They were mockingly called the Pre-fab Four… a put-together band who didn’t know each other before being cast as band-mates…
on a TV show that was totally cringeworthy..
Their jokes were unbearable, their cutesy images over-the-top, and lot of their music banal.
Of courseI wouldn’t listen to it, being way too sophisticated.
…
But it turns out that they weren’t just guys off the street…
we knew that about Davy Jones, who’d been a Broadway and London stage star as a juvenile…
but in retrospect, they did all have varying degrees of musical talent, and away from those dreadful jokes and unwatchable plots, some of their songs have grown on me.
This one, in fact, is an earworm…
….
Mike Nesmith in particular was already a guitarist and a songwriter, and I just found out that he wrote one I’ve always liked.
The producers said it was unsuitable for the Monkees, so he gave it to Linda Ronstadt…
She had a big hit with it, and it helped make her famous, when she was the lead singer of the Stone Poneys.
Wow! That review was really kinda harsh, there, Susan! Especially for this die-hard fan who still has all of their albums, and who still enjoys watching random episodes of the show on YouTube occasionally. While my best friend in 7th grade was in love with Paul McCartney, I was head over heels for Peter Tork!
The show was really entertaining….for that period of time. Of course, it looks silly now, to our 2021 tastes, and even back then, as well…but, it was worlds better than the Beverly Hillbillies or Gilligan’s Island! And, for this 7th grader, they were every bit as good as the Beatles. Yeah, I guess you could call me unsophisticated, but I still love their music AND I love the fact that after the first few shows, they insisted on playing and singing the music themselves, rather than pretending to, like the producers had ordered. And, they proved they were very talented in their own right.
The show was NOT cringeworthy, the jokes were NOT unbearable, their music was NOT banal, and their images were nowhere near over-the-top….certainly not as much as The Young Rascals or Paul Revere and the Raiders when they were first starting out!
So, did you really need to be that critical of the show? At that time, the target audience was middle school, and it was very successful. For me, it brings back a lot of good memories!
Sorry! I just went with my immediate reaction upon reading your comment. It was like an arrow piercing my heart! (ok, ok…..a bit exaggerated, admittedly!) But, still………….
Anyway, as long as you appreciate their music now, then all is well.
😉
“Last Train..” was one of the first songs that I learned (I loved that rolling fill). It was actually a subtle war protest.
While the Monkees WERE pre-fab, they had some of the best Hollywood musical talent involved. Boyce and Hart did some of their tunes.
And, the “B” side songs were often better than the Bubblegum “A” side. The flip side of “Daydream Believer” was “Goin Down”.
Meself, I didn’t care so much for the total bubblegum, such as The Archies and 1910 Fruit Gum Company. Still better (IMHO) than anything I’ve heard recently.
I DO still play Monkees and Raiders for my own enjoyment.
I wasn’t interested in their show, but always liked (and still like) their music. While there were so many acclaimed singing groups that didn’t write their own music (particularly in my much loved Motown genre), somehow the Monkees were particularly derided for it.
I watched that cartoon sequence, and enjoyed it.
I went looking for, and found, the 1992 movie (production budget $25,000,000.00 / box office $12,000,000.00).
Having started it, I immediately began skipping.
You posted the best scene.
My conclusion:
Pam Dawber, and John Ritter took their respective roles because they were both bored out of their trees and wanted something to do.
Michael Nesmith – Dead
Peter Tork – Dead
Davy Jones – Dead
Gerry (& the Pacemakers) Marsden – Dead
Dr. Hook (Ray Sawyer) – Dead
Doug (My Sharona) Fieger – Dead
Cleo’s Credit Card – Dead
Linda Ronstadt – Voice terminated by Parkinson’s Disease
Gov. Arnold (The Terminator) Schwarzenegger – Terminated by the Evil Cat Next Door
There are more details at other sites, but this is the one I deemed most suitable for here.
The picture is a link to an article about Eve Sharona Alperin (the Sharona of “My Sharona”).
Country music was never my thing, but I have the utmost respect for Dolly Parton. She is one very talented lady; she can sing, act, write, write music, and be funny. I wouldn’t be surprised if she can juggle too.
My mom and I were doing a studio tour during some down time when I was in CA for a training class. Dolly Parton came by and said hello to the group. I’m only about 5’1″ and she wasn’t much taller even though she was wearing tall heels and I was in sneakers.
…
…
Collaboration between architects and chefs at…
….SEATTLE, WASHINTON / SHERATON HOTEL 2012
Unfortunately, this year’s, like last’s has been cancelled.
Thanks for the additional info.
(BTW, I left a reply for you on yesterday’s page.)
…
…
One of my favorites ♪☺♫
I like ‘scruffy looking’
;
Perfect!
I see now that it’s a warm coat.
At first, I thought it was something like “Sister Mary Bassetta.”
Hey, maybe they could make a TV show… about a little basset nun who could spread her ears out wide, and fly.
QB VII?
A woofer in sheeps clothing?
“Judging” by the looks of things, it looks like it should be sliding down the barrister.
.
…
…
The guy who proved that you don’t have to be tall, handsome, well-built (by Hollywood standards… or a self-promoter or publicity-seeker…
you can be smart, self-effacing, a loner, and even be named Humphrey….
and still be one of the biggest and somehow most attractive movie stars in the world.
ditto!
Rehearsing for his upcoming role on America’s Test Kitchen…
where he will play a baked potato.
😀
“I’m just gonna lay low here till this all blows over.”
RIP Mike Nesmith
d. Friday, 12.10.2021
…
Click through the clutter, go to the 16 minute mark, and watch Michael Nesmith have some fun with his song “Different Drum” at this…
….LINK
I loved the show as a small child (yes; it was on German TV, too!) – and I love the song mentioned above. Rest in peace, Mike.
