Greetings,
It's been nearly five months since we tragically lost Davy Jones. I know a lot of people were stunned, and I'm no different from them. His passing had special significance for me because, believe it or not, he was my first celebrity crush. It does seem odd due to my age, but I got the bug during that eighties resurgence of the Monkees TV show, which was surprisingly started by MTV. After that, I was hooked. Funny enough, this is probably also where my tendency to like things that are unexpected for my age started. So when all my little friends at school were crazy about New Kids on the Block, I was listening to the Monkees. Don't get me wrong. I eventually started to like the New Kids, because as much as I want to go against the flow, I cannnot deny good things for long, no matter how popular they are. Anyway, that mentality went right through high school where my locker was plastered with pictures of Fleetwood Mac and the Bee Gees, but it all started with the Monkees.
So I thought I'd share with you my favorites of their songs. Now bear in mind, if you're not as big of a fan as I am, some of these songs may be unfamiliar to you. I suppose that's a good thing because then I'd just be telling you what you already know.
Alright, here we go. Or should I say "Here we come".
#10."Valleri" - I'm going to move beyond the fact that this song made me want to change my name to Valleri so Davy would be singing to me. Just let me bring up that amazing guitar rift. If you've heard this one, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.
#9. "Papa Gene's Blues" - This is one of the few songs they recorded that was written by Mike Nesmith. It makes me wonder why they did not let him do more, since he was obviously talented. I think it's a fairly simple song, but it brought the "country" which is what Mike did very well.
#8. "Words" - If there's one thing I can say about Peter Tork, it is that he is a very gifted musician. Now is he a gifted singer? Not so much. He's not that bad, but next to Micky Dolenz, well, let's say that's a hard act to follow. However, on this song, we actually get to hear him sing. It's not a solo here, because he is doing a duet with Micky. The verses that they both sing are beautifully arranged in this back and forth, overlapping way that ends up sounding amazing. And thank God Micky was a phenomenal vocalist. But . . . still love ya, Peter!
#7. "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" - Generally speaking, the Monkees would be considered a "pop" act. This song, however, was straight up rock. Logic would tell you that this should not have worked for them, but it did, again, thanks to Micky's fantastic vocals.
#6. "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round?" - Here's another one that shows their country flavor. Though Mike was not the writer, as one might think, it was written by an old friend of his, and Mike did choose it for the country feel. And may I say that, in this one, it is Mike who gets to show off what a great voice he has.
#5. "All of Your Toys" - A little back story on this song, which is probably one most people don't know about. This was put on a 1995 reissued version of their 1967 album Headquarters. That album was a big step for the Monkees because they chose to write a lot of the songs themselves and play the instruments, instead of using professional songwriters and session musician, which was commonplace in those days. And it actually kind of worked. The album went to number one . . . for one week . . . until Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band came out. And that marks one of the few times where I am angry at the Beatles. The good news is that Headquarters did stay at number two for about three months, and being second to Sgt. Pepper's isn't that bad at all. But besides all that, the song is awesome.
#4. "Porpoise Song" - Okay, this song is from the soundtrack to Head, a movie (I guess) they made in 1968 that was partly written and produced by Jack Nicholson. Yeah, THAT Jack Nicholson. The movie did not do well on its release, but, of course, it eventually got a big cult following. Don't they always. Anyway, this song is considered the theme for the film. It was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, and it is, frankly, a little strange. But that's why I like it.
#3. "She Hangs Out" - I'm not sure how big of a hit this song was, if at all, but I love this one. It has what I would consider a bit of a quirky feel to it, and the basic rhythm of it is so catchy. Plus, in the "video", you get to see Davy dance . . . a lot!
#2. "Pleasant Valley Sunday" - I love songs that you can see, and this one has lyrics that are so incredibly, visually stimulating. You can literally see this place about which they are singing. It's another Goffin and King contribution, and, of all the songs they's ever written, which is a ton, I really would call this their best. And they gave it to my boys. Yay!
#1. "Love is Only Sleeping" - Again, I don't think a lot of people know about this one, but they should. I've often referred to this song as being very "garage band". Not the game or whatever. I mean, a legit garage band, stripped down, but very powerful. It opens with this amazing guitar rift, and that is used throughout the whole song. The melody is driving, and the payoff when you get to the title lyric is so worth it. Oh, and about the lyrics. They are great, and you know how I am about lyrics. AND, wait for it, you get to hear Mike Nesmith singing falsetto. It's just the best song I've ever heard from them.
So there you have it. One day, I might do a top ten Monkees TV show episode list, but for now, you'll have to be satisfied with this. Now though I've bragged about the guys throughout this post, let me emphasize the fact of how underrated they were. Maybe not as celebrities or even legends, but as musicians. I feel like, because of how they came together, some people still don't consider them a legitimate band or a legitimate force in the music industry. But they were extremely talented with what they did, and no one will ever convince me otherwise. And I will miss Davy Jones forever.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
