*You can support the channel with RU-vid Channel Memberships or through Buy Me a Coffee. Never expected, but always appreciated.❤Links in Description!* Absolutely love this song! What should I listen to next from The Monkees?!
Whenever I hear The Monkees, I have to laugh, remembering a 13 year old me, sitting in front of the TV each week, waiting for their show, and what new song they might play. For those 30 minutes, the outside world did not exist for me. I adored them! Their TV show pops up on AntennaTV or one of the other channels that play very old reruns.
They were just kids. Not meant to be a real band but a fakey stage band for a TV show in the mid 60s. Turns out they went h3ll bent on becoming a legit band in the end against the wishes of the producers. Talented kiddos. The show was a success and us kiddies loved it. Lot of fun
I grew up listening to the Monkees music & watching their show. They could act silly but they actually were decent musicians & singers. They had many hits "I'm A Believer", "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You", "Valleri", "Pleasant Valley Sunday", "Last Train To Clarksville" etc. Davy Jones was considered a teenage heart throb. Sadly he died in 2012 & later Peter Tork in 2019. Michael Nesmith passed away recently. Only 1 member is remaining now Micky Dolenz.
Davy's diction/enunciation was away very precise. The was probably due to the fact that before the Monkees, he was a member of the original cast of the West End London and Broadway production of the musical "Oliver". His portrayal of the Artful Dodger got him a Tony Award nomination.
This was written by John Stewart of the Kingston Trio. The Monkees were put together for a TV show idea. The boys were all musicians and refused to allow the studio to just run a soundtrack and came together to actually play the instruments and sing.
Hey, hey, we're the Monkees!!!! Used to LOVE their TV show! Stayed in the same hotel in New Orleans that they were staying in while giving a concert down there. We were there for other reasons. I remember seeing their bus parked outside the hotel. It was gorgeous ... painted with a pasture scene and horses on it! Went to see them in Central Mississippi the next night and low and behold, there sat that bus!!!
I still have news clippings of their visit to Australia in 1968.I was madly in love with them. Apparently Jimi Hendrix was their opening act in Florida 1967 . Their TV show was so popular. Thank you for taking me back to those wonderful days. 🫶🇦🇺✌️
All my little friends loved Davey (the singer here) but I always loved Mickey Dolenz (the goofy tambourine player, who was also the bands drummer). I was a kid and watched The Monkees TV show. You'd love "Last Train to Clarksville". They had a lot of hits. One of my favorites was "Randy Scouse Git". Very catchy song.
They started their show the year I was born but reruns were still being played after school almost 10 years later and I watched them. "I'm a Believer" was reinvigorated by Shrek and is probably their best-known song today (and probably my favorite of theirs). "Hey Hey We're the Monkees" was my favorite back then possibly because of the MTV-like intro to their show.
I was 5 yrs old when the Monkeys tv show started and never missed a week. Had such a crush on Davey Jones 😊. I can remember all their names and songs. Such fun.
A band, made for a TV show. PIcking up on The Beatles zeitgeist, this created band featured British lead singer (and actor) Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith (guitar), Peter Tork (keyboards) and Micky Dolenz (drums). Daydream Believer was written by John Stewart. The Monkees TV show was a must and fun watch as a kid growing up in the 70's which they repeated in the UK. Lots of great songs: 'Last Train to Clarksville', 'I'm a Believer', 'Pleasant Valley Sunday', and of course the Monkees TV show theme song '(Theme from) The Monkees', which us kids would sing in the playground.😃
🌸 they did have a TV show for a couple of years it was a silly kind of a slapstick comedy but it was super fun to watch... and they actually had a pretty darn successful music portfolio !
These Monkees videos are clips from their TV show. This song written by Boyce and Hart I think. They have Pleasant Valley Sunday written by Carol King, and I'm A Believer written by Neil Diamond. They had multiple top albums and songs,
Pleasant Valley Sunday, Last Train To Clarksville and Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow to start .Also try the song Goin down which incorporates Jazz and a great solo vocal from Mickey Dolenz who is the only surviving member of the group. Monkees also did country rock-Papa Gene's Blues, You May Just Be The One and What Am I Doing Hangin Round. Goofy songs-Gonna Buy Me A Dog, Zilch, Peter Percival's Pet Pig Named Porky-psychedelic-Daily Nightly-pop music -star collector and rock and roll-Let's Dance On, No time and Sweet Young Thing. Anne Murray did a remake of Daydream Believer in the late 70s with a country bent. Davy Jones and the Monkees as a group was to be the replacements for the early Beatles as the Beatles music evolved into more mature themes and sounds (Psychedelia).
