"One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" is the title of several different songs, mostly in the R&B genre, deriving from a common African-American phrase with the general meaning of "one setback should not impede progress". The first known recording with this title was by Stick McGhee and His Buddies in 1950. Commercially successful songs with this title were recorded by Joe Tex (1965) and Honey Cone (1971).
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Stick McGhee song
"One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" was recorded by Stick McGhee and His Buddies in 1950. The song was written by McGhee, and released on an Atlantic Records 78, A937, in 1951.
Big Maybelle song
Big Maybelle recorded another song of the same title in 1955. It was issued as the B-side of her original version of "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On". The song was written by Charlie Singleton and Rose Marie McCoy. A version of this song was recorded by Bette Midler on her 1998 album Bathhouse Betty.
Joe Tex song
A different same-titled song was both written and recorded by Joe Tex in 1965, and reached No. 20 in the US Billboard R&B chart. In 1966, it was covered by The Animals on their UK album Animalisms and its US counterpart, Animalization. They also performed it on BBC Radio and on several live shows. A cover version of the Joe Tex song was also recorded by Terry Knight and the Pack in 1967.
Honey Cone song
In 1971, the all-girl group Honey Cone took a song with the same title to No. 5 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also charted in Australia and Canada. This song was written by General Johnson and Greg Perry. It appeared on the group's Soulful Tapestry album (Hot Wax HA-707).