Monkees Show Obvious Beatles Influence Once More

[jamiefairlie]

Very underrated band, taken on their singles output alone you could say they were only outdone by The Beatles and The Byrds. They had really top notch songwriters.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Very underrated band, taken on their singles output alone you could say they were only outdone by The Beatles and The Byrds. They had really top notch songwriters.

Not only that, they had Dolenz, one of the greatest pop/rock singers of his generation. They also had Tork, an exceptionally talented multi-instrumentalist and arranger, and Nesmith, a truly great songwriter, at their disposal. Davy? Davy was cute and fulfilled his cheeky little heartthrob role with aplomb. Every commercial pop group needs a Davy.

Here's The Girl I Knew Somewhere, a sparkling Nesmith tune and one of the first things they recorded together as an actual band. That's Pete on harpsichord. Micky slightly mistimes his enthusiastic opening drum fill (he'd never played drums before being cast in the TV show, but took a crash course; he'd only been playing drums for six months when they recorded this), which just adds to the charm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJIW7i8n7p8

That is perfect pop.

[DrGreggles]

Not only that, they had Dolenz, one of the greatest pop/rock singers of his generation. They also had Tork, an exceptionally talented multi-instrumentalist and arranger, and Nesmith, a truly great songwriter, at their disposal. Davy? Davy was cute and fulfilled his cheeky little heartthrob role with aplomb. Every commercial pop group needs a Davy.

Here's The Girl I Knew Somewhere, a sparkling Nesmith tune and one of the first things they recorded together as an actual band. That's Pete on harpsichord. Micky slightly mistimes his enthusiastic opening drum fill (he'd never played drums before being cast in the TV show, but took a crash course; he'd only been playing drums for six months when they recorded this), which just adds to the charm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJIW7i8n7p8

That is perfect pop.

Agreed. Mickey's voice was (and, judging by Good Times!, remains) one of THE greatest in pop, and Nes is still criminally underrated as a writer.
Always thought their voices worked together well too, which is why Me & Magdalena is one of my favourite songs of recent years.

[Nowhere Man]

I'd put The Beach Boys catalog up their as well, but definitely agree that The Monkees catalog of songs from '66-'69 is chock full of gems. (Not to mention their amazing comeback with 'Good Times' too.)

Here's a list of some of them that were written by Monkees band members.

Obviously Nez is far and away the most prolific (and my personal favourite), but I would place him up there with almost any other 60s songwriters anyway

Michael Nesmith
Papa Gene's Blues
Sweet Young Thing
Propinquity
Mary Mary
The Kind of Girl I Could Love
You Told Me
You Just May Be The One
Sunny Girlfriend
The Girl I Knew Somewhere
Daily Nightly
Don't Call On Me
Auntie's Municipal Court
Tapioca Tundra
Circle Sky
While I Cry
St. Matthew
Nine Times Blue
Listen To The Band

Peter Tork
For Pete's Sake
Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again
Can You Dig It
Tear The Top Right Off My Head

Micky Dolenz
Randy Scouse Git
Goin' Down

Davy Jones
Hard to Believe
You & I

[wosl]

To derail a bit, Mike Nesmith's From A Radio Engine To The Photon Wing is one of the most disappointing albums (with one of the best titles) I can remember hearing.  I'd really liked Rio, and the prospect of the parent album made you hug yourself as you settled down to listen - thoughts of it being a lovely dusty, drowse of a thing, etc, but Nesmith's voice is a stultifying grate spread, without respite, over the course of over half-a-dozen fairly long, drawn-out songs.  It's the sort of laid-back album that leaves you feeling more aggravated than you were before you started listening to it.  Still, that has nothing to do with the late Peter Tork, who should be allowed to rest in peace.

[a duncandisorderly]

"the four kings of EMI are sitting stately on the floor"