They do some amazing things with embalming theses days.
I was 6-7 years old during the Monkees’ hey day. I loved them and am happy to see so many posts sticking up for them. It used to be that if you mentioned them, you’d get laughed at and told that they weren’t musicians. But they were! I loved Davey and I had a pair of striped pants that I called my Monkee pants. My favorited Monkees’ song is “Valleri”.
Also, watch Davey Jones’ interview for the Monkees. Probably on You Tube. So sweet.
Rebellion, and political and social upheaval.
Any feel, or emotional tug that lyrics provide, an instrumental piece can do as well.
But yes I was short sightedly referring to lyrical songs, primarily of the rock and or folk variety
Great song. If anyone doubts the musical talent of The Monkees, listen to this song. Mike Nesmith’s guitar work is amazing, right?
Nope. The playing in the video is pathetically fake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWTa9CE51sA
Well, Louis Shelton’s guitar playing is real.
“Great” is relative, but Nesmith’s “Papa Gene’s Blues” is one of my favorite Monkees songs.
I believe the movie Head definitively established that Peter was the dummy.
One of the things I’m curious about is whose idea it was for them to perform “Riu riu chiu” as part of their second-season Christmas show. The early music movement was still, er, early in its development and it’s not exactly a well-known piece (albeit one I’ve sung several times and enjoy) so I’m presuming it came to them via the folk scene.
IIRC, “Valleri” appeared when the band and the label were feuding. The suits wanted a single to release and brought in Davy alone to sing vocals over an outsiders backing track without telling the rest of the band. This was after *Headquarters *and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., the two albums controlled by the Monkees.
The musical story of the Monkees is their struggle to free themselves as a band. It’s not clear to me why you think an underhanded ploy by the label is a mark against their musical ability.