Regarding Davy Jones – well, you’ve watched “The Center Seat” and know the connection to “Wagon Train to the Stars” and Walter Koenig specifically.
They were mockingly called the Pre-fab Four… a put-together band who didn’t know each other before being cast as band-mates…
on a TV show that was totally cringeworthy..
Their jokes were unbearable, their cutesy images over-the-top, and lot of their music banal.
Of course I wouldn’t listen to it, being way too sophisticated.
…
But it turns out that they weren’t just guys off the street…
we knew that about Davy Jones, who’d been a Broadway and London stage star as a juvenile…
but in retrospect, they did all have varying degrees of musical talent, and away from those dreadful jokes and unwatchable plots, some of their songs have grown on me.
This one, in fact, is an earworm…
….
Mike Nesmith in particular was already a guitarist and a songwriter, and I just found out that he wrote one I’ve always liked.
The producers said it was unsuitable for the Monkees, so he gave it to Linda Ronstadt…
She had a big hit with it, and it helped make her famous, when she was the lead singer of the Stone Poneys.
Wow! That review was really kinda harsh, there, Susan! Especially for this die-hard fan who still has all of their albums, and who still enjoys watching random episodes of the show on YouTube occasionally. While my best friend in 7th grade was in love with Paul McCartney, I was head over heels for Peter Tork!
The show was really entertaining….for that period of time. Of course, it looks silly now, to our 2021 tastes, and even back then, as well…but, it was worlds better than the Beverly Hillbillies or Gilligan’s Island! And, for this 7th grader, they were every bit as good as the Beatles. Yeah, I guess you could call me unsophisticated, but I still love their music AND I love the fact that after the first few shows, they insisted on playing and singing the music themselves, rather than pretending to, like the producers had ordered. And, they proved they were very talented in their own right.
The show was NOT cringeworthy, the jokes were NOT unbearable, their music was NOT banal, and their images were nowhere near over-the-top….certainly not as much as The Young Rascals or Paul Revere and the Raiders when they were first starting out!
So, did you really need to be that critical of the show? At that time, the target audience was middle school, and it was very successful. For me, it brings back a lot of good memories!
IIRC, the Raiders started out as a “Frat-rock” band. My garage band played several of their tunes.
I loved “Zor and Zam”, about a war that didn’t happen.
Stel, I think the last part of Susan’s comment indicates that she came to like these Monkees over time.
I was giving my opinion from back then…
I was a little older than you… beyond their middle school target audience, and unbearably artsy.
So of course, I thought I was way too sophisticated for the likes of the Monkees.
Sorry! I just went with my immediate reaction upon reading your comment. It was like an arrow piercing my heart! (ok, ok…..a bit exaggerated, admittedly!) But, still………….
Anyway, as long as you appreciate their music now, then all is well.
😉
“Last Train..” was one of the first songs that I learned (I loved that rolling fill). It was actually a subtle war protest.
While the Monkees WERE pre-fab, they had some of the best Hollywood musical talent involved. Boyce and Hart did some of their tunes.
And, the “B” side songs were often better than the Bubblegum “A” side. The flip side of “Daydream Believer” was “Goin Down”.
I am a Monkees fan, and a bubblegum music fan. We don’t need to put down one, to like the other.
Meself, I didn’t care so much for the total bubblegum, such as The Archies and 1910 Fruit Gum Company. Still better (IMHO) than anything I’ve heard recently.
I DO still play Monkees and Raiders for my own enjoyment.
I wasn’t interested in their show, but always liked (and still like) their music. While there were so many acclaimed singing groups that didn’t write their own music (particularly in my much loved Motown genre), somehow the Monkees were particularly derided for it.
Good music is good music.
Amen to that!!!
They had some very good songwriters.
I watched that cartoon sequence, and enjoyed it.
I went looking for, and found, the 1992 movie (production budget $25,000,000.00 / box office $12,000,000.00).
Having started it, I immediately began skipping.
You posted the best scene.
My conclusion:
Pam Dawber, and John Ritter took their respective roles because they were both bored out of their trees and wanted something to do.
ambrosia fruit salad
If there is anything a good fruit salad does NOT need, it’s mini-marshmallows.
Michael Nesmith – Dead
Peter Tork – Dead
Davy Jones – Dead
Gerry (& the Pacemakers) Marsden – Dead
Dr. Hook (Ray Sawyer) – Dead
Doug (My Sharona) Fieger – Dead
Cleo’s Credit Card – Dead
Linda Ronstadt – Voice terminated by Parkinson’s Disease
Gov. Arnold (The Terminator) Schwarzenegger – Terminated by the Evil Cat Next Door
There are more details at other sites, but this is the one I deemed most suitable for here.
The picture is a link to an article about Eve Sharona Alperin (the Sharona of “My Sharona”).
_sharona-wide-e7cb947329041a2cdf0523328f1184f82f6f333d-jpgs1400.jpg)
Has to Oldsmobile? No wonder he got beat up.
Good morning Cleo Phans!
.
.
Y’all have a great day! HuGz!
Chuck Berry – also dead.
Country music was never my thing, but I have the utmost respect for Dolly Parton. She is one very talented lady; she can sing, act, write, write music, and be funny. I wouldn’t be surprised if she can juggle too.
We know she can jiggle…
LOL
jiggle bell
jiggle bell
jiggle bell rock
Those aren’t rocks.
But she does.
My mom and I were doing a studio tour during some down time when I was in CA for a training class. Dolly Parton came by and said hello to the group. I’m only about 5’1″ and she wasn’t much taller even though she was wearing tall heels and I was in sneakers.
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