The Monkees assembled to be the stars of an American television series of t… Read Full Bio ↴The Monkees assembled to be the stars of an American television series of the same name, which ran on NBC from 1966 to 1968. The original lineup was: Micky Dolenz (drums, vocals), Michael Nesmith (guitar, vocals), Davy Jones (percussion, vocals) and Peter Tork (bass, keyboards, vocals) . The Monkees were formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California and initially disbanded in 1970 at the conclusion of their recording contract. At their peak they were competing with The Beatles for the top spot on album charts.

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)

Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again
The Monkees Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Do I have to do this all over again?
Didn't I do it right the first time?
Do I have to do this all over again?
How many times do I have to make this climb?
Didn't I? Didn't I?

Can I see my way to know what's really real
They say time can fix things by itself

I know life's more than just some kind of deal
Won't you tell me what all, when my soul comes off the shelf
Didn't I, oh, didn't I?

Do I have to do this all over again?
Didn't I do it right the first time?
Do I have to do this all over again?

How many times do I have to make this climb?
Didn't I?...

Overall Meaning

In The Monkees's song Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again, the lyrics describe the feeling of going through the same struggles repeatedly, and questioning whether or not the effort is worth it. The singer asks if he has to repeat the same actions again and again, even though he feels like he did it correctly the first time. He also expresses a desire for clarity and understanding about the world around him, wondering if time alone can heal him or if there is something more meaningful he needs to do. These lyrics convey a sense of frustration and hopelessness, as the singer questions whether his efforts will ever make a difference.

The line "Can I see my way to know what's really real" suggests a search for truth or deeper understanding, while the phrase "life's more than just some kind of deal" implies a desire for purpose or meaning in life beyond just making transactions. The chorus repeats the question of whether or not the singer has to repeat the same actions endlessly, with the phrase "Didn't I?" emphasizing the idea that the singer has tried before and feels like he did everything perfectly, yet still finds himself having to start again.

Overall, this song speaks to the human experience of feeling stuck in a cycle and questioning the value of one's work and effort. It emphasizes the desire for clarity, understanding, and purpose in life, while acknowledging the difficulty of achieving these goals.

Line by Line Meaning

Do I have to do this all over again?
Am I obligated to repeat this process?

Didn't I do it right the first time?
Wasn't my initial attempt satisfactory?

Do I have to do this all over again?
Must I reiterate the procedure?

How many times do I have to make this climb?
How often must I ascend this peak?

Didn't I? Didn't I?
Wasn't I already successful?

Can I see my way to know what's really real
Is it feasible for me to comprehend actuality?

They say time can fix things by itself
I've heard that time can mend things autonomously

I know life's more than just some kind of deal
I am aware that existence is more than just a transaction

Won't you tell me what all, when my soul comes off the shelf
Could you reveal everything to me, when my being is liberated?

Didn't I, oh, didn't I?
Wasn't I already proficient?

Do I have to do this all over again?
Am I mandated to replicate this?