Cheer Up, Sleepy Jean II – Part 2

Some of the biggest names in ‘60s songwriting composed many of the Monkees’ songs- Boyce and Hart, Goffin and King, Neil Diamond, Harry Nilsson; and the groovy lyrics- which often viewed the world through children’s eyes but never felt dumbed down- greatly influenced my own earliest songwriting efforts. The Monkees were eventually allowed to play their own instruments- and their music became weirder. The Monkees TV show was cancelled in 1968- the same year the Monkees appeared in their box office bomb- Head- and by 1970 the band was done.

Several Monkees reunions have occurred through the years, the last being in 2016 when the three surviving members- Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Micky Dolenz- released Good Times! (the only British Monkee- Davy Jones- died in 2012). While living and working in Zambia some years ago, I was introduced to Micky Dolenz’ daughter at a dinner party where I’m pretty sure I then proceeded to tell her about how I am a huge Monkees fan (yeah, I’m sure she’s never heard that line before). Here are some more of my favorite Monkees songs. Enjoy!

01. The Monkees – “Cuddly Toy” (1967)

02. The Monkees – “Goin’ Down” (1967)

03. The Monkees – “The Girl I Knew Somewhere” (1967)

04. The Monkees – “Tapioca Tundra” (1968)

05. The Monkees – “Zor and Zam” (1968)

06. The Monkees – “I’m a Believer” (1967)

07. The Monkees – “Take a Giant Step” (1966)

08. The Monkees – “Me & Magdalena” (2016)

09. The Monkees – “Sometime in the Morning” (1967)

10. The Monkees – “Someday Man” (1969)

Listen to the playlist on Spotify...

... or check out the playlist on YouTube

(To open music in separate window, click title bar at top of video box)