Go to the Circus, Disney Sing Along Songs: Collection of All Time Favorites: The Magic Years, and Disney Sing Along Songs: Flik's Musical Adventure at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Richard Sherman said he and his brother aimed for a jazz sound, with a Dixieland-like melody. The instrumentals were originally recorded by Prima - who also played the trumpet - and his band, Sam Butera & The Witnesses, but the music was replaced by one written by the film's composer, George Bruns, and orchestrated by Walter Sheets. The "scat dialogue" between Baloo and King Louie was the result of two recording sessions. Louis Prima recorded first, with the intent that Baloo - played in his recording by Butera - would simply repeat what Louie scatted, but Phil Harris decided not to imitate Prima's recording and made up his own. The song was released the same date as the motion picture itself.

Lyrics
Original Version= King Louie: Now I'm the king of the swingers, hooo-- 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, (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)

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

Louie, Baloo and Mowgli (variously): You hoo hoo! (Oop-dee-wee) I wanna be like you-u-u! (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) Someone like me-e-e (Scooby-doo-bee-doo-bee) Can learn to be Like someone Like me (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...) 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!
 * -|2016 Version=

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 magnifiecus 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!

Cover versions
Kenny Ball and His Jazzmen released a single of "I Wanna Be Like You" (without an apostrophe in the title) in 1968 and it also featured on their 1969 album King Of The Swingers. Pinky and Perky recorded a version for their Film Parade album in 1970 and also released the song as a single. On the 1990 collection "Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films," the song appears on "Medley Two" as recorded by Los Lobos, who play the song occasionally in their live shows. On 4 May 1994 Phish performed a truly Phish-styled version at The Metropolis Concert Hall in Montreal, Quebec. Big Bad Voodoo Daddy did a cover of this song on the Swingers soundtrack, even though the song does not appear in the film. The band later released the song on their 1999 album, This Beautiful Life. Voodoo Glow Skulls recorded a ska version of the song for the 2002 Japanese-Exclusive album Dive into Disney. The Jungle Book 2, released in 2003, featured the band Smash Mouth playing the song during the end credits of the film; the song also appeared on the film's soundtrack and in the first Disneymania volume. In the Australian version, Nikki Webster covers the song, which is also featured on her Best of album. A version by the Turnpike Cruisers appeared on the second Blood on the Cats LP. The 2005 album, En Vivo by Gabriel Ríos, contains a cover of the song. In 2007, a pop rock cover was recorded by the Jonas Brothers for Disneymania 5. Los Lobos recorded a version for the tribute album Stay Awake: Various Interpretations of Music from Vintage Disney Films; this version also appeared on the compilation album Just Another Band From East L.A. - A Collection.

British pop singer Paolo Nutini performed "I Wanna Be Like You" at the 2007 Glastonbury Festival.

On October 23, 2010, X Factor contestant, Katie Waissel pleased the judges with her surprise selection of the song.

Craig David sang a cover of the song for an award ceremony in the U.K; the video is on YouTube.

In 2013, the most recent cover of the song was by Robbie Williams and Olly Murs for Williams's swing album Swings Both Ways.

In the 2016 film, Christopher Walken performs the song in-character as King Louie, though the lyrics are altered to reflect the fact that Louie is now a Giganthopithecus. In addition, the backup chorus is absent and an extra verse was added by Richard Sherman.