The Monkees: Classic or Dud?

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yeah, now i remember, haha ry cooder too! (xpost)

i still have this slight cognitive dissonance that the beatles are being characterised as having no r&b or country influences upthread. why i'm letting it worry me i don't know but it just takes sheer myopia and wishful thinking into the realms of performance art

― debden, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 11:46 (nineteen years ago) link

or trolling, of course. sigh, i took the bait cos i love the monkees so much

― debden, Tuesday, 5 April 2005 11:48 (nineteen years ago) link

The Beatles were surely far more R&B influenced that the Monkees ever were!!!!!!!!!!!!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 11:48 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm not normally that attentive to production, but I do think the mix (is that the technical term?) is really good on monkees records, with the percussion effects well to the fore and with clear ringing guitars.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 11:50 (nineteen years ago) link

Apart from on the 2nd album which is well ropey

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 11:54 (nineteen years ago) link

What about "That Was Then, This is Now"?

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 11:57 (nineteen years ago) link

That was very poor.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 12:22 (nineteen years ago) link

Production wise you mean? Is that the album with two Ian Hunter songs on it? Or was that "Pool It"? I know it wasn't "Justus" 'cos I actually own that one!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 12:24 (nineteen years ago) link

Well, I remember the song being poor. I haven't heared it since so can't comment on the production.

One of these days the kids will see some Monkees TV shows and we'll be watching that intensely. (I have "Head" but I'll spare them that for the moment...)

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 12:27 (nineteen years ago) link

The production on 'Words' I like a lot...and the check out the maracca action on 'Circle Sky'.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 12:30 (nineteen years ago) link

Mike Nesmith on the Monkees show = Ross from the Friends show...

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 12:31 (nineteen years ago) link

Wow, let's not get on to the production on "Circle Sky" - like why did Mike bury his vocals on the album version? Monkeebore time. (xpost)

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 12:32 (nineteen years ago) link

Dammit, Mike was my favourite Monkee and I hated Ross even more than i hated everyone else on Friends but... you're right!

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 12:33 (nineteen years ago) link

He was called "Woolhat" on my Monkees colouring book, back in the day...

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 12:33 (nineteen years ago) link

Did you live in Japan or something?

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 12:51 (nineteen years ago) link

No, South Shields. I'm sure it was a USA produced thing...

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 12:54 (nineteen years ago) link

Mike wasn't really like Ross. Peter was the dumb one so he was sort of like all three of them (Joey, Chandler, and Ross). (And all three of the women, too.)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 14:45 (nineteen years ago) link

Though the show version of Peter was cooler, too. (Than all six of them.)

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 14:46 (nineteen years ago) link

Mike's more like Monica really, or Phoebe in her more sentimental moments

― Schwip Schwap (schwip schwap), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 14:47 (nineteen years ago) link

He had a similar dopey/sleepy goofiness on occasion tho, Peter was more wackily goofy

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 14:57 (nineteen years ago) link

... and a kind of slow/sleepy way of talking

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 14:57 (nineteen years ago) link

Micky was Chandler. That much, we can all agree on.

Pete would have to be Phoebe, from the ditziness to the enviro-awareness.

Davy is Rachel: all body, no brains

Mike's the hardest to pinpoint, I guess he combined Ross's intelligensia defensiveness with Monica's pedantry.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 15:26 (nineteen years ago) link

> Mickey has a morning radio show? which channel?

WCBS in New York, from 6:00 to 10:00. I think AOL streams it online as well.

P.S. Among Stephen Stills' other talents: he played percussion on the Bee Gees' "You Should Be Dancing," I'm told.

P.P.S. Among the great songs the Monkees wrote themselves: "Sweet Young Thing," "Randy Scouse Git," "For Pete's Sake," "... All Over Again," "You and I," "Mommy and Daddy," "Bye Bye Baby Bye Bye," "Good Clean Fun," "Tapioca Tundra," and "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (to POX).

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 15:31 (nineteen years ago) link

Don't forget Mickey's "Goin' Down"

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 15:33 (nineteen years ago) link

I'm not sure to what extent "Goin' Down" and "You and I" were actually written by Mickey or Davy. BUT Mickey did write "Mommy and Daddy" and Davy did write "War Games", two pretty groovy protest songs! Mike Nesmith never wrote a bad song when he was with the Monkees - and he wrote and recorded plenty, even if most of them weren't released at the time.

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 15:41 (nineteen years ago) link

more like Peter Dork!
mike is the greatest.

― carly (carly), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 15:51 (nineteen years ago) link

xpost

"Goin' Down"'s lyrics were written by Diane Hildebrand, as confirmed by Micky recently (though the music was their reinvention of "Parchment Farm" and Micky's masterful delivery of those tongue-twisting lines deserves loads of credit).