Everyone today still knows of The Beatles, so it's hard to explain to younger people how many other bands were just as popular at first, before the Fab Four soared away out of sight as it were. The Monkees were one such band and had their own television show which was a must watch event when I was at school, as it was the main topic of discussion the day after it aired.
Back in 1999 when I was 21, I saw the Monkees live (minus Mike Nesmith). They were playing at a casino (small group of people). I sat at a table near the stage and during their break in between sets, they came and sat with me, probably because I was a baby compared to the others. They are/were such nice guys. Lots of great songs by The Monkees: Shades of Grey, Valerie, Last train to Clarksville, gonna buy me a dog, Monkees Theme Song, Look Out, I'm a Believer (Neil Diamond version is great also), What am I doing hangin round, I wanna be free, MANY more. RIP Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith 🙏❤️🙏❤️
Last Train to Clarksville, Pleasant Valley Sunday are some others you should check out. Not to mention the opening to their show, Hey Hey, We're the Monkees
I love "A little bit me, a little bit you," "You just may be the one!" "Pleasant Valley Sunday," "I'm a believer." Awesome music, Beatles Light. The four were great musicians and entertainers, underappreciated by older teens and adults at the time. Perfect for tweens then and later for all!
Most of us preteen girls adored one of the group. Mine was Davy Jones and the Davy Dance. You can tell Davy was actually singing on this one because 1. The accent and 2. I know his voice from live performances.
I was 8 when this came out. The singer, Davy Jones, was a child actor on TV & stage in England. He played The Artful Dodger in Oliver! on the West End in London, and came to the US to play the part on Broadway. The cast was invited to The Ed Sullivan Show to do a bit from the play. It was the same night that The Beatles made their US debut. After The Monkees got famous, another up & coming young singer also named David Jones changed his name to distinguish himself. You know him as David Bowie. The guy on tambourine is Micky Dolenz (my personal favorite Monkee!). He also was a child actor who had the title role in the TV series Circus Boy. His dad was an actor, too. On the guitar is Michael Nesmith. His mom invented Liquid Paper and he developed the idea for MTV, but he didn't want to run the network. Micky is the only Monkee still with us. P. S. Loved The Davy Dance!
A fact that a lot of people miss is that all four had musical backgrounds before being hired for the show. Davy played the drums (he was one of the ones who taught Micky how to play the drums) and already had a solo album out. Mike was a musician (played guitar) and song writer (he has written stuff for several other famous musicians). Micky played guitar and was in another band beforehand. Peter played multiple instruments and was part of the folk music scene in Greenwich Village.
Davy Jones' British accent is what you're hearing. The Monkees were so underrated, they were all top notch musicians and songwriters. I'm sure all their hits have already been listed in the comments, so I'll just say thanks for another fun reaction, this channel kicks ass. ✌❤
I was three when this was released, but I heard it in the 70's growing up and just fell in love with this song, so Simple and Fun!! Just a Fun Loving Song!! As you said timeless! Far froma. one hit wonder, Last Train to Clarksville, The Monkees, Steppin' Stone, I'm a Believer, just to name a few more hit tunes. They even had their own TV Show in which the were originally hired to do before being a break out smash!
I remember the Saturday morning shows well it was always great to see them perform the humor comedy was way too cheesy for me but I loved seeing them perform...
" Last train to Clarksville " was another great tune. It had a backstory that the censors missed. It was a protest against the Vietnam War. The band was known as the Pre-Fab four. The Monkees is a TV show. Each had to audition for their characters. They eventually gained control over the spirit of the show. They were then considered as a real band. Funny that each used their own to portray each character. Their is a long list of hits
One of their later songs was a little more open about being a war protest song - "Zor and Zam" --"Two little kings playing a game. They gave a war, and nobody came."
Wheee! In my pre-headbanger days, I had every Monkees album (apart from that weird-ass Head soundtrack. Yikes.) and played them loud. Sure, Davy (Make Bowie change his name) Jones was cute (I was always a Donny Osmond man myself) but it was Mickey Dolenz who held my fascination. Love this bubblegummy stuff, but where they really shine is on the non-radio hits. "Zilch", "I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog", "Your Auntie Grizzelda" for fun and yes, they rocked, too. "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone") "Saturday's Child", "She", and one of the greatest holiday songs ever, the sung-in-Portuguese "Riu Chiu". Took me two years to learn the lyrics to that one. And y'know? I think we need The Monkees now more than ever. Love your channel!
