15 of the Best Monkees Songs Ever Made

The Monkees formed in 1966 and made great music over six decades with Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones. Here are the band's best songs.

Best Monkees Songs Ever Made

The Monkees were created as America’s answer to the Beatles in the mid-1960s. This made-for-TV band had a string of hits that were mostly written and performed by a team of people, from songwriters to session musicians.

But the Monkees were talented in their own right. They fought to write and record their own material and released hits throughout their existence.

With the death of Michael Nesmith on Dec. 10, 2021, at the age of 78, people are rediscovering the Monkees' greatest hits. These are their best songs.

15. A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You

A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit best monkees song

Album: Headquarters

Year: 1967

What Makes 'A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You' Great

The song marked the beginning of the end of the band’s relationship with music publisher Don Kirshner, who was hired to find songs for the TV show that ran on NBC from 1966 to 1968. This was the second song written for the band by Neil Diamond as a follow-up to "I’m A Believer," and the only Monkee featured on it was Davy Jones.

The song was recorded without the approval of the other band members or Raybert Productions, the producers of the series, and Kirshner was fired as a result of this decision. Even though they let him go, they did not know the single was already released to DJs and was in some stores in Canada, marketed as "'My Favorite Monkee' Davy Jones Sings."

The song was well on its way to becoming a hit when the single was pulled, making the first pressing highly collectible today. It was reissued weeks later with a different flip side and credited to the Monkees.

14. Valleri

Album: More of The Monkees

Year: 1967

What Makes 'Valleri' Great

Kirshner, tasked with the need for two news songs per episode, enlisted songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart to pen something with a girl's name as the title.

The first recording was a rough demo. Kirshner planned to properly record it for the Monkees' second album, but he was fired before that could happen, and Boyce and Hart went with him.

DJs played the rough version, and the song began picking up steam. Demand for a single was high, but nothing from the original sessions could be used, as the band had it written in their contracts that they would produce and perform on records going forward.

Boyce and Hart were hired back to help the band record a new version, and it was finally released 13 months after it was heard in the series.

13. Porpoise Song

Album: Head

Year: 1968

What Makes 'Porpoise Song' Great

This psychedelic departure was the centerpiece for the 1968 Monkees movie "Head." Written by husband and wife Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Micky sings the lead vocals on the song, which also features a string section, horn section, and percussion instruments, including chimes and tubular bells. Adding to the psychedelia are porpoise sound effects.

By the time "Head" was released, the Monkees as a teen pop sensation were done. The movie attempted to shatter their boy band image and was successful. But it didn’t catch on, and their stars all but faded going into the 1970s.

"Head," written in part by Jack Nicholson, has since become a cult classic and is admired by the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Edgar Wright. In past years, Mike Nesmith called its soundtrack one of the band’s "crowning achievements."

12. The Girl I Knew Somewhere

Album: Headquarters (reissue)

Year: 1967

What Makes 'The Girl I Knew Somewhere' Great

This was first song recorded by the band themselves without any outside help.

Mike Nesmith initially sang lead vocals. However, they rerecorded the track with Micky Dolenz singing lead to make it more accessible.

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere" was the B-side to "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You," and the song reached No. 39 on the Billboard charts.

11. You Just May Be the One

Album: Headquarters

Year: 1967

What Makes 'You Just May Be the One' Great

After Don Kirchner was fired, the band was mostly allowed to record on their own. "Headquarters" is their first attempt at doing so, and it reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts.

Michael Nesmith, who had also penned the Stone Poneys' (featuring Linda Ronstadt) only hit, "Different Drum," wrote "You Just May Be The One," which is considered one of the highlights of "Headquarters."

This is the only track where the band members play the same instruments they are shown playing in the series.

10. Circle Sky

Album: Head

Year: 1968

What Makes 'Circle Sky' Great

Featured on the soundtrack of “Head,” Mike Nesmith wrote “Circle Sky” with a Bo Diddley beat and song structure in mind.

The song references the Monkees touring life. Scenes from a 1968 Salt Lake City show were used of them playing the song and were intercut with Vietnam War footage.

9. Daddy’s Song

Album: Head

Year: 1968

What Makes 'Daddy’s Song' Great

"Daddy’s Song" was written by Harry Nillson and performed by Davy Jones in the movie "Head."

Said to be about Nillson’s experience with his parents' divorce, in the movie, it’s featured as a vaudeville-type song and dance number with Toni Basil (of "Mickey" fame) as his dance partner.

8. Mary, Mary

Album: More of the Monkees

Year: 1967

What Makes 'Mary, Mary' Great

Written by Mike Nesmith, "Mary, Mary," was first recorded by the Paul Butterfield Blues band, but didn’t become popular until audiences heard the Monkees’ version.

While it was not released as a single in the U.S., it was released in 1969 as a cutout cereal box prize and released as a single in Europe.

"Mary Mary" gained a whole new audience in the 1980s when it was rerecorded by Run-D.M.C., who sampled Micky Dolenz’s vocals.

7. Cuddly Toy

Album: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.

Year: 1967

What Makes 'Cuddly Toy' Great

While the song sounds like an innocent romp, it is said to be far darker in its theme. Written and originally recorded by Harry Nillson, it is allegedly about someone who has plenty of promiscuous sex.

Although Nillson denied this over the years, judging by the lyrics ("You're not the kind of girl to tell your mother, the kind of company you keep") it sounds plausible.

The song was a huge hit, and Nillson was able to jump-start his solo career as a result of it.

6. (Theme From) The Monkees

Album: The Monkees

Year: 1966

What Makes '(Theme From) The Monkees' Great

The series theme was written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart with two versions recorded — one for the show and a longer version for the band's self-titled debut.

Micky Dolenz sang lead vocals backed by session musicians. If the track sounds like a Dave Clark Five song, that’s because Boyce and Hart modeled it after their hit "Catch Us If You Can," down to the snapping fingers in the intro.

5. (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone

Album: More of the Monkees

Year: 1967

What Makes '(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone' Great

Boyce and Hart penned this hit track for Paul Revere And The Raiders. The song, about a girl who walks all over a