"Goin Down"

Day 31 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

Okay, first things first: KY just beat Louisville to advance to the finals, in a game where U of L did a great job and fought a hard fight, but the Cats just fought a bit harder!! And then Kansas upset Ohio State in a very surprising game! So it's Cats VS Jayhawks on Monday!

Okay, so this is my very favorite Monkees song, "Goin' Down", written by Diane Hildebrand, Peter Tork, Mike Nesmith, Davy Jones, and Micky Dolenz, with Micky singing lead. This was the "B" side of "Daydream Believer", and I always preferred it. "Daydream Believer" is a great song, but I never really liked it as well as so many others, and yet it's the one you always heard on the radio. "Goin Down" was supposed to be on the album, "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Jones", but was deleted after "Love Is Only Sleeping" (also a great song!) was included in the album. It was inspired by Mose Allison's song, "Parchman Farm" and began as just a free-form jam until Mike decided it should be recorded.

I'm posting two versions: the first has all the words in the right order; the second is the only live version I've found that I like, but Micky messes up some of the lyrics -- it's still fun to watch, though:

Great video to watch and listen to:




"For Pete's Sake"

"Theme From The Monkees"

Interviews With The Monkees

"HEAD" and "Porpoise Song: Theme From Head"

"I'm A Believer"

Fairy Tale

The Monkees Screen Tests

"What Am I Doing Hanging Round?"

"Star Collector"

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

"For Pete's Sake"

Day 30 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

"For Pete's Sake" was written by Peter Tork and Joseph Richards and was released on the third album "Headquarters". It was the first song Pete ever wrote, and was used to close the show in the second season. Mickey sings lead on this one.

Tomorrow: My favorite Monkees song!




"Theme From The Monkees"

Interviews With The Monkees

"HEAD" and "Porpoise Song: Theme From Head"

"I'm A Believer"

Fairy Tale

The Monkees Screen Tests

"What Am I Doing Hanging Round?"

"Star Collector"

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

"Theme from The Monkees"

Day 29 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

It's been so very pretty here this past week. We didn't get any of the rain that they said we might get. I mowed today for the first time this season, and Thomas got the weed eater out. I use a riding mower, but it still makes my lower back and hands hurt a little, especially when it's been a while since the last time I mowed. I love mowing, though. I like the solitude, and I like working away at the yard, section by section, until it's all done. Tree pollen is bad, so between that and mowing, it was Claritin D and naproxin when I finished.

Perhaps I'll get out and work in some flower beds this afternoon.

I guess it is time to highlight the theme song from The Monkees show, written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, with Micky on lead and Tommy Boyce doing backup vocals. One I never get tired of hearing:




Interviews With The Monkees

"HEAD" and "Porpoise Song: Theme From Head"

"I'm A Believer"

Fairy Tale

The Monkees Screen Tests

"What Am I Doing Hanging Round?"

"Star Collector"

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

Interviews With The Monkees

Day 28 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

Adorable interviews with the four of them on the set of the show, several times when they were a minute short and needed some filler. Adorable!



A really good interview with Mickey, Peter, and Davy on The View in 2011; Mickey could still belt it out on "I'm A Believer"!:




More interviews when they were younger:



A wonderful part with Davy and musician Charlie Smalls at minute 6:15:




"HEAD" and "Porpoise Song: Theme From Head"

"I'm A Believer"

Fairy Tale

The Monkees Screen Tests

"What Am I Doing Hanging Round?"

"Star Collector"

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

"Head" and "Porpoise Song"

Day 27 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

I guess a tribute to The Monkees wouldn't be complete without mentioning the movie "Head." I saw "Head" once many years ago, and don't actually remember what I thought about it. Isn't that terrible? I do like a couple of the songs from the album, "Purpoise Song", in particular. I've read and heard good and bad comments about the movie, so I need to watch it again to make up my own mind. Click on the link to read about the movie in Wikipedia. Got some bad news today about a good friend of our family, and I just really don't feel like writing much about "Head" right now. (Think I've got a cold, too; feeling very lethargic.)