In 1967 the Monkees outsold the Beatles. That's how good this band was (they started as a tv show group). They have taken a lot of undeserved flak for being a "fake" band due to how they were cast for the show, but they were a legitimate hit. They had many great sons, including Pleasant Valley Sunday, That was then this is now, I'm a Believer, Last Train to Clarksville, and even the more recent Me and Magdalena. Give them a listen and you will see how talented they were (only Micky Dolenz is still alive, sadly).
@@merlekeif4835 RU-vid wouldn't allow the links I posted in a reply. It's not just on Wiki. Search Liquid Paper History. 2 of the links were from MIT and CNBC.
Monkees... OMG !! Most of the time their music was played by studio sidemen. Mike Nesmith, was a very good guitarist, and the best talent of the group. The others were just hyped. I don't know if anybody mentioned. Jimi Hendricks needed more North America exposure so he agreed to open for the Monkees in late 1967, but after only 8 shows he went his own way and the rest is history.
That song was written by an artist named John Stewart. You should check out his song "Gold", it has Stevie Nicks (from Fleetwood Mac) doing the backing vocals. It's a banger
On Pleasant valley Sunday all Monkees participated. Nesmith on electric guitar and Dolenz on acoustic (another drummer was used) and Tork on keyboards with Jones and Nesmith backing vocals. They wanted to prove they could play.
Hollywood's answer to The Beatles. Although they were accomplished musicians, they had some of the greatest songwriters behind their music. Later on, they were allowed to write some of their material, but by then the show's flavor had run thin. Still a great time capsule, and some of the episodes still make me laugh.
Stephen Stills of CSN&Y auditioned but was turned down because producers said his hair and teeth wouldn't look good on TV. He ended up recommending Greenwich Village folk singer buddy Peter Tork.
They were not a one hit wonder. So many great songs! Just a few suggestions...Steppin' Stone, I'm a Believer, Pleasant Valley Sunday, Last Train to Clarksville, and at Christmas time listen to Riu Chiu.
Far from a one hit wonder! Looking at the Billboard 200 album chart, the Monkees hit the #1 spot more times in 1967 than all other artists put together, including the Beatles. They have many hits, and other people will direct you to those. I want to point you to two not-hits that are incredible. First is "Goin' Down," an amazing jazz-rock-rap number. The second is "Daily Nightly" which is a psychedelic treat, featuring a very early use of the MOOG synthesizer, about the Los Angeles riots in the mid-60s. Welcome to the wonderful rabbit hole that is the Pre-Fab Four, the Monkees!
All the songs were written and music recorded as part of the studio system behind the Monkeys TV show (a show about a fictional band), the band only got to sing on them and not play instruments or write. They went on to later perform the tracks live as a real band. The writers of the songs include notable names such as Neil Diamond -I'm a Believer
Michael Newsmith"s mother invented White-Out and made a fortune. He was actually a real musician but didn't need the money, just wanted to be respected as an artist.
Most people are only aware of their music that was presented either on their TV show or on radio and are unaware that they covered several genres of music (often even on one album). If you like jazz, then check out "Going Down" (one of their better songs in my opinion). Into country then try "Magnolia Simms." For a sophisticated bar room slow torch song vibe then check out "Don't Call on Me." Out right comedy, check out "Gonna Buy Me a Dog." For a psychedelic feel try "Porpoise Song." They even did what I would consider an early version of rap - "Ditty Diego - War Chant."
If you want a real contrast - take a listen to "Goin' Down" - also the Monkees, but VERY different. Others to try out: "She", "I’ll Spend My Life With You", "Zor and Zam", or their first release was "Last Train to Clarksville". They had a range from stuff that was almost jazz to psychedelic-rock although they were mainly classed as soft-rock or folk-rock. They released a total of 219 songs and while they are not all amazing, I don't think any of them is a bad song - well, my wife hated one of their songs, but that was not because the song was "bad" as such, it was that it expressed a rather poor attitude towards women, though back in the 60s when it came out, it was not viewed as a problem [different social norms] that one is called "Cuddly Toy", and I have to say my wife is right about the sentiment expressed.
The Monkeys was a made up band by tv. They took actors and put them together. he tv show was a hit and they became a pretty good band. Pleasant valley sunday is another one of their hits.
