"Your Aunty Grizelda"

Day 6 of 31 Days of The Monkees:

Sunny and beautiful today here in Southern Indiana. Our high is around 72°F, and there's a bit of a breeze. I hope this weather holds, but I think rain is expected later in the week. I don't have much to write about; nothing special going on here at home. Everyone is well and keeping busy.

Today's song comes from The Monkees' second album, released January 9, 1967 (I would have been 9 months old). "Your Aunty Grizelda" was written by Diane Hildebrand and Jack Keller, the first recording that featured Peter Tork singing lead. (I figured it was time to give Peter the spotlight.) I always LOVED this song. The lyrics are witty, and the song, although never released as a single, was regularly performed at concerts because of its popularity. I have to admit it was very much a highlight of their 1986 reunion tour that I saw.

You have to admit that the lines, "No bird of grace ever lit on Aunty Grizelda," and "She couldn't budge a smile and do it for free./So righteous making fudge, your Aunty Grizelda,/So proper judging others over her tea," are simply superb. Haven't we all known some "Aunty Grizeldas" in our lifetimes?

The video from the show, of course, has nothing to do with an "Aunty Grizelda", but it's still cute. It looks like they had a lot of fun doing it.

Lyrics:

She knows her mind all right, your Auntie Grizelda,
She says she knows my kind, she might, maybe so.
Oh, yeah, she's raised you right, your Auntie Grizelda,
You only know the things she wants you to know.

I know she's having a fit,
She doesn't like me a bit,
No bird of grace ever lit on Auntie Grizelda.

You can't begrudge her style, your Auntie Grizelda,
She couldn't budge a smile and do it for free.
So righteous making fudge, your Auntie Grizelda,
So proper judging others over her tea.

You look just like her you do,
I know by looking at you,
That you've been listening to your Auntie Grizelda.

[ad lib]

Oh, no, don't look at me like Auntie Grizelda
It takes much more to be someone of your own.
You've got to make it free from Auntie Grizelda
Or just like her you'll have to make it alone.

I know she's having a fit,
She doesn't like me a bit,
No bird of grace ever lit on Auntie Grizelda.

Auntie Grizelda, Auntie Grizelda....
[repeat and ad lib]




"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"