Daydream Believer (1967)

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By:
The Monkees.

The Monkees were created in 1965 for an NBC TV series, which ran from 1966 to 1968. Modeled on the Beatles' films A Hard Day's Night and Help!, the show featured the antics and music of a fictional pop-rock group.

Due to the massive success of the records, and the public's expectations, the Monkees became a real group, and one of the 1960s' most popular music acts. Other hits include "I'm A Believer", "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone", "Last Train to Clarksville" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday". The Monkees disbanded in 1970.

Davy Jones (born David Thomas Jones December 30, 1945 in Manchester, England) sings the lead vocal. "Daydream Believer" was recorded during the sessions for their 1967 album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., but was later released on their 1968 album The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees.

Michael Nesmith played lead guitar, Peter Tork played piano (Tork invented the song's unique piano hook), and Micky Dolenz sang backing vocals.

Their version of the song has been used in an TV ad campaign for eBay in 2005. Alluding to a line from the song's chorus, "Oh, what can it mean ...", the campaign features the slogan, "Whatever it is, you can get it on eBay."

Chart position:
#1 (US, 4 weeks), #5 (UK).

This was the Monkees' last #1 single. It was displaced at #1 by "Hello Goodbye" (The Beatles).

The Top Ten Songs: December 23, 1967 (US Billboard).
  1. "Daydream Believer" (Monkees)
  2. "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (Gladys Knight and the Pips)
  3. "Hello Goodbye" (Beatles)
  4. "I Second That Emotion" (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles)
  5. "Woman, Woman" (Gary Puckett and the Union Gap)
  6. "The Rain, The Park & Other Things" (Cowsills)
  7. "Boogaloo Down Broadway" (Fantastic Johnny C.)
  8. "Incense and Peppermints" (Strawberry Alarm Clock)
  9. "You Better Sit Down Kids" (Cher)
  10. "I Say A Little Prayer" (Dionne Warwick)

Written by:
John Stewart, written in 1967, shortly before he left the Kingston Trio (who had hits with "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" and "Tom Dooley".)

John Stewart's original lyric in the second verse was "Now you know how funky love can be." The show's producers had never heard the word and thought it might be dirty, so it was changed to "happy".

Also by: Anne Murray, whose version reached #12 (US Pop,) #3 (US Country) & #1 (US Adult Contemporary) in 1980, copying Peter Tork's piano hook in her version; John Stewart.

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