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)

Magnolia Simms
The Monkees Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

By Michael Nesmith
Love to me is blue-eyed and blonde.
Oh, that's sweet Magnolia.
Apple pie on the window still warm.
That's my sweet Magnolia

Walking under a sky that's so blue
After rain has fallen.

When she's walking so close by my side
My troubles seem to just run and hide.

[la-dee, da-dumb, etc.]
Well, walking under a sky that's so blue
After rain has fallen.
When she's walking so close by my side
My troubles seem to just run and hide.

Magnolia Simms is my little doll.
I can't live without her.
For if she goes my world will just fall.
Stay with me, Magnolia.

[Sound of record skipping]
Stay with me, Magnolia.

Overall Meaning

The Monkees's song Magnolia Simms is a love song about a girl named Magnolia. The singer, Michael Nesmith, describes his love for Magnolia through her physical appearance and her actions. The first verse describes how love looks to him, and he compares it to Magnolia's blonde hair and blue eyes. The second verse expresses his admiration for Magnolia's cooking, particularly her apple pie. The chorus talks about how walking with Magnolia under a clear blue sky can make his worries disappear. He repeats the chorus twice, emphasizing the importance of Magnolia in his life, and begging her to stay with him in the end.

The lyrics of Magnolia Simms may seem simple and straightforward, but they capture the essence of falling in love with someone. Michael Nesmith's descriptions of Magnolia's appearance and actions make listeners imagine what she might look like, and how being around her makes him feel. The repetition of the chorus also emphasizes how much Magnolia means to him, and it drives home the message that she is someone he doesn't want to lose.

Line by Line Meaning

Love to me is blue-eyed and blonde.
My ideal love interest is someone who has blue eyes and blonde hair.

Oh, that's sweet Magnolia.
I am likely talking about a girl named Magnolia whom I find particularly sweet or endearing.

Apple pie on the window still warm.
I associate Magnolia with familiar, comforting things, like freshly baked apple pie.

That's my sweet Magnolia
I feel possessive of Magnolia, almost like she belongs to me.

Walking under a sky that's so blue After rain has fallen. When she's walking so close by my side My troubles seem to just run and hide.
Being with Magnolia brings me a sense of peace, even on a day when it's rained and the sky is blue. Her presence makes my problems seem less daunting.

Magnolia Simms is my little doll.
I might describe Magnolia in a way that's somewhat patronizing - comparing her to a doll that I can play with and manipulate.

I can't live without her.
I am very dependent on Magnolia's presence in my life.

For if she goes my world will just fall.
Without Magnolia, I feel like my life would be entirely devoid of meaning or happiness.

Stay with me, Magnolia.
I am begging Magnolia to stay with me, suggesting that I'm afraid she might leave.

[Sound of record skipping] Stay with me, Magnolia.
The record seems to have skipped, which could suggest that this line is particularly important or emotional for me. I still want Magnolia to stay with me.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHARLES ROCKET, MICHAEL NESMITH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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