But below are the following videos: "Porpoise Song", the theme song from the movie; a trailer for the movie; a promo for the movie, and a Fan-Made trailer, which I actually like a lot better than the trailer Columbia Pictures made.

Porpoise Song:



Trailer:



Promo for Head:



Fan-made trailer:




"I'm A Believer"

Fairy Tale

The Monkees Screen Tests

"What Am I Doing Hanging Round?"

"Star Collector"

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

"I'm A Believer"

Day 26 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

Today has been a beautiful spring day -- bright sunshine, cool breezes, temps in the 60s/70s. There is actually a frost advisory for parts of the state tonight, but tomorrow we expect more of the same great weather.

I did a bit of yard work and spent time with my dogs today. I love seeing them out there rolling around on their backs in the new grass. You can tell that it just feels so good! Eler Beth got the rabbits out of their hutches today as well to let them graze on the new grass and clover. They really enjoyed that.

Today's song is "I'm A Believer", recorded in 1966, written by Neil Diamond, with Mickey on lead, and Peter, Davey and Mickey (also) singing back up; from their second album. I held off on posting this song, even though it is a favorite, simply because everyone knows it and I wanted to do a lot of lesser-known Monkees songs first.

"I'm A Believer" hit #1 on Billboards Hot 100 chart in December of 1966 and stayed there for seven weeks, and it was the biggest selling hit of 1967. The single went gold within two days of its release, and is one of fewer than 30 all-time singles to have sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Diamond himself played the guitar for this recording.

It's the kind of song you never tire of hearing and singing along with.

Lyrics:

I thought love was only true in fairy tales
Meant for someone else but not for me.
Love was out to get me
That's the way it seemed.
Disappointment haunted all my dreams.

Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind.
I'm in love, I'm a believer!
I couldn't leave her if I tried.

I thought love was more or less a given thing,
Seems the more I gave the less I got.
What's the use in tryin'?
All you get is pain.
When I needed sunshine I got rain.

Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind.
I'm in love, I'm a believer!
I couldn't leave her if I tried





Fairy Tale

The Monkees Screen Tests

"What Am I Doing Hanging Round?"

"Star Collector"

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

Fairy Tale

Day 25 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

First things first: UK will be playing U of L in the Final Four!! They beat Baylor much more easily than I had expected. Kansas and Ohio State will also face off in the semi-finals.

Okay, so I can remember a few specific episodes of The Monkees show, and a couple of specific scenes have always stayed with me. One of my favorite scenes is from the episode "Fairy Tale", where Mickey is Goldilocks.

Fast forward to minute 2:19 to see that particular scene. I don't know why, but it always cracked me up, and I like saying that line like he does on certain occasions.




The Monkees Screen Tests

"What Am I Doing Hanging Round?"

"Star Collector"

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

The Monkees' Screen Tests

Day 24 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

First things first -- the UK/IU game last night was amazing! It was a really fast-pace, well-played, and hard-fought game. UK won, but IU put up a good fight. Now tomorrow they'll face Baylor, so we'll see!

Today instead of a song I'm going to share the clips from the boys' screen tests for the sitcom. They are SO young! It is amazing to me to see how halfway shy and nervous they seem and to remember that they are my son's age in these clips. And they look so innocent!

At the beginning of each boy's test there is a silent part, so don't think your computer volume is messed up. I wonder who the other four guys are and where they are now.



"What Am I Doing Hanging Round?"

"Star Collector"

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

"What Am I Doing Hanging 'Round?"

Day 23 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

The kids enjoyed the movie last night, but lamented the changes and omissions that were made. It would be hard to make a movie out of that book without some changes, but if you've read the books, then they will bother you! All-in-all it was "pretty good", they said, and they really enjoyed going early with their friends. It turned out they had quite a group with them.

