The Monkey That Became President is a song by Tom T. Hall about a monkey who is born in a zoo and eventually becomes the President of the United States. The song tells the story of how the monkey, despite his initial lack of intelligence, learns to walk, talk, and read books, eventually becoming an educated and witty creature that appeals to people of all political leanings. As the monkey's fame grows, he becomes a symbol of unity and progress, nominated by people from all over the country to become President. The song's narrator poses the question of whether it would be better to have a monkey in Washington, D.C. than to have politicians who are "making monkeys" out of the American people. The song is often interpreted as a commentary on disillusionment with the political system and a longing for a simpler, more honest form of leadership. Through the story of the monkey who becomes President, Tom T. Hall imagines a world in which intelligence and wit trump political experience and partisan bickering, and where unity and progress are possible.
