POV- The Monkees

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Two Boyce and Hart garage rockers

1. (I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
2. Valleri

Two Neil Diamond compositions, featuring his patented stop-start 60s rhythms

3. I'm A Believer
4. A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You

One I don't even know who wrote it, but I love the way the hissing cymbal and whispered vocal hook of the verse explodes into the full-on drum and vocal hook of the chorus

5. Theme From The Monkees

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:21 (nineteen years ago)

I guess that one was Boyce and Hart as well. Does anyone else remember them popping up on I Dream of Jeannie?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:23 (nineteen years ago)

Kind of ... Were they some rock band in the show?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:24 (nineteen years ago)

My five favorite Monkees songs:

You Just May Be the One (skip the Headquarters version and go for the "television" version included on Missing Links Vol 2)
The Door into Summer
Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow
As We Go Along
Sunny Girlfriend

(POV = pick only 5?)

― James, Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:27 (nineteen years ago)

I just remember them sort of popping up at the end of the show for pretty much no reason at all and Major Healey identifying them, for the benefit of most of the audience, with the words "It's Boyce and Hart!" and then they drove around in a red convertible or perhaps, levitated by Jeannie's magic, floated above a moving car, at the same time lip-synching "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight," I think it was.

(POV = pick only 5?)
Yup.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:29 (nineteen years ago)

Off the top of my head:

She
The Girl I Knew Somewhere
Stepping Stone
Monkees Theme
Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow (thanks for that one, James!)

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones. Ltd. is my favorite album, though.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:30 (nineteen years ago)

(And a nod to "Daydream Believer," which features osmotic tongue pressure.)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 22:34 (nineteen years ago)

Without a doubt, it would be (in no particular order):

1) Daydream Believer
2) What Am I Doing Hangin' Around?
3) Love Is Only Sleeping
4) Sometime in the Morning
5) Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow

― Joe (Joe), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:36 (nineteen years ago)

"The Door Into Summer" and "The Kind of Girl I Could Love" are not far behind...

― Joe (Joe), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:37 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, I forgot "Sometime in the Morning."

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 23:39 (nineteen years ago)

I'll take Redd's list, but trade the theme for "Pleasant Valley Sunday."

― Chairman Doinel (Charles McCain), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:10 (nineteen years ago)

Daydream Believer
Randy Scouse Git
What Am I Doin' Hangin' Round
As We Go Along
Daily Nightly

and I hated to leave out "The Girl I Knew Somewhere," "Sometime in the Morning," "You and I," "Carlisle Wheeling," and "All of Your Toys."

Agreed that PAC&J is the best of the albums!

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:15 (nineteen years ago)

Randy Scouse Git
The Girl I Knew Somewhere
Star Collector
The Porpoise Song
Pleasant Valley Sunday

+ about a bazillion more.

― Dan (So So Good) Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:18 (nineteen years ago)

I'm glad you mentioned the Porpoise Song -- I've been thinking lately how wonderful it would be if Polyphonic Spree covered that.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:21 (nineteen years ago)

eek

― Dan (Death To The Spree A Thousand Times Over) Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:26 (nineteen years ago)

Has anyone else ever seen how those guys on the street with the tables with the screenplays for sale always have one called "Twelve Monkees"?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:28 (nineteen years ago)

I've been thinking lately how wonderful it would be if Polyphonic Spree covered that.

No, you are wrong.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:30 (nineteen years ago)

Agreed that PAC&J is the best of the albums!
Wait, they had actual albums?!?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:36 (nineteen years ago)

I'll bet they could do it really good. (xp)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:38 (nineteen years ago)

She
Your Aunt Grizelda
What Am I Doing Hangin Roud
A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You
and don't ever forget: For Pete's Sake (closing theme)

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Thursday, 9 February 2006 01:38 (nineteen years ago)

1. Steppin' Stone
2. Goin' Down
3. Daydream Believer
4. Porpoise Song
5. Randy Scouse Git

and a couple dozen more.