Today's song was written by Michael Martin Murphey and Owens Castleman, with Mike on lead. Mike chose this song for the album because of its country sound and because Murphey was a good friend of his. It is from their fourth album. The lyrics are good, and it is perfect for Mike's voice.

Lyrics:

Just a loud mouth Yankee I went down to Mexico.
I didn't have much time to spend, about a week or so.
There I lightly took advantage of a girl who loved me so.
But I found myself a-thinkin' when the time had come to go...

[Chorus:]
What am I doin' hangin' round?
I should be on that train and gone.
I should be ridin' on that train to San Antone,
What am I doin' hangin' round?

She took me to the garden just for a little walk.
I didn't know much Spanish and there was no time for talk.
Then she told me that she loved me not with words but with a kiss.
And like a fool I kept on thinkin' of a train I could not miss...

[Chorus]

Well it's been a year or so, and I want to go back again.
And if I get the money, well I'll ride the same old train.
But I guess your chances come but once and boy I sure missed mine.
And still I can't stop thinkin' when I hear some whistle cryin'....

[Chorus]




"Star Collector"

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

"Star Collector"

Day 22 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

Well, the kids are at Hunger Games; I'm pretty sure they were the first ones there in line. Thomas is at work, and I am home alone. Whee!!!

Just got a message from Eler Beth: "It's going great. People keep asking me who I'm cosplaying as. A few thought I was Rue and my kendama was a sling shot. I just tell them I'm me and then I show what a kendama is. This is awesome." She wore a black leather jacket, black jeans and boots, and Andrew's black fedora, so it seems people think she's cosplaying as a character from the book. I took a picture of her before they left, 'cause she's cute as a button!

Today's song is "Star Collector", written by Gerri Goffin and Carole King, with Davy singing lead. The Moog Synthesizer was used for the second time on this album with this song, this time played by Paul Beaver. The song is about "groupies", and I do like the lyrics a lot.

Lyrics:

Think I'll let her keep on going
Wherever it is she's goin' to.
Give her an autograph and tell her
It's been nice knowin' you.

'Cause she's a star collector (collector of stars)
She only aims to please young celebrities.
Yes, she's a star collector (collector of stars)
How can I love her, when I just don't respect her?

When everything is goin' my way,
She wants to be close at hand.
She moves to some other doorway
When things don't go the way she'd planned.

'Cause she's a star collector (collector of stars)
She only aims to please young celebrities.
Yes, she's a star collector (collector of stars)
Oh it won't take much time before I get her off my mind!

She's a star collector (collector of stars)
She only aims to please young celebrities.
Yes, she's a star collector (collector of stars)
Oh it won't take much time before I get her off my mind!

"Daily Nightly"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

"Daily Nightly"

Day 21 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

My kids are going to the opening of "Hunger Games" tomorrow night, standing in line from about 6:30 until midnight. They already have their tickets. Andrew's girlfriend and some other friends will be there. They want me to come too, but I just don't do the standing-in-line for hours thing anymore!

I do want to see the movie, though. I really hope it does the book justice; all three books are so good. I told the kids I'd go in a week or two -- they said they'll go back with me! lol Eler Beth has a friend who wants to see it but can't go with them tomorrow night, so we'll take him with us when I go.

Today's song is "Daily Nightly", written by Mike with Mickey singing lead. Mickey introduced into the band the Moog Synthesizer with this song; he actually bought the third one ever sold. I don't remember who purchased the first, but Buck Owens bought the second. Interesting, huh? This was the first use of the Moog Synthesizer on a pop record.

I really like this song; I love the poetry of the lyrics, it's a pretty, rather soothing melody, and I, of course, like Mickey's vocals.

Mike might be a bit "out there", but you have to admit he could write some good lyrics.

