Davy Jones: 30 December 1945 – 29 February 2012Davy was on quarter of the Monkees, which in the mid and late 60's was as close to a Beatle as one could get. I was a fan of the band, which some still argue wasn't much of a band at all, but a corporate contrived Beatle rip-off, made for TV forerunner of today's scripted reality show craze.
Cry foul! As this first signature song shows, this kid could sing and by the time he made the Monkee cut, he had been singing for quite some time. He was trained in the British musical theater tradition, best known for his role as The Artful Dodger in the musical "Oliver!" on the London stage. He also appeared with its Broadway cast on "The Ed Sullivan Show" the very night the Beatles made their American television debut in February of 1964.
In fact, Davy was the only Monkee chosen who was not a complete unknown. He was under management contracts for acting as well as a record deal when he was discovered by the Monkees producers at his audition (those greedy corporate guys - more about them later). Davy didn't play an instrument and didn't attempt to learn one as at least one other band member did. He shook marachas and tapped tamborines and stood around looking impish and speaking proper Queen's English. Billed as the "lead" singer, he actually sang less front showcases than either Micky Dolenz or Michael Nesmith, but he added solid harmonies to almost the entire catalog and earned his reputation.
This song was The Monkees' final number one hit (in autumn 1967), "Daydream Believer" (sometimes listed as "Cheer Up Sleepy Jean") was a fine way for the group to bid farewell to their adoring TV fans. Written by ex-Kingston Trio member John Stewart, the song has a swinging camaraderie to it that makes it a joyous toe-tapper. It's a song about the loss of innocence and the anticipation of responsibility and it was certainly fitting at this stage of the Monkees' career. Deftly arranged by jazzman Shorty Rogers, the song's unique piano hook was invented by Monkee Peter Tork. Ann Murray later had a huge hit with the song as well, and she kept Tork's piano lines in her version. Used in dozens of television ads over the years, the song has also reappeared on the Japanese pop charts as recently as the 1980s. It's a timeless slice of pop, and perhaps Jones' most memorable showcase.
~ The Monkees ~