― sleeve (sleeve), Thursday, 9 February 2006 02:15 (nineteen years ago)

You Told Me
Daily Nightly
You Just May Be the One
Early Morning Blues and Greens
Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)

― Dave will do (dave225.3), Thursday, 9 February 2006 02:17 (nineteen years ago)

Swap Last Train To Clarksville for Your Antie Grizelda and I'd say ditto to Bobby Peru.

― jim wentworth (wench), Thursday, 9 February 2006 02:20 (nineteen years ago)

i heard 'tapioca tundra' on the radio ten @ 10 bob stroud reads minds

― travis randy, Thursday, 9 February 2006 04:33 (nineteen years ago)

yay, another Bob Stroud 10@10 fan!

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 9 February 2006 04:34 (nineteen years ago)

wazzat?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 9 February 2006 04:36 (nineteen years ago)

"i'll be back upon my feet".

― retrogurl, Thursday, 9 February 2006 04:44 (nineteen years ago)

don't underestimate " pool it".then mental as anything covered "whole wide world".

― retrogurl, Thursday, 9 February 2006 04:45 (nineteen years ago)

1. Auntie Grizelda
2. Goin' Down
3. Porpoise Song
4. Listen to the Band
5. Teardrop City

I like my Monkees goofy but as weird as possible, I LOVE all their attempts to sound experimental etc. "Auntie Grizelda" has that overcooked "Him Or Me (What's It Gonna Be)" type thing going on, and "Porpoise Song" honestly doesn't sound like anything else I've ever heard including the stuff it was supposed to be imitating. I wish the Beatles had recorded this instead of "Baby You're A Rich Man." "Teardrop City" is kind of a throwaway choice, but I wanted to grab something with a more electric, searing type sound. Would love to cram "Girl That I Knew Somewhere" in somehow, but I just can't give up "Goin' Down," on which Mickey Dolenz invented rapping and somehow escaped the censors with an ode to cunnilingus. I had "Randy Scouse Git" in there but the ending is totally dumb and in fact I've always kind of hated the scatty "doodly blee dee abbadoody" part, badass as the timpani assault and the chorus and the killer verse (what's up with that percussion though?) are. "Listen to the Band" is such an offbeat mashup that I really wish it had started its own genre of aw-shucks country singers led by rockabilly bands with huge brass sections.

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Thursday, 9 February 2006 08:15 (nineteen years ago)

You need at least one Goffin & King song in there, pref. Pleasant Valley Sunday.

Has anyone said Last Train to Clarksville yet? As Robert Forster said "LT to C has been written, & we can only live with our own imperfection"

She is their loveliest song; Listen to the Band their ugliest.

― bham, Thursday, 9 February 2006 09:13 (nineteen years ago)

Tricky to narrow it down to just V, but...
Porpoise Song
As We Go Along
Listen To The Band
The Girl I Knew Somewhere
Daydream Believer

Though Forget That Girl, Auntie's Municipal Court, What Am I Doing Hangin' Round, Pleasant Valley Sunday, All Of Your Toys, Early Morning Blues & Greens and Sometime In The Morning all need to be in there to. And we'll save Carlisle Wheeling, Nine Times Blue, Some Of Shelly's Blues and Saint Matthew for a POV Nez.

― harvey.w (harvey.w), Thursday, 9 February 2006 10:44 (nineteen years ago)

Porpoise Song (If I had to pick one 60's psychedlic track by anyone it would be this. Yes, it is that good.)
What Am I Doing Hanging Round (Delighted to see the love for this - thought I was one of the few)
Listen To The Band (It's the brass, isn't it?)
Circle Sky (Live Version from Head)(My 2nd favourite bit from the film - Porpoise being the 1st, of course)
Valeri(Great and probably the catalyst for The Fall's Barmy - God knows it sounds like it).

xpost Weren't Boyce and Hart on a Bewitched episode once? Something about Samantha's hip twin sister becoming their manager?

― Guilty Boksen (Bro_Danielson), Thursday, 9 February 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

It took me ages to get down to five.

