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 Wanna Be Free
The Monkees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like the bluebirds flying by me
Like the waves out on the blue sea
If your love has to tie me
Don't try me, say good-bye
I wanna be free
Don't say you love me, say you like me
Stay close enough to guide me
Confide in me, whoa-oh-oh
I wanna hold your hand
Walk along the sand
Laughing in the sun
Always having fun
Doing all those things
Without any strings to tie me down
I wanna be free
Like the warm September wind, babe
Say you'll always be my friend, babe
We can make it to the end, babe
Again, babe, I've gotta say
I wanna be free
I wanna be free
I wanna be free
The Monkees’s "I Wanna Be Free" is a song about the desire for independence and freedom in a romantic relationship. The singer compares his or her desire for freedom to that of the bluebirds’ flight and the waves’ movement in the ocean. He or she implies that if the love of their partner is going to restrain them, then they would rather say goodbye and be free. The singer urges their partner to be upfront about their feelings - if they only like them, they should say so instead of pretending to love them. He or she requests their partner to stay close enough to guide them but to also confide in them. The singer longs for a carefree, uncomplicated life where they can hold hands, walk on the beach, and laugh under the sun without any strings attached.
The song's lyrics carry a deep meaning, and it's relatable for many people who want to move ahead in life without being held back by someone or something. The reference to the "bluebirds flying by me" suggests a person who is free-spirited, independent, and unimpeded in their movement. The singer communicates that he or she needs a partner who will support, guide, and confide in them, but not someone who will hold them back.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna be free
The singer desires to have complete freedom in his life.
Like the bluebirds flying by me
The singer wishes to be as free as a bird with no restraints holding him back.
Like the waves out on the blue sea
The singer wants to be as free as the ocean waves that are unrestricted and constantly moving.
If your love has to tie me
The artist does not want to be tied down or restricted by a romantic partner's love.
Don't try me, say good-bye
If the artist's partner is not willing to give him complete freedom, he would rather end the relationship.
Don't say you love me, say you like me
The singer is not interested in a romantic partner who will try to control or restrict him with their love.
But when I need you beside me
Despite wanting freedom, the singer still desires companionship from his partner.
Stay close enough to guide me
The artist wants his partner to be there for him and offer support when he needs it, but without trying to control him or restrict his freedom.
Confide in me, whoa-oh-oh
The artist wants his partner to communicate with him honestly and openly, sharing their thoughts and feelings with him.
I wanna hold your hand
The artist desires physical affection and closeness with his partner.
Walk along the sand
The singer wants to share romantic moments with his partner, such as walking on the beach.
Laughing in the sun
The artist desires to experience joy and happiness with his partner, enjoying the simple pleasures of life.
Always having fun
The singer values having fun and enjoying life with his partner.
Doing all those things
The singer wants to share a variety of experiences with his partner.
Without any strings to tie me down
The singer wants to experience these things freely, without any restrictions or constraints placed on him.
Like the warm September wind, babe
The artist wants his freedom to feel as natural and effortless as the wind.
Say you'll always be my friend, babe
The artist wants his partner to value their friendship as much as their romantic relationship.
We can make it to the end, babe
The singer believes that he and his partner can have a long and successful relationship if they both respect each other's freedom.
Again, babe, I've gotta say
The singer is reiterating his desire for freedom and honesty in his romantic relationship.
I wanna be free
The song concludes with the same sentiment as the opening line: the artist wants to be liberated and unrestricted in his life and relationships.
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.