In the years since their original disbanding, the group has reunited in various incarnations, mostly involving Dolenz, Tork and Jones, but not Nesmith. The first reunion began in 1986 and at first featured only Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork. Davy Jones joined the others and a new album was released before they split again in 1989.
The next regrouping took place between 1993 and 1997 and featured a new album that included the particpation of all four members. A further reunion between 2001 and 2002, was followed by another reunion in 2011 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the television show. This reunion was cut short before 2011 had ended due to scheduling problems with the anniversary tour.
The unexpected death of Davy Jones at the beginning of 2012 prompted the most recent reunion tour, this time featuring Dolenz, Tork and Nesmith.
Created by producers of a TV series to be an American Beatles, the antics of the Monkees band members on the television series were very reminscent of Beatles' antics in films like 'Help' and 'Hard Day's Night'. Indeed, in songs like 'Forget that Girl...', the band and even the lead singer could sound just like the Beatles. With songs provided by Don Kirshner from such writers as Neil Diamond and Carole King, among others, the Monkees were assured of pop success. However, in the beginning, the four group members were hired only as actors to front the band and to provide the vocals whilst studio musicians recorded the backing music. These recordings were provided by Kirshner. Things changed though after the success of the single Last Train to Clarksville, the first hit, leading to demands that the band play live gigs. Having learned to play the music, the band became angry when the second LP was recorded (by Kirshner) by studio musicians, without their knowledge or musical input. They therefore demanded and obtained control of the music.
Nesmith who revealed that the band did not perform on their records was also instrumental in getting Don Kirshner sacked. the next album Headquarters was recorded by The Monkees alone, using hand picked producer Chip Douglas. While not as successful as their first two albums it made it to number one, only to be replaced a week later by The Beatles' Sgt Pepper album. The Monkees eventually settled on a formula of using their own talents as well as those of studio musicians. After two seasons the network and the group could not reach agreement on the format of a third season and the show was canceled even though the ratings were still high. A feature film named Head co-written by The Monkees, Jack Nicholson and Bob Rafelson) followed.
Peter Tork was the first to leave the band, in 1968, during 1969 The TV show went into Saturday morning reruns and the three remaining Monkees recorded two more albums. in 1969 Nesmith departed and began a serious foray into merging country and rock music. He also eventually developed a format that became MTV. By the way his mother invented a product called Liquid Paper, sold it to the Gillette Company for $47 million dollars then died a year later leaving the money to her only son. The remaining two Monkees Dolenz and Jones recorded one last album named Changes in late 1969.
There has, however, been a resurgent interest in The Monkees' music Rhino Records has been instrumental in restoring all their albums, adding bonus tracks, and equipping them with complementary liner notes and stories.
Davy Jones died on February 29, 2012 in Indiantown, Florida.
Peter Tork died on February 21, 2019, at his home in Mansfield, Connecticut.
Michael Nesmith died on December 10, 2021, in Carmel Valley, California.
DISCOGRAPHY (from www.themonkees.net):
The Monkees (1966)
More of The Monkees (1967)
Headquarters (1967)
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. (1967)
The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees (1968)
Head (1968)
Instant Replay (1969)
The Monkees Present (1969)
Changes (1970)
Then & Now...The Best of the Monkees (1986)
Pool It! (1987)
Live 1967 (1987)
Justus (1996)
Good Times! (2016)
Early Morning Blues and Greens
The Monkees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wake as I have always done,
To freshly scented sycamore
And cold bare feet on hardwood floor.
My steaming coffee warms my face
I'm disappointed in the taste.
But there's a peace the early brings
The morning world of growing things.
I feel the moments hurry on
It was today, it's died away,
And now it is forever gone.
And I will drink my coffee slow
And I will watch my shadow grow
And disappear in firelight
And sleep alone again tonight.
The Monkees's song "Early Morning Blues and Greens" nails the feeling of waking up in solitude and experiencing the slow, disconnected passage of time. This song is a brilliant ode to the complexities of feeling lonely and unanchored, and the lyrics just effortlessly sum up these sensations.
The lyrics describe the singer waking up early in the morning to the sound of birds chirping outside. He takes a moment to appreciate the peace and stillness of the early morning, along with the beauty of the natural world. However, the sense of tranquility is quickly overshadowed by a feeling of isolation and a sense of time slipping away, never to be regained. The singer is drinking coffee, trying to savor the moment but feels trapped in his own melancholy. He watches as the day begins and, just like the early morning mist, it drifts away, leaving him alone at night once again.
The song ends in a moving way that reinforces the feelings of solitude conveyed throughout. The singer reflects on his solitary existence as his shadow grows before him and fades into the firelight - an apt metaphor for the transience of life itself.
Line by Line Meaning
A distant night bird mocks the sun.
I can hear a bird chirping early in the morning, a mocking reminder that the sun is rising but I am still tired.
I wake as I have always done,
I wake up in the same way every day, like a habit that's hard to break.
To freshly scented sycamore
The scent of the sycamore tree nearby fills my senses, giving me a sense of freshness and newness in the morning.
And cold bare feet on hardwood floor.
As I step onto the hardwood floor, I feel the coldness on my bare feet, a discomfort that reminds me of the harsh reality outside of my bed.
My steaming coffee warms my face
Having made myself coffee, I feel the warmth emanating from the mug as I bring it to my face.
I'm disappointed in the taste.
I realize that the coffee doesn't taste as good as I had hoped, causing me to feel let down.
But there's a peace the early brings
Despite the disappointment with the coffee, I know that there is a certain peace and tranquility that comes only in the early morning hours.
The morning world of growing things.
The morning brings with it a world of growth and potential, as the world is slowly waking up and beginning its day.
I feel the moments hurry on
I'm acutely aware of the passing of time, as if moments are slipping away from me too quickly.
It was today, it's died away,
I reflect on the fact that the day is already over, even though it feels like it just started.
And now it is forever gone.
Despite the fact that the day was short, it will never come back and is now gone forever.
And I will drink my coffee slow
To savor and appreciate the fleeting moments of the morning, I will drink my coffee slowly.
And I will watch my shadow grow
As the sun rises higher, my shadow will grow longer and stronger, a representation of the passage of time.
And disappear in firelight
As the sun sets and the day comes to an end, my shadow will disappear into the firelight, representing the end of another day.
And sleep alone again tonight.
As the day comes to a close, I am reminded that I will once again sleep alone tonight.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DIANE HILDERBRAND, JACK KELLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
on Words
A good and catchy song by The Monkees.
Philip Kassabian
on D.W. Washburn
A good song by The Monkees.
Philip Kassabian
on Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere
A good song by The Monkees.
Philip Kassabian
on That Was Then, This Is Now
This is a great Monkees song.
Philip Kassabian
on Last Train to Clarksville
A good Monkees song.
Philip Kassabian
on A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You
An excellent Monkees song.
Philip Kassabian
on Daydream Believer
A great Monkees song.
Philip Kassabian
on I'm a Believer - 2006 Remaster
This song is amazing.
Philip Kassabian
on Listen to the Band
Yet another classic song by The Monkees.
Philip Kassabian
on Pleasant Valley Sunday
I've always loved this song ever since I heard it when I was a kid.