The Girl I Knew Somewhere
Porpoise Song
All Of Your Toys
What Am I Doing Hanging Round
Last Train To Clarksville

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 9 February 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

I am trying to figure out how to prove that 5 = 6 is true so that I can also include "Goin' Down".

― Dan (One Of The Best Bands Ever) Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 9 February 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

1. Last Train To Clarksville
2. Porpoise Song
3. I Wanna Be Free
4. I'm a Believer
5. Valleri

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 9 February 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

well if a 6 turned out to be 9, and from 9 to 5 is working... I'm no mathemetician.

― Dave will do (dave225.3), Thursday, 9 February 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

I think I'd go for
Pleasant Valley Sunday
Randy Scouse Git
I'm A Believer
Porpoise Song
Last Train To Clarksville.

― Greig (treefell), Thursday, 9 February 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

"For Pete's Sake" would be my OPO, then:

Pleasant Valley Sunday
Last Train to Clarksville
Steppin' Stone
A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You

― pixel farmer (Rock Hardy), Thursday, 9 February 2006 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

I think I need to swap out one of mine for "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again" so that Peter gets some love too.

Giddy that other people love "All of Your Toys" and "Carlisle Wheeling," too.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 9 February 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

You can tell that The Monkees are completely awesome because so far I've looked at every single list on this thread and thought, "Yes! That is exactly correct!"

― Dan (Endless Love) Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 9 February 2006 15:59 (nineteen years ago)

I can think of only a very small number of Monkees songs I seriously dislike. They are a) songs that appeared on the final album, Changes, b) sung (or co-sung) by Davy Jones, or c) both.

This is *not* a value judgement of Davy's singing talent, but a reflection of the fact that he seemed to get all of those weak teen-girl ballads and silly novelties.

If I could pick a sixth song, yeah, I'd go with "What am I Doing Hanging 'Round" (or "Saint Matthew").

― James, Thursday, 9 February 2006 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

"What Am I Doin' Hangin' Round" and "Girl That I Knew Somewhere" really should have gotten squeezed in to mine somehow. I guess I can let "Teardrop City" go for the latter, but they're all CLOSE calls. They really do have an impressive sack of recordings, probably more than all but five or six "real" bands of the same genre and time period...

― Doctor Casino (Doctor Casino), Thursday, 9 February 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

yes, boyce & hart were on "bewitched." they also did a "flying nun" episode too, singing sam & dave's "i thank you."

the duo didnt just randomly turn up at the end of "i dream of jeannie," the plotline revolved around them. jeannie magically picks four guys (b&h plus two other musicians), and after a brief rehearsal, they audition for none other than PHIL SPECTOR, singing "out & about."

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Friday, 10 February 2006 03:03 (nineteen years ago)

Was this the "Blow You a Kiss in the Wind" song that Serena sings on Bewitched (which Redd Kross covered)? That's a pretty darn good song.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 10 February 2006 03:19 (nineteen years ago)

No one voted for "Hard to Believe." I think Davy probably gets some short shrift!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 10 February 2006 23:36 (nineteen years ago)

"Don't Call on Me" is really good, too. Side two of Pisces, Aquarius, etc. is killer!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 10 February 2006 23:44 (nineteen years ago)

"Hard to Believe" (that's the breezy samba-ish one, right?) is pretty nice, yes...

― Joe (Joe), Saturday, 11 February 2006 00:06 (nineteen years ago)

OK, fair enough, Rev. Hoodoo. But at what point where they identified by Bill Daly?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 11 February 2006 01:02 (nineteen years ago)

In any case, thanks for the clarication, Rev. I don't why I was trying to remember something I last saw 30 years ago. I don't think I even knew who Phil Spector was at the time.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 11 February 2006 01:46 (nineteen years ago)

i'll be back on my feet
all of your toys
daydream beleiver
you're so good to me
i wanna be free

and didn't "zilch" inspire mr bob dobalina by a tribe called quest ?

