The 1960′s were confusing, sometimes frightening, and often magical, especially to a teenage girl.
The Viet Nam war was escalating, a generation most often referred to as selfish was disillusioned, the Kennedy brothers and Martin Luther King were assassinated, their fallen images displayed on the television screen. The world seemed to be in an upheaval. Not much different from today, actually, but in the sixties, we were just beginning to see the stark images of social unrest, war, and death on the small silver screen in our homes. News was mostly morning, dinner, and late evening, not the 24/7 cycle we now live in, and there was a host of entertaining shows on the three major stations at night.
Many of us were glued to our television sets the Sunday night the Beetles came to the Ed Sullivan Show. It was a “reeeeely big shew”. Those mop-headed boys from England made our hearts go pitty-pat - and our parents shake their heads. I do not recall Davy Jones in a performance of “Oliver” on the stage the night the Beetles performed, but he was there performing in “Oliver”. He saw the frenzy of girls screaming and gushing over those young lads from England. The story goes that Davy thought that being in such a band was something he would like to do.
A few years later, he did.
Did you know that the Monkees were assembled expressly for the television show, The Monkees? The only one to audition was Michael Nesmith. They didn’t start out as the Monkees, but as four young men, brought together by the powers-that-be just for the show, which aired between 1967 and 1969. The show was fun, successful, and is credited with being the first format for music videos.
I was so shocked last night when I heard on the news that Davy Jones had died. How could that be, that daydream believer who made me feel like a homecoming queen? Davy and the rest of the Monkees brightened those last years of the sixties with their catchy tunes, their goofy antics, and the way they made the times seem a little less troubling, in only for a half hour or so.
Like a million or so other teenage girls, it was Davy Jones that I had a crush on. He was cute, could sing, and oh, that British accent.
You might like a moment or two with The Monkees and a little daydream believing by clicking here.
Rest in peace, Davy Jones.
We all loved the Monkees. It was great to have music that had words that made some sense and we could sing along. They always seemed to be having so much fun. I can remember doing the “Monkee walk” with friends and later my children. I’m sure you remember, we walked with arms on each other’s shoulders and swinging our legs in front of each other as we walked singing “Hey, Hey we’re the Monkees! People say we monkey around, but we’re too busy singin’ to put anybody down” It sounds silly, but wouldn’t it be a nice world if people would sing and be silly instead of critical and grouchy?
I remember the “Monkee walk”. I haven’t thought about that since whenever, Janet. It was silly and fun and innocent. It is probably a good thing you’re downstate and I’m up here, or we’d be walking around, swinging our legs while holding on to each other’s shoulders.
It was good music to sing along with and feel good, I agree.
I really liked the Monkees because they were fun, but my heart was given to the Beatles from their very first record when I was 16. I can still remember the shock of John Lennon’s murder when I was 34. It was as though my youth had truly ended.
They were fun, Perpetua, and were made for television, not having the staying power of the Beatles. (oops, wrong spelling up in my text that I’ll need to correct). Still, Davy was sure cute.
I think that many felt that John Lennon’s murder was the end of their youth. So senseless. We all mourned. Most of us here in the states can remember first hearing about the Beatles. I sure can, peeking into the window of a record store with a friend while another told us all about them.
I’ve just realised that it was my lack of TV in the Monkees years that’s the reason I only remember their songs and not the walk and the rest of it. I was at college and then married while their show was on and in both cases I didn’t have TV. Mystery solved!
How I remember that block of time without tv, Perpetua. I’m just a few years younger than you, and don’t recall many television shows that were on during my college years, especially the first two years. I’m glad you solved your mystery – and mine as well.
The Monkees were a huge part of my teenage years, I loved the show, the music, the lifestyle. Mike was my favourite but I loved them all. What a shock to hear that Davy had died last night, totally unexpected, and only 66. I felt like part of my teens died with him. RIP, Davy.
We saw Mike at an old venue called the Quiet Knight in Chicago in the early ’70s, Cath. It was one of those small, dark dingy places with tables all packed close where entertainers came. We saw him there, and another time John Denver before he became famous. He was very good solo, and very shy.
Yes, so young yet and so unexpected.
What a wonderful post to bring back the feeling of the 60′s. Tumult, of course, but some of the simpler things were so delightful. I happened to stop by my sister-in-law’s house last night and she was playing her Monkees album! We listened and talked for quite a while and agreed that if we can find some of the old shows, we’re going to have a retrospective of our own in memory of Davy. Isn’t it something how at our age just talking about the Monkees makes us all feel quite young! I add my own RIP. Lovely, Penny. Debra
Thank you, Debra. How nice that you stopped in to see your sister-in-law and reminisced. Gosh, I think we have some Monkees albums around here, too. How nice to sit and listen and talk. Let us know how your Monkees retrospective goes.
It is. A sad occurrence that manages to make us feel young again. The power of music and musicians that transcends the years.
