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)

Sunny Girlfriend
The Monkees Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

She owns and operates
Her own sunshine factory
Of painting smiles on dolls
And then on me
She's my sunny girlfriend
And personality.

Well, she's got a book

That tells about ev'rybody's past
And she can make you slow
While making your mind move fast
She's my sunny girlfriend
And she is never last.

Oh, while I am sleeping
Then she comes creeping
Into my thoughts at night
Gazing down through eyes
As bright as wonder.

She can send you on your way
To ev'rywhere
She's only started
After you think that she is there.
Well, she's my sunny girlfriend,
And she just doesn't care.

Yes, she's my sunny girlfriend,
She doesn't really care.

Overall Meaning

The Monkees's song, "Sunny Girlfriend", carries an upbeat melody with lyrics that depict a woman nicknamed "sunny girlfriend". She operates her "own sunshine factory", painting "smiles on dolls" and on the singer himself. The singer describes her as his "sunny girlfriend and personality" which implies that she brings positivity to his life. He goes on to say that she possesses a book that delves into everyone's past and has the ability to make you slow down while simultaneously speeding up your thoughts, which highlights her mental prowess.

The lyrics also state that she frequently appears in his dreams with eyes that shine as bright as wonder. She seems to have the power to transport people to different places and moments in time effortlessly. The bridge implies that even when you think you've reached your destination, she can take you somewhere new without hesitation. Despite her abilities, the song asserts that she does not care about what others think of her, and she is happy being herself.

Line by Line Meaning

She owns and operates
She is in control of

Her own sunshine factory
A figurative representation of her ability to bring happiness and positivity to others

Of painting smiles on dolls
Her skill in making even inanimate objects appear joyful

And then on me
She shares her happiness with me specifically

She's my sunny girlfriend
She is a source of light and happiness in my life

And personality.
Her positivity stems from her unique character

Well, she's got a book
She possesses knowledge about people's pasts

That tells about ev'rybody's past
A book that contains information about everyone's history

And she can make you slow
She has the power to calm and soothe

While making your mind move fast
She stimulates the mind while providing relaxation

She's my sunny girlfriend
She brings light and positivity to my life

And she is never last.
Her impact is long-lasting and consistent

Oh, while I am sleeping
Even when I am not consciously thinking of her

Then she comes creeping
Her presence is still felt, subtly but consistently

Into my thoughts at night
She infiltrates my subconscious mind

Gazing down through eyes
Looking at me intently

As bright as wonder.
With an intensity that simply captivates

She can send you on your way
She has the ability to guide and inspire one's journey

To ev'rywhere
To all destinations and opportunities

She's only started
Her journey is just beginning

After you think that she is there.
Even when you think you have figured her out or found her limits, she surprises you with her endless positivity and influence

Well, she's my sunny girlfriend,
She is a constant source of joy in my life

And she just doesn't care.
She is not motivated by external factors or validation, but rather by a genuine desire to spread happiness

Yes, she's my sunny girlfriend,
She is the light of my life

She doesn't really care.
She is not concerned with material things or societal pressures, but rather with being a positive force in the world

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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