The Monkees

Since the subject has been presented and this blog is supposed to include music, let's talk about the Monkees: Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones.

First, we have to understand that The Monkees, the TV show, was invented to draw on the success of the The Beatles movie "A Hard Day's Night". Without going too deep, it was what we now call a "mockumentary", the first that I can think of. It pretended to follow the Fab Four, then at the height of their popularity, through a typical day. Hmmm...probably not.

In any case, the format for The Monkees was originally built on a very similar formula. The network auditioned and chose four kids to play the parts of a fictitious rock and roll band. Inserted into each program were musical segments that were basically intended to sell songs. These songs would be released on records and the network would make money, paying royalties to the actors. To ensure good music, they hired excellent songwriters, many of whom became very well known. Examples are Neil Diamond, Gerry Goffin, Carole King, and Harry Nilsson. (If you click on the link in the previous post, you'll be able to see some of the videos and hear some of the music. Familiar listeners will definitely hear the similarities to later works released by these same writers.)

The Monkees was a phenomenon. As Brian Epstein was rocketing The Beatles into superstardom, television executives were doing the same for The Monkees. They began doing live performances and personal appearances. (Jimi Hendrix opened for them in one show, but was booed off the stage by a pre-adolescent crowd that wasnt ready for the "experience".)

At the same time, the guys themselves began lobbying for more freedom. They wanted to play their own instruments instead of constantly being backed up by studio musicians. They pushed for more input regarding song choices and even talked the network into pulling the laugh track off the TV show. Eventually, though, the someone labelled them "The PreFab Four", mocking their abilities and forcing them into the unenviable position of defending themselves.

The Beatles themselves were very accepting of the boys, even inviting them into sessions when they were in England. In fact, taken separately from their TV personas, they earned a certain amount of respect from many mainstream musicians. What dogged them was the reputation of being a manufactured band in a time when independence and artistic expression were highly valued.

Enough history.

Some of my thoughts:

"A Hard Day's Night" is one of the most important films of all time. You might not think so as you watch it. Who would? To us in 2009 it seems almost primitive and certainly adolescent, but in 1964, it was revolutionary. Dont misunderstand, music and movies had been codependent from the beginning. One only has to look back at the careers of Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Rosemary Clooney, and myriad others to see this. What happened with "A Hard Day's Night", though, was that it made the music a focal point without turning the thing into a musical. Conceptually, it launched The Monkees and, in turn, the musical segments on that show opened the way for the original MTV and the music videos we see today.

"The Monkees" TV show was almost as important because it provided an outlet for some powerful talent, some mentioned previously. Let's think about Carole King for a minute, though. She was a songwriter long before her first personal record release. Where would the music world be without these?

You've Got A Friend

I Feel the Earth Move

Up On the Roof

A Natural Woman

It's Too Late (Baby)

So Far Away

and of course, Pleasant Valley Sunday

"Last Train to Clarksville" was written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. It's the story of a young draftee who is bound for basic training. Of course, this is approaching the height of the Viet Nam War and rang bells with a lot of young people around the country. The last line of the song is "And I dont know if I'm ever coming home". In style, this song is really similar to The Beatles "Paperback Writer", but not in content. "Paperback Writer" is more of a parody regarding a writer approaching a publisher. Interestingly, that song was never included on an original album. It does show up on compilations, though. The similarity of introductions is obvious when the two are played side by side (although not simultaneously). I think this was probably quite intentional on the part of Boyce and Hart, since The Beatles' song had been released only a few months earlier and was a smash hit.

Finally, I think the television show was instrumental in popularizing rock music as a pastime in the US. From the time it premiered, garage bands began forming all over the place and drummers were in great demand. These average American guys seemed more approachable than the mighty Beatles, who were British and that made them exotic.

Well, that's it for today. Thanks for stoppin' in.l