Monkees....love 'em or hate 'em

Taking a cue from the Beach Boys thread I thought I'd ask about the Monkees...

Now I love the Monkees. I discovered them on MTV in February 1986 and have loved them since. I have seen them in concert approx. 30 times, from St Louis to Philly and from LA to Tahoe. I know what the music folks say about them but in light of today's extremely pre fabricated music I think they were a group of talented folks. Peter and Mike were musicians while Micky eventually learned to play the drums. If people were truthful then they would realize than many groups in the 1960s used session musicians on their albums (including the Beach Boys).

The Monkees (well by then it was only Micky and Davy) also had an awesome antiwar song called Zor and Zam. There was also a good song called Mommy and Daddy sung by Micky on one of the final Monkees albums.

OK....my fave Monkees were Micky Dolenz (LOVED the hair from the second season) and Peter Tork (he appealed to my nascent hippie sensabilities).

Say what you will about the Monkees, but when Led Zepplin tunes are used to sell cars can "real rockers' lay any more claim to purity? All music is commercial.

Hey Hey we're the monkees!

If you haven't -- and I assume you have -- be sure to watch their career-killing movie, Head. It was about 30 years ahead of its time, which is why the suits promptly shitcanned the Prefab 4.

Just Davy Jones' dance number, Daddy Song, alone, inspired an entire genre of filmmaking.

I agree, the Monkees were excellent, especially given the circumstances they found themselves working under.

--bkl
... goodbye, goodbye, goodbye ...

I forced a coalition of the unwilling (some non Monkee loving friends) to go see the movie back in the 80s during the second round of Monkeemania. One of the local theatres showed it on the big screen. I'll admit it is a strange movie (but then again what does one expect from something written by Jack Nicholson under the influence of a large quantity of mind altering substances).

Yeah I agree that the Monkees were tossed to the curb by the suits because they could no longer be controlled as easily. They were beginning to bring their outside lives to the show and that didn't jive with the intended demographic.

It exists on DVD as a full-screen non-anamorphic, though they did a great job in restoring the quality of the film itself; it looks great!

And while they did bring in their outside lives into the show, I think it did it a lot of good, short-lived as it was... :-(

Season 1 was kinda naff, but the suits had more control. Season 2 rocked and it's a pity NBC cancelled the show. Still, "Head" (which was poorly advertised) is probably one of the most thought-inducing movies of the era, complete with lots of yummy topical references and such.

And given Michael Nesmith fought outright for musical freedom (and WON, "Headquarters" and the album after that one ("Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Jones Ltd") were completely done by the group, lyrics and instruments and all and are easily their best albums)

"Zor and Zam" came out in the season 2 finale, but in their 6th album (Tork had left just after that point) and in a different cut.

Nesmith rules, naturally. :D Like Nesmith, Tork also wrote a few bona fide classics, most notable "For Pete's Sake"...

in November...it will also include the special 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee...this special aired in 1968 (I think that's the date). It's pretty good.

Marie O8) was a BIG TIME Monkees fan. She saw them in the 80's, had all their taps / LPs, even taped EVERY ONE of the episodes when Nick was playing them in 1986.

I ragged on her for them until I started hearing the songs. When the albums were released on CD, we bought all of them.

So, here I am at 37, alone, with all these CDs, video tapes and, of course, Head on DVD. Of COURSE I'm a fan :-)

I had a little crush on Peter Tork when I was a teenager.

The Monkees were great. Loved the television show!

She's a wonderful lady and she's mine, all mine
and there doesn't seem a way that she won't come and lose my mind.
It's too easy hummin' songs to a girl in yellow dress
it's been a long time since the party and the room is in a mess

The four kings of EMI are sitting stately on the floor
there are birds out on the sidewalk and a valet at the door
he reminds me of a penguin, with few and plastered hair
there's talcum powder on the letter, and the birthday boy is there

Why don't you cut your hair?!
Why don't you live up there?!
Why don't you do what I do, see what I feel when I care?!

Now they've darkened all the windows and the seats in naughahyde
I've been waiting for an hour, I can't find a place to hide
the being known as wonder girl is speaking I believe
it's not easy trying to tell her that I shortly have to leave

Why don't you be like me?!
Why don't you stop and see?!
Why don't you hate who I hate, kill who I kill to be free?!

{bridge}

Why don't you cut your hair?!
Why don't you live up there?!
Why don't you do what I do, see what I feel when I care?!

Why don't you be like me?!
Why don't you stop and see?!
Why don't you hate who I hate, kill who I kill to be free?!

Why don't you cut your hair?!
Why don't you live up there?!
Why don't you do what I do, see what I feel when I care?!

it clicked in me. I'd mime it in my room and do the pre-punk thing.

I also LOVED Auntie Grizelda! Another "bent" offering.

but I heard Randy Scouse Git later, and I thought this song redeemed them...although they did some decent music.

They were the first truly "bubble-gum" band, but I'd take them over NKOTB or the "Backstreet Boys" any day B-)

love some of their songs now, but I cannot stand to watch the sitcom. I wouldn't miss it when I was 8 years old, but now I understand my father's loathing of that show. Still, great songs to sing along, especially Daydream Believer.

