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)
Listen to the Band
The Monkees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I need help, I'm falling again
Play the drum a little louder
Tell me I can live without her
If I only listen to the band
Listen to the band
Weren't they good, they made me happy
I think I can make it alone
Oh, mercy, woman plays a song and no one listens
I need help, I'm falling again
Play the drum a little bit louder
Tell them they can live without her
If they only listen to the band
Listen to the band
Now weren't they good, they made me happy
I think I can make it alone
Oh, woman plays a song and no one listens
I need help I'm falling again
Come on, play the drums just a little bit louder
Tell us we can live without her
Now that we have listened to the band
Listen to the band
The Monkees's song "Listen to the Band" is a plea to a woman who hasn't been paying attention to the singer's struggles. He feels like he's falling and needs help, but she's not listening. He asks for the drum to be played louder and for her to tell him he can live without her, but ultimately decides that by just listening to the band, he can make it on his own. This song is a celebration of the power of music and the way it can bring people together and help them cope with difficult situations.
The opening line "Hey, hey, mercy woman plays a song and no one listens" sets the tone for the song, with the singer feeling ignored and in need of assistance. The repetition of the lines "Play the drum a little louder/Tell me I can live without her" reinforces his desperation for some kind of reassurance. However, as the song progresses, the focus shifts to the power of music to bring people together and provide comfort, as evidenced by the lines "Weren't they good, they made me happy/I think I can make it alone."
The overall message of "Listen to the Band" is one of hope and resilience in the face of hardship. By simply listening to the music, the singer is able to find the strength to carry on. This is a song that celebrates the transformative power of music and the way it can bring people together to help them overcome life's challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey, hey, mercy woman plays a song and no one listens
The singer is calling attention to the fact that despite the woman's plea through her music, people are not paying enough attention to the message she is trying to convey.
I need help, I'm falling again
The singer is acknowledging his own personal struggle and seems to be seeking comfort, perhaps from the woman and the music she's playing.
Play the drum a little louder
The singer is requesting for the music to be played more emphatically or energetically, possibly to draw more attention to it and make it more impactful.
Tell me I can live without her
The singer seems to be experiencing heartache and longing for a lost love, and is asking for reassurance that he'll be alright on his own without her.
If I only listen to the band
The singer believes that by immersing himself in the music and really paying attention to it, he can find solace and strength to overcome his heartache.
Listen to the band
The singer is emphasizing the importance of really listening and paying attention to the music being played, as he believes it can have a powerful effect on the listener.
Weren't they good, they made me happy
The singer is expressing his appreciation for the band's music and the joy it brings him when he listens to it.
I think I can make it alone
The singer is feeling more confident and self-reliant now, perhaps as a result of finding solace in the music.
Oh, mercy, woman plays a song and no one listens
The singer is reiterating the central message of the song - that despite the power of the music being played, people are still not paying enough attention to it.
Tell them they can live without her
The singer is directing the plea for reassurance that he can live without his lost love to others who may be experiencing the same heartache.
Now that we have listened to the band
The singer is emphasizing the transformative power of really paying attention to and immersing oneself in the music - as he and his listeners have done - and perhaps implying that this can help heal emotional wounds.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL NESMITH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Philip Kassabian
Yet another classic song by The Monkees.
@dorisdarmanin4274
So Sad to hear that Mike Nesmith has passed away, l remember the times that l wants to rush home after school to see The Monkees Show every afternoon at 4 pm in the 60’s , l would watch the show with so much joy as a teenager listening to their music , Mike was my favourite, May he RIP 🌹🌹🌹
@denniskennedy9288
Same as me , growing up in Australia in the Seventies …..even Afternoon after school . Great times
@4string59
Just found out that Mike Nesmith passed away today. So sad. So much talent in that man. RIP Mike. Thank you so much for the wonderful music you gave us.
@allingtonmarakan1436
Very sad to hear that. Does that mean that they have all passed now?
@4string59
@@allingtonmarakan1436 Only Micky is left.
@allingtonmarakan1436
@@4string59 Yes, I saw on other video comment threads that he is still going. All the best to him.
@jackkerrigan3983
And how!
@jleoneleone8760
I met all four davey 3 times Peter and Mickey 4 and mike once I think I’ll be one of the last people ever to have met all 4 and I say that proudly at the age of 2
@captainfantastic9158
Hell, hell, HELL of a song. Even though The Monkees' chart fortunes were dwindling in 1969, "Listen To The Band" was strong enough to climb the charts on it's own simply because it was a damn good song. Well done, Michael.