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)
The Door Into Summer
The Monkees Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
From a killing in the market on the war
The children left King Midas there, as they found him
In his counting house where nothing counts but more
And he thought he heard the echoes of a penny whistle band
And the laughter from a distant caravan
And the brightly painted line of circus wagons in the sand
With his travelogues of "maybe next year" places
As a trade-in for a name upon the door
And he pays for it with years he cannot buy back with his tears
When he finds out there's been no one keeping score
And he thought he heard the echoes of a penny whistle band
And the laughter from a distant caravan
And the brightly painted line of circus wagons in the sand
Fading through the door into summer
Yes, he thought he heard the echoes of a penny whistle band
And the laughter from a distant caravan
And the brightly painted line of circus wagons in the sand
Fading through the door into summer
Fading through the door into summer
Fading through the door into summer
Fading through the door into summer
The Door Into Summer by The Monkees is a song that is open to interpretation, but at the heart of it, it is a commentary on materialism and the illusions that people create for themselves in order to feel happy and fulfilled. The lyrics describe a man who has accumulated a lot of wealth, referred to as "fool's gold," through shady dealings in the market and war. However, despite his riches, he is unhappy and unfulfilled, as the children have left him alone in his counting house, where nothing counts but more.
The chorus of the song describes how the man hears echoes of a penny whistle band and the laughter of a distant caravan, as well as a line of brightly painted circus wagons in the sand. These images represent a nostalgic longing for simpler times and a desire for adventure and freedom. The man is fading through the door into summer, leaving his old life behind in search of something more meaningful.
The second verse continues with the theme of the man's discontent with his life, as he trades in his travelogues of "maybe next year" places for a name upon the door. He realizes that he cannot buy back the years he has wasted pursuing material possessions and that there has been no one keeping score of his accomplishments. The echoes of the penny whistle band and distant caravan in the chorus represent the man's desire to escape his mundane reality and seek out new experiences and adventures.
Overall, The Door Into Summer is a commentary on the emptiness of materialism and the search for something more meaningful in life. The lyrics are open to interpretation, but they suggest that true happiness and fulfillment cannot be found in the accumulation of material possessions and that people must seek out adventure and new experiences to find what they truly desire.
Line by Line Meaning
With his fool's gold stacked up all around him
Surrounded by worthless treasures
From a killing in the market on the war
Profit from wartime violence
The children left King Midas there, as they found him
Abandoned by those he cared about
In his counting house where nothing counts but more
Driven by greed and a desire for more
And he thought he heard the echoes of a penny whistle band
He imagines a carefree, joyful life that he can't have
And the laughter from a distant caravan
He yearns for a life of adventure and freedom
And the brightly painted line of circus wagons in the sand
A fanciful dream of a joyful, colorful life
Fading through the door into summer
Escaping from reality into fantasy
With his travelogues of 'maybe next year' places
Filled with empty promises and unfulfilled dreams
As a trade-in for a name upon the door
Sacrificing his dreams for a meaningless status symbol
And he pays for it with years he cannot buy back with his tears
Lamenting wasted time and opportunities
When he finds out there's been no one keeping score
Realizing that all his efforts were for nothing
Fading through the door into summer
Seeking refuge in a world of imagination and fantasy
Yes, he thought he heard the echoes of a penny whistle band
Continuing to imagine a better life
And the laughter from a distant caravan
Longing for a life of adventure and joy
And the brightly painted line of circus wagons in the sand
A fanciful dream of a carefree, colorful life
Fading through the door into summer
Escaping from reality into fantasy
Fading through the door into summer
Seeking refuge in a world of imagination and fantasy
Fading through the door into summer
Escaping from reality into fantasy
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Chip Douglas, Bill Martin
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.