― retrogurl, Saturday, 11 February 2006 03:45 (nineteen years ago)

Redd: I can't remember the last time I saw that episode all the way through, but I have no knowledge of when Bill Daily IDed them.

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Saturday, 11 February 2006 03:45 (nineteen years ago)

and didn't "zilch" inspire mr bob dobalina by a tribe called quest ?

Dobalina, yes, but I thought that was Del Tha Funkee Homosapien?

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Saturday, 11 February 2006 05:26 (nineteen years ago)

1. Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow
2. I'm a Believer
3. The Kind of Girl I Could Love
4. Last Train to Clarksville
5. Sometime in the Morning

― Burr (Burr), Saturday, 11 February 2006 06:37 (nineteen years ago)

I have to admit, I'm surprised "Love Is Only Sleeping" isn't on more lists...great "Lucifer Sam"-ish riff!

― Joe (Joe), Saturday, 11 February 2006 13:08 (nineteen years ago)

Swap Last Train To Clarksville for Your Antie Grizelda and I'd say ditto to Bobby Peru.
- jim wentworth (wenchvt@yahoo.com), February 9th, 2006.
Dude, I was very nearly going to do that!

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Sunday, 12 February 2006 06:51 (nineteen years ago)

porpoise song
circle sky
for pete's sake
daily nightly
someday man

Better than the beetlezzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

― cap'n coote, Sunday, 12 February 2006 06:56 (nineteen years ago)

and didn't "zilch" inspire mr bob dobalina by a tribe called quest ?
Dobalina, yes, but I thought that was Del Tha Funkee Homosapien?

-- Joseph McCombs (jmccomb...), February 11th, 2006.
you're right and you're right - i couldn't think of del.
did del hand over all the royalties ?
i bet not many people have heard of "zilch".

― retroboy, Sunday, 12 February 2006 07:20 (nineteen years ago)

Was listening to the HEADQUARTERS and PISCES AQUARIUS albums once and flashed on the fact that if it weren't for their TV image and Davy Jones' drippy love ballads, they sounded like a garagier version of the Buffalo Springfield. If Davy's songs were all the Monkees had to go by, they would probably deserve their teenybopper rep, but between the NUGGETS-ish Micky Dolenz tracks and Michael Nesmith's early country-rock fusions, they had a lot more going on.

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Sunday, 12 February 2006 10:12 (nineteen years ago)

She (Monkees) vs. She (Kiss): the mash-up!

― Bobby Peru (Bobby Peru), Monday, 13 February 2006 06:08 (nineteen years ago)

Randy Scouse Git
For Pete's Sake
Want Am I doing Hangin Around
Porpoise Song
Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)

― wtin, Tuesday, 14 February 2006 11:49 (nineteen years ago)

MIKE:
The Door Into Summer
St. Matthew
Listen to the Band
What Am I Doing Hangin' Around?
While I Cry

MICKEY:
As We Go Along
Pleasant Valley Sunday
Porpoise Song
Randy Scouse Git
Sometime in the Morning

DAVY:
Daydream Believer
I Wanna Be Free
Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow
Someday Man
You and I

PETER:
Can You Dig It?
For Pete's Sake
Lady's Baby
Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again
Shades of Grey (he sings a bit of this)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

where would i find "hard to beleive " ?

― retroboy, Tuesday, 14 February 2006 12:22 (nineteen years ago)

(I should have put "Tear the Top Right Off My Head" in the Peter POV list!) (xpost)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

Good call Dadaismus.

The only one I don't care for is Davy's 'I Wanna Be Free'. What's the one he sings in that black and white song and dance routine in 'Head'?

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

... that's "Daddy's Song" (by Harry Nilsson), I thought of that one but I prefer Harry Nilsson's version and also prefer it when Mike Nesmith sung it (which he did before Davy)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know where they came from (other than from my brother's hard drive), but there are two versions of "Mommy & Daddy" that are nearly insane. Sung by Mickey with girlish background vocals, pseudo-Indian beat, references to JFK and pills and hypocrisy. Yum.

Also, "Make Friends With Koolaid" is a big earworm that won't leave.

― msanthropic, Tuesday, 14 February 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

"Mommy and Daddy" is a great song - not only sung by Mickey but written by him too!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 14:57 (nineteen years ago)

Man, you people like Teh Monkees, you really, really like them.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

What's not to like?

― pixel farmer (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 15:26 (nineteen years ago)

Msanthropic: The alt "Mommy and Daddy" with the JFK ref is on the Rhino reissue of The Monkees Present.

Retroboy: "Hard to Believe" is on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd..

Dadaismus: I mwah you. But I would've swapped out "I Wanna Be Free" for "French Song" or "Looking for the Good Times."

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 14 February 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

Dadaismus: that sounds like Micky on "For Pete's Sake," not Peter.

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 02:24 (nineteen years ago)

Goin' Down (for the rapping)
Star Collector (for the Moog)
Steppin' Stone (for the hollered "Go!" that could be Fun House Iggy)
Circle Sky (live) (for the ENERGY!)
For Pete's Sake (for Pete's sake)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 03:16 (nineteen years ago)

I would love to join in the fun here, but I distinctly remember wanting to join in the fun back when they had their revival moment 10 or 15 years ago, and realizing that I was falling for hype once again. But I will listen to Porpoise Song again tonight.

― Mitya (mitya), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 03:47 (nineteen years ago)

Y'know, I'm kinda surprised that nobody has mentioned Mary, Mary.

― jim wentworth (wench), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 04:14 (nineteen years ago)

MITYA: if you just trust your ears, no "hype" will fuck up your fun. Trust me.

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 04:43 (nineteen years ago)

Dadaismus: that sounds like Micky on "For Pete's Sake," not Peter

It is, but Peter wrote it (Micky sings "Can You Dig It?" too, remember)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 10:28 (nineteen years ago)

i liked "justus "
Msanthropic: The alt "Mommy and Daddy" with the JFK ref is on the Rhino reissue of The Monkees Present.
Retroboy: "Hard to Believe" is on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd..

Dadaismus: I mwah you. But I would've swapped out "I Wanna Be Free" for "French Song" or "Looking for the Good Times."

-- Joseph McCombs (jmccomb...), February 14th, 2006.
thankyou - where is "french song" ?

― retroboy, Wednesday, 15 February 2006 11:49 (nineteen years ago)

That's on "The Monkees Present"

― Dadaismus (Dada), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 11:50 (nineteen years ago)

I've never heard Justus, though I'd like to. I think bad memories of Pool It caused me to avoid Justus when it was released. Allmusic says its already out of print!

― James, Wednesday, 15 February 2006 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

Justus lacks Pool It's embarrassing moments, but it doesn't hit any unqualified highs. A remade "Circle Sky" is unnecessary, Micky's songs are well sung but mostly unmemorable (and, in the case of "Regional Girl," kind of embarrassing), Peter's one vocal contribution, "I Believe You," is about as good as his two tracks on Pool It (which were that album's only highlights), and Davy is a bland accessory. Micky's "It's My Life" is recommended for fans of his ballad "Tell Me Love" (from Changes) and the closing "It's Not Too Late" is nice for fans with a soft spot for nostalgia.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Wednesday, 15 February 2006 21:53 (nineteen years ago)

Oh no, "Justus" is complete rubbish

― Dadaismus (Dada), Friday, 17 February 2006 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

nine years pass...

most of the best monkees songs are goffin/king compositions:

- porpoise song
- sometime in the morning
- take a giant step
etc.

but aside from those, my top five would comprise:

- what am i doing hanging round
- girl i knew somewhere

― he quipped with heat (amateurist), Friday, 6 March 2015 20:54 (ten years ago)

The Hammond organ on "Don't Call on Me" (Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Jones Ltd.) is so gorgeous. Played by Peter Tork, according to Wikipedia.

― timellison, Sunday, 8 March 2015 01:35 (ten years ago)

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