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Oh, what can it mean?

February 29, 2012 by Dave Knadler

davy jones heart attack

You can see why the girls went wild.

I guess this post has to be about Davy Jones. I used to occasionally sneer at the Monkees, back in the day, but I still find myself singing the chorus to “Daydream Believer” whenever it comes on the radio. I know, he didn’t write it. But I don’t think I ever heard a cover as good as the original. I can still see him shaking that stupid tambourine.

What can you say about the Monkees? Quite a bit, but I’m not going to read or repeat any of the tributes now clogging the ether. They were a mediocre band who benefited from some great songwriting talent. The TV show lasted just a couple of seasons, and looking at it today you can see why. They were going for the youthful, high-energy whimsy of the Beatles in Hard Day’s Night, and came pretty close. Too bad it’s the nature of youthful whimsy to quickly become tiresome. Davy Jones still had a pretty good ride. It was only when the Monkees started taking themselves seriously as musicians that their goofy charm evaporated.

My little sister had a huge crush on Davy Jones, of course. So did my wife. Ten-year-old girls are funny that way. You take an extremely cute guy who appears to be as talented as Paul McCartney, put him on a weekly TV show with three guys of lesser cuteness, and they’re falling all over themselves.

Now’s probably a good time to admit this: I liked him too. I think I liked most that he seemed open to self-mockery, that he was never consumed by any phony artistic angst, and that he was happy beating that tambourine. He never pretended to be anything other than second-tier pop singer. He seemed to love his time in the sun. He may have had his dark side, but I always appreciate when celebrities keep that kind of crap to themselves.

Finally, he’s a contemporary. We share a first name and time called the ’60s. He did a guest shot on “The Brady Bunch.” A guy like that dies, only 66, and it makes you realize that the age comes when anything at all can happen, at any time. Like I needed reminding.

More along these lines:

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  • february quiz artFamously February
  • downton abbey season 2 sceneGoing downhill at Downton Abbey

Filed Under: Me, Music, Other Stuff

About Dave Knadler

Obscure writer. Lazy photographer. Bashful guitarist. Perhaps too fond of wine. Tireless nemesis of New York Times crosswords.

Comments

  1. John H. says

    March 1, 2012 at 11:04 am

    I’ve said it before, but this is one thing I really like about your writing. You avoid the easy, maudlin nostalgia and sentiment for a nuanced appreciation.

    The Monkees’ song “I’m a Believer” always takes me back to high school typing class (which I guess would be “keyboarding” class these days). Our teacher would play the 45 rpm single of “I’m a Believer” to try to get us to type with some rhythm. I have no idea how she chose that song (it was always the same song), or why it sticks in my memory so clearly.

    • Dave Knadler says

      March 1, 2012 at 11:31 am

      Neil Diamond wrote a lot of songs that tend to stick in your head. “A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You” is another that tends to get stuck on infinite rotation. Sounds like you had a better typing class than I did …

  2. Joan says

    March 1, 2012 at 11:15 am

    I, on the other hand, go straight for the maudlin nostalgia. Davy fell in love on every episode of the Monkees, and he always got the girl. I fell in love with him every time, right along with those sappy girls. I didn’t know good music from mediocre – and arguably still don’t – but I remember that silly show as being good fun, and probably the great grand-pappy of the later music video.

    • Dave Knadler says

      March 1, 2012 at 11:29 am

      I agree it was fun to watch. I never missed an episode on the crappy little black-and-white Zenith we had (the one that required a deft touch on the vertical hold knob …)

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