It is sad that we have lost so many of the people who helped to soothe the angst of our youth. It was a more simple world but still full of all the emotional upheavals of adolesence. I thought I would never see anything more horrible than the JFK assasination but think of the horrid events that have followed. The older I get the more I see I really don’t understand human nature at all. Having said that, I wouldn’t trade anything for the fun it was to grow up in the 60′s. poofy, teased hair and all!
It certainly is, Marilyn, with so many lost and many at such young ages. We seem to make the same mistakes over and over, but, the weapons get bigger and more destructive and on and on. We seemed to have more safeguards, I think, and not the constant barrage of news. Oh, those hairdo’s. I worked hard on having a perfect flip!
This was a very insightful post Penny. I’ve been so sad about Davy Jones’ death and thought it was because it felt like a part of my childhood died with him. But your post made me realize that it is more than that. The Monkees took the most fun, colorful parts of the 60′s and packaged them for us and during such an exciting yet turbulent time, they were a comfort. Through the years whenever I’ve heard one of their songs play on the radio I sang along and felt so happy, never really giving much thought as to why. The songs were catchy and in spite of being the “PRE-fab 4″ they were a charming, talented group of guys! And Davy was always my favorite!
Janet, you put my feelings into words so well. Thank you. I’m glad this gave you some insight. It was in the writing of the post that I realized what the Monkees meant during such a turbulent time. I think that, in spite of all the chaos we were witness to, there was still that innocence and fun that existed, especially with the Monkees.
I always thought the Monkees were set up for me. I was 13 in 1968….desparate to have a favourite band ( apart from the Beatles of course, which was a sort of given)… I used to get dressed up for the Sat. night show. I loved Davey, and remembered him as Ena Sharples grandson in Coronation St…..and was delighted when I found out that Mickey Dolenz had been in Circus Boy, which as a teenager I remembered from my early childhood, watching at my grandmother’s house, long before we had TV. Yes…. sad. What are the others doing now ? I know Mike Nesmith had a further musical career, but I dont know about the others…and Pete was my favourite.
Janice, that’s so cute. How many of us thought the same kinds of thoughts at the age of 13? I love it! I hadn’t seen Coronation St here in the states. I’m sure I would have loved the show – and knowing that Davey was on it. We take television for granted these days; after all, you can watch from a tiny computer in your hands. I’m old enough to remember our first television set, bought just before my blessed birth. It was a HUGE box with the tiniest screen. . . I don’t know what the others are doing, but, Mike Nesmith went on to write more music and had something to do with MTV.
Hey, hey…we did love The Monkees. They were so cute, funny, and happy. But my heart of hearts will always belong to The Beatles.
I saw Davy Jones in a live performance of ‘Grease’ here in my hometown in 1994. I swear, when he came on stage all the women in the audience, including me, screamed and clapped and swooned. It was such youthful response and he was very gracious concerning our craziness.
Thanks for the link to the video. What a delight to sing along with The Monkees once again.
I’m so pleased you stopped by, Belle, and spent just a bit of time looking over your blog. I’ll return. I think we have much book reading in common. I’ve been wanting to read The Greater Journey, as I love McCullough, and do encourage you to read “John Adams”, “1776″, and “Truman”, but that one takes a whole summer.
How fun that must have been to see Davy Jones in “Grease”. It’s fun to act like a young girl again, isn’t it?
You are quite welcome. Hey, hey we’re the Monkees.
I had such a crush on Davy: the suave English one. I loved it when he did his bald trick, taking off a wig to display a gleaming pate. I shall miss him.
He was cute, wasn’t he Kate? What a trick to remember. I think many other will too.
Dear Penny,
I’ve never seen the Monkees perform on tv or video. I always liked the song “I”m a Believer,” which I first heard when I saw “Shrek.” But I never assoiciated it with Neil Diamond or the Monkees. (I listened to two videos when you sent us to the Dreaming one.) Oh, how much I’ve missed! But then, those like yourself who are younger than I missed the singers and the big bands I heard in the forties and fifties. Life is good, truly.
Peace.
Life is, indeed, good, Dee, we just need to look for it for often. Each generation has its own music, and there is some good music in each one. I love to listen to the music of the big bands as much as that of the sixties. The good thing is that no matter what we missed, much of it is still out there to enjoy now.
I was lucky enough to hire the (older) monkees about 15 years ago for a client corporate event and conducted a photo shoot with them. I’m glad now I had the guts to tell davy he was my (and my sister’s ) first crush. I know he has heard it a zillion times, but he was a gentleman! Playing I’m a beliver does lift the spirits – especially the beginning 10 or so seconds of music opening the song.
wonderful post and tribute!
How exciting that must have been. Good for you for telling Davy he was your first crush. He may have heard it a zillion times, but, it was the first and only time you got to tell him how you and your sister felt. Thank you so much for sharing that here. You stepped in for all of us who didn’t have the opportunity.