The lyrics:

Darkened rolling figures move through prisms of no color
Hand in hand, they walk the night, but never know each other
Passion cast in neon lights light up the jewelled trav'ler
Who, lost in scenes of smoke-filled dreams,
Finds questions, but no answers

Startled eyes that sometimes see phantasmagoric splendor
Pirouette down palsied paths with pennies for the vendor
Salvation's yours for just the time it takes to pay the dancer
Once again, such anxious men find questions but no answers

The night has gone and taken its infraction
While reddened eyes hope there will be a next one
Terror signs look down upon a world that glitters glibly
And mountainsides put arms around the unsuspecting city

Second hands that minds have slowed are moving even faster
Toward bringing down someone who's found
The questions, but no answers

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

Day 20 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

Today is absolutely beautiful! It is 85°F at 3 p.m., and it's only the first day of Spring!!

We've had a couple of dry days in a row, so I've been able to get outside to do some yard work. We're supposed to get more showers later this week, but hopefully they won't hang around for long. Clean up is still going on for tornado victims in the area, and now I read that there has been a bad earthquake in Mexico -- 7.9 I think. I guess we'll get more info on deaths and destruction as the day goes on.

My allergies have really been bad this year so far, so I know it will be bad as the season goes on. Need to stock up on Claritin D!

Today's song is "Love Is Only Sleeping", written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil, with Mike singing lead. This song was supposed to have been issued as a single, but there was a manufacturing error, so they issued "Daydream Believer" with "Goin' Down" on the B side instead. So the song came out on the fourth album. It's a good song, strong vocals from Mike, nice back up from the other boys, and the lyrics and melody are good.

P.S. I'm going back and adding the lyrics to all my previous posts.

Lyrics:

She looked at me
And the emptiness in her eyes was cruel to see
Then she turned away and said,
"Once I loved, but love is dead."
And I whispered, "Sometimes love is only sleeping."

She said, "I cannot cry
And I cannot give or feel or even try."
And her voice was hard and cold
Then her sweet young face looked old
And I whispered, "Sometimes love is only sleeping."

Through the endless days and nights
Could not help but wrap herself in sorrow (sorrow)
Through the endless days and nights
She waited for a shiny new tomorrow
Love was sleeping (sleeping) sleeping

She looked at me
And her smiling tears were warm and sweet and free
And the moonlight kissed her eyes
As it mingled with our sighs
And she whispered, "Sometimes love is only sleeping."
And she whispered, "Sometimes love is only sleeping."

Only sleeping
Only sleeping
Only sleeping
Only sleeping

"The Door Into Summer"

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

"The Door Into Summer"

Day 19 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

I really like the lyrics of this song, written by Chip Douglas and Bill Martin, with Mike on lead and Mickey on harmony. This is one of those that you never would hear on the radio, but if you had the albums, you probably liked it. The title is from a novel by sci-fi author Robert A. Heinlein.

Lyrics:

With his fool's gold stacked up all around him
From a killing in the market on the war
The children left king Midas there as they found him
In his counting house where nothing counts but more

And he thought he heard the echoes of a penny whistle band
And the laughter from a distant caravan
And the brightly painted line of circus wagons in the sand
Fading through the door into summer

With his travelogues of "maybe next year" places
As a trade-in for a name upon the door
And he pays for every year he cannot
Buy back with his tears when he finds out
There's been no one keeping score

And he thought he heard the echoes of a penny whistle band
And the laughter from a distant caravan
And the brightly painted line of circus wagons in the sand
Fading through the door into summer

Yes, he thought he heard the echoes of a penny whistle band
And the laughter from a distant caravan
And the brightly painted line of circus wagons in the sand
Fading through the door into summer

Fading through the door into summer...
Fading through the door into summer....

"When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door"

"Mary, Mary"

"No Time"

"Randy Scouse Git"

"Zor and Zam"

"Valleri"

"Mr. Webster"

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere"

"Zilch"

"Shades of Gray"

"She"

"Your Aunty Grizelda"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Last Train To Clarksville"

"Papa Gene's Blues"

"This Just Doesn't Seem to be my Day"

"I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"