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 15:52 (nineteen years ago) link

Oh I love Mickey, one of the greatest pop vocalists of all time

― Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 15:53 (nineteen years ago) link

Yeah, his voice sounds like he smokes just enough.

― Curious George (1/6 Scale Model) (Rock Hardy), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 16:17 (nineteen years ago) link

"when love comes knocking at your door" is often in my head for no discernable reason.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 18:13 (nineteen years ago) link

Guys on the Street Selling Copies of Screenplays Including One for a Film Entitled Twelve Monkees: Classic or Dud?

― Ken L (Ken L), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 18:15 (nineteen years ago) link

xpost
"Goin' Down"'s lyrics were written by Diane Hildebrand, as confirmed by Micky recently (though the music was their reinvention of "Parchment Farm" and Micky's masterful delivery of those tongue-twisting lines deserves loads of credit).

-- Joseph McCombs (jmccomb...) (webmail), April 5th, 2005 4:52 PM. (link)

Ah, right. I remember seeing thison the end of one of the Monkees' shows and thinking "That's surely after the fact" but no it wasa b-side of "A little bit me" if i rem....

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 18:17 (nineteen years ago) link

Search:

"Goin' Down"
"Pleasant Valley Sunday" (still fucking relevant)
"Mary, Mary"

Destroy:
"That Was Then, This Is Now"
The New Monkees

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 18:37 (nineteen years ago) link

I wonder: Was that Peter or Mickey hollering "Go!!" in "Steppin' Stone"? I swear, it sounds just like Funhouse-era Iggy! Classic, no question.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:21 (nineteen years ago) link

Can we set The New Monkees on fire?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:25 (nineteen years ago) link

I mean, assuming we can find the Taco Bell where they now work?

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 19:38 (nineteen years ago) link

I'd rather see the New Monkees on VH1 Bands Reunited. The concept strangely fascinates me, like exponential prefab.

P.S. to Mr. Grout - "Goin' Down" was the B-side to "Daydream Believer." The B-side of "A Little Bit Me" was "The Girl I Knew Somewhere."

And if I ever see a karaoke bar with "Goin' Down," fuck if I'm not gonna try it.

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 20:43 (nineteen years ago) link

ach. I knew that'd happen.

― mark grout (mark grout), Tuesday, 5 April 2005 21:32 (nineteen years ago) link

there's a guy who does "goin' down" at karaoke here - OWNS IT. i usually do "stepping stone" HARDCORE or "words" if i can snag someone to do the backing.

― j blount (papa la bas), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 00:08 (nineteen years ago) link

I'd sing it with you if I was there, dude.

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 02:22 (nineteen years ago) link

there's a guy who does "goin' down" at karaoke here - OWNS IT.

I would love to hear someone pull that off - that's a fucking tongue twister.

SOCK IT TO ME!

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Wednesday, 6 April 2005 14:51 (nineteen years ago) link

six months pass...

I have been listening to a Monkees Greates Hits on tape, and marvelling at how consistently fine it is. It starts with the tracks we all know, the karaoke chestnuts - but what a wealth of strength in depth lies behind these! 'A Little Bit Me' is a contender for their best; 'The Girl That I Knew Somewhere' a fine pop sweep; 'Pleasant Valley Sunday' has a hot riff and a rising tune; 'Mary Mary' is one cool frug; 'I Wanna Be Free' and 'Listen To The Band' are worthy diversions. Cor!

I am puzzled by Ewing upthread saying that the Monkees invented everything.

― the pinefox, Monday, 31 October 2005 13:55 (eighteen years ago) link

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere" is one of my favorite songs of all time.

― The Ghost of Black Elegance (Dan Perry), Monday, 31 October 2005 14:07 (eighteen years ago) link

Who is going to dud the Monkees in this day and age, on this board? Well, I guess I know who and I think he's already been here.

― k/l (Ken L), Monday, 31 October 2005 14:37 (eighteen years ago) link

ONE COOL FRUG!

...up there with the finest Pinefoxian pronouncements!

― Dr C, Monday, 31 October 2005 16:15 (eighteen years ago) link

:-)

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere" is indeed of the gods.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 31 October 2005 16:28 (eighteen years ago) link

I remember using my handheld tape recorder to record the songs from the television when I was little. Brings me back....

― Jam (1020am), Monday, 31 October 2005 20:00 (eighteen years ago) link

I seem to recall 'Last Train To Clarksville' usually appearing during the chasing-about sequence in the middle of the programme. And did 'In This Generation' (or whatever it's called) always play over the credits?

― the finefox, Tuesday, 1 November 2005 13:52 (eighteen years ago) link

... not always, it's called "For Pete's Sake", written by Pete Tork!

― Oh No, It's Dadaismus (Dada), Tuesday, 1 November 2005 13:55 (eighteen years ago) link

Really? I had no idea; I must look at my tapes, more closely, or at all.

― the bellefox, Tuesday, 1 November 2005 13:58 (eighteen years ago) link

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