Oh, and BTW, Davy, all the way.

Still love 'em

Gave a lot of fledgling songwriters their first shot. And "Headquarters" is an excellent power pop album by anybody's standards.

Because they weren't exactly expert musicians, they inadvertantly made what was possibly the first punk rock album - even before the Stooges or MC5. Has all the preteen girl screams like all the other 60's live records, but other than that, interesting to hear some less glossy versions of Monkee "classics".

...on a leash and lecturing Davy Jones: "You should spend more time on your music." I also liked Victor Mature.

More Monkees trivia: Ever seen Michael Nesmith's TV show? It was never produced, but theres a tape of various short skits from it and they are really hilarious. "Dueling Lounge Pianos" is my fave.

It was called "Television Parts", a spinoff of his video "Elephant Parts" which won the first Grammy for a video. Both are excellent. "Television Parts" ran on NBC in the summer of '85. Nes was actually in on launching MTV, in addition to his mom inventing White-Out.

Oh, sorry, wrong monkey. :-)

I have seen every episode and have heard every record they put out. My sister and I would watch the Monkees tapes for hours and just laugh our asses off. Now, I like to rent them from time to time and it brings back wonderful memories of my childhood. My favorite song by them is "The Door Into Summer".

I just found him annoying. The weird thing is, that every girl I ever dated said that Mickey was her favorite Monkee. And I don't look anything like Mickey Dolenz.

That's the line from Ditty Diego, copped from and mutated with love via the TV show theme song. It was a chant, arranged as a loose limerick, and it predated rapping in the 'hood by nearly 20 years (though most hip-hop uses much closer rhyme).

Does anyone else occasionally find this one running through their mind?

--bkl
Dandruff.

called Goin' Down....

Goin' Down

Sock it to me...

Floatin' down the river
With a saturated liver
And I wish I could forgive her
But I do believe she meant it
When she told me to forget it
And I bet she will regret it
When they find me in the morning wet and drowned
And the word gets 'round
Goin' down
Goin' down

Coming' up for air
It's pretty stuffy under there
I'd like to say I didn't care
But I forgot to leave a note
And it's so hard to stay afloat
I'm soakin' wet without a boat
And I knew I should have taken off my shoes
It's front page news
Goin' down
Goin' down

I wish I had another drink
It wouldn't be so hard to sink
I should have taken time to think
Besides I got the picture straight
She must have had another date
I didn't need this extra weight
I wish that I could see the way to shore
Don't want no more
Goin' down
I'm goin' down

And now I see the life I led
I slept it all away in bed
I should have learned to swim instead
And now it's really got me stumped
I can't believe why I jumped
I'd like to get my tummy pumped
I can't believe they drink this stuff in town
This dirty brown
Goin' down
Goin' down

I wish I looked before I leaped
I didn't know it was so deep
Been down so far I don't get wet
Haven't touched the bottom yet
This river scene is gettin' old
I'm hungry, sleepy, wet and cold
She told me to forget it nice
I should have taken her advice
I only want to go on home
I'd gladly leave that girl alone
What a way to spend the night
If I don't drown, I'll die of fright
My pappy taught me how to float
But I can't swim a single note
He threw me in to teach me how
I stayed there floatin' like a mama cow
And now I've floated way down stream
I know this has to be a dream
If I could find my way to shore
I'd never, never do this anymore
I'll give you three, I've been down nine
I'm goin' down just one more time.
Goin' down.
Goin' down.

Now the sky is gettin' light
An everything will be alright
Think I finally got the knack
Just floatin' here lazy on my back
I never really liked that town
I think I'll ride the river down
Just movin' slow and floatin' free
There's a river swingin' under me.
Waving back to the folks on shore
I should have thought of this before
I'm floatin' on down to New Orleans
Goin' to pick up on some swingin' scenes
I know I'll know a better day
I'll go down groovin' all the way
Goin' down
Goin' down

(Imagine the Monkees chanting it in turn, while the producer -- Jack Nicholson -- artfully sped and slowed the tape by about 25%. And he said we couldn't handle the truth!)

Hey Hey we ARE the Monkees
You know we love to please
A manufactured image
With no philosopies
We hope you love our story
Although there isn't one
That is to say there's many
That way there is more fun
You told us you like action
And games of many kinds
You like to dance you, like to sing
So let's all loose our minds
We know it doesn't matter
'Cause what you came to see
You know we'd love to give you
And give it one, two, three
But it may come three, two, one, two
Or jump from nine to five
And when you see the end in sight
The beginning may arrive
And those who search for meaning
In form as they do fact
We might just tell you one thing
But we'd only take it back
Not back like in a box back
Not back like in a race
Not back so you can keep it
But back in time and space
You say we're manufactured
To that we all agree
So make your choice and we'll rejoice
In never being free
Hey Hey we are the Monkees
You've heard it all before
The money's in, were made of tin
We're here to give you more
The money's in, were made of tin
We're here to give you

("We want the Monkees!!")
Give me a W!
Give me an A!
Give me an R!
What does it spell?
("WAR!!!")

--bkl