Bassist and vocalist Peter Tork passed away on Thursday, February 21. The musicians death brings the Monkees' music and image to the forefront.
By: Phil Akre
For the casual listener, the Monkees' are probably nothing special.
The group (whose heyday came in the 1960's and early 1970's) were widely viewed as Beatles 'wanna-be's.' However, the true depths of their image and music go far beyond the idea that they modeled themselves after the Fab Four.
Some of the flower-power era's best hits came from the Monkees', including 'Daydream Believer,' 'Last Train to Clarksville' and 'I'm a Believer.'
The group was, at their core, entertainment. They had a TV show, they didn't write a lot of their own music, and Davy Jones stole the heart of many teenage girls' at the time.
One of those girls was (and still is) my Mom. She grew up in the late 60's and early 70's, falling in love with Jones' affectionate smile and youthful voice, while also appreciating Peter Tork's contributions to the group.
I remember when Jones' passed away in 2012, I distinctly remember her regretting the fact she had never gotten a chance to see him, despite walking by signs at NYC's Beacon Theatre for his shows.
When I saw the news break on Tork's death, my heart sank a bit. It wasn't because I was truly sad or affected by it, but because I knew my Mom would be saddened to hear it, too. She had seen him live a few years back, and her text on his death summed it up, "Sad. Glad we got to see him."
In light of Tork's unfortunate passing, here are some songs you should take a quick listen to.
A poignant vocal performance from Davy Jones. The strings add a lot to it, too.
An awesome, straightforward rocker. Features Mickey Dolenz on lead vocals.
Two fun facts:
The guitar intro of this tune was inspired by the Beatles song, 'I Want to Tell You.'
The lyrics were co-written by Carole King.
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Phil is currently a junior at Quinnipiac University where he studies advertising and integrated communications with a journalism minor. You can find him on twitter here.
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