Skinny Ape

"Skinny Ape" is written from the perspective of 2-D, the fictional singer/songwriter of Gorillaz. He asserts his independence, singing about how he doesn't need sympathy, presumably because as a cartoon character, he no longer requires it.

The song carries a '90s indie vibe and is set in 2-D's imaginary world. "This is the most kind of, sort of, for me, the most Gorillaz animated characters song," Damon Albarn, co-creator of the virtual band, commented to Spotify. "I feel like this is very in the world of 2-D, you know, and I like to enter that level of fantasy sometimes, because it's really important part of what Gorillaz is about."

2-D's virtual bassist bandmate (and nemesis) Murdoc Niccals commented on the song in the listening party for Cracker Island: "It's called 'Skinny Ape,' and I'll tell you, we were far from skinny when we debuted this. We were absolutely colossal, in fact. I had a right laugh rampaging through New York and London, King Kong style... great fun! Anyway, this track was another one of 2-D's ideas. He has a lot of ideas, and occasionally, he has good ones. It's an epic track. Ah, the vagaries of existence as an ape wearing the forlorn rags of growing old."