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)
I'll Spend My Life With You
The Monkees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Movin' fast and movin' slow
I'm in a crowd yet I'm all alone
The road is long the road is rough
I do believe I've had enough
I'm gonna turn around and head for home.
And I hope you're there
And if you do,
I'll spend my life with you.
I've had all the time I need
To rearrange my mind and lead
The life I thought I wanted yesterday
I played a game that couldn't last
And now some mem'ries from the past
Have turned my thoughts around a different way.
And girl, I find
You're still on my mind.
And if you want me to
I'll spend my life with you.
And girl, I find
You're still on my mind.
And if you want me to
I'll spend my life with you.
The Monkees's song "I'll Spend My Life With You" is a heartfelt piece that reflects on the ups and downs of life, focusing on the transient nature of people and the importance of finding a constant source of love and support. The opening line of the song, "People come and people go, movin' fast and movin' slow," sets the tone for what is to come - an introspective look at the singer's journey through life and his evolving priorities. Despite being surrounded by people, the singer feels alone and detached, suggesting that the search for true connection is a personal and sometimes challenging one.
The song's chorus offers a glimmer of hope, however, with its emphasis on the power of love to provide stability and meaning in a chaotic world. The lyrics "And I hope you're there, and you still care, and if you do, I'll spend my life with you" reinforce the idea that finding someone who loves you unconditionally is crucial to creating a fulfilling life. The singer acknowledges that he has made mistakes in the past, but he has learned from them and now understands the importance of prioritizing relationships over more ephemeral pursuits.
Overall, "I'll Spend My Life With You" is a poignant reflection on the human experience, emphasizing the need for connection and support in a world that can often feel isolating and uncertain.
Line by Line Meaning
People come and people go
People enter and exit our lives constantly
Movin' fast and movin' slow
Some people move quickly through our lives, while others stay around longer
I'm in a crowd yet I'm all alone
Being surrounded by people doesn't guarantee companionship or prevent loneliness
The road is long the road is rough
Life is a difficult and trying journey
I do believe I've had enough
The singer is tired and ready for a change
I'm gonna turn around and head for home.
The singer is going to make a U-turn and go back to where they started
And I hope you're there
The singer is hoping that someone special is still waiting for them
And you still care
The singer is hoping that this person still has feelings for them
And if you do,
The singer is making a conditional statement - if the person still cares
I'll spend my life with you.
The singer is willing to commit to spending their life with this person if they still care
I've had all the time I need
The singer has taken the time they need to reflect and make a decision regarding their future
To rearrange my mind and lead
The singer has thought through their options and now feels more in control of their life
The life I thought I wanted yesterday
The singer had aspirations for a certain life but has since changed those goals
I played a game that couldn't last
The singer was once involved in something that was not meant to continue
And now some mem'ries from the past
The singer is reflecting on their past experiences
Have turned my thoughts around a different way.
Those memories have influenced the singer's current way of thinking
And girl, I find
The singer is addressing someone special they have feelings for
You're still on my mind.
The person the singer is addressing has not left their thoughts
And if you want me to
The singer is open to the possibility of a future with this person
I'll spend my life with you.
The singer is willing to commit to spending their life with this person if they still want them
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BOBBY HART, TOMMY BOYCE
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.