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Jonathan Coulton Re-records 'Code Monkey' For Us

Posted by Soulskill on from the hat-tip-to-you-sir dept.

Back in 2006, we discussed Jonathan Coulton's 'Code Monkey,' a song about the plight of under-appreciated developers. In the years since, Coulton's efforts to produce geek-oriented songs have propelled him to a successful music career. To mark Slashdot's 15th anniversary, he was kind enough to do a brand new recording of 'Code Monkey' for us. The video is embedded below, and here's a description from the email he sent to CmdrTaco: "It seemed fitting to do a new version of that song. I have all these gadgets that I buy and barely learn how to play, and when I heard you guys were looking for videos and things, it inspired me to sit down and actually try to get some of them working. What you see is me doing a version of Code Monkey performed live on electric guitar and laptop. The grid with lights is a monome running Pages, Polygomé and mlrv on my mac. You're also hearing some loops and noises from Ableton Live, controlled by footswitches, the monome, and the little keyboard, which is an OP-1. Back in 2006 I didn't know what I was doing, and with all these gizmos, I still don't. So that's a relief." Thanks, Jonathan.

9 of 62 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Ya know .... by Sable+Drakon · · Score: 2

    Must not have been a programmer for very long or you were with a company that didn't treat you like a slave.

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    The Amarri pray for god, the Caldari pray for profit. the Gallente pray for peace, but the Minmatar pray their ships hol
  2. Re:Ya know .... by Anon-Admin · · Score: 2

    Wait! There are companies that dont treat you like a slave?

    I dont believe you!

  3. Watching vs Listening by ardyng · · Score: 2

    I found it interesting to watch this, then listen to it without the video.

    I don't know why, but I think I enjoy it better without watching him. My only guess is that I can enjoy the music more when I'm not obsessing over what each button push and dial twiddle is doing. :)

  4. Re:original was better by Nerdfest · · Score: 4, Insightful

    He's been doing a more sentimental version in his live shows for years. It is a sad little story, and it's nice to hear a different take on it every once in a while.

  5. Live? really? by fabriciom · · Score: 2

    Code Monkey chose Ableton Live? Why code monkey? Why?

  6. Re:This version going to get released? by X0563511 · · Score: 2

    I hope not. He did not do it any service.

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    For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
  7. Login page by chebucto · · Score: 3, Informative

    If you login from a story on Slashdot it kicks you back to the main page. Not very elegant, code monkey! :)

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    The English word fart is one of the oldest words in the English vocabulary.
  8. Re:This version going to get released? by neminem · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Not implying anything about this particular version of the song, as I haven't listened to it yet, what with being at work, but I feel compelled to quote a great post I read on a forum a number of years ago, on this subject: "Just because someone thinks something isn't good doesn't necessarily mean they think they're better. Just because the guy from Phish can play guitar better than I can doesn't mean they're good."

  9. BEEP BEEEP BEEEP BEEEEEEEP!! by Mondoz · · Score: 2

    Couldn't listen to the whole song. That high pitched beep beep beep was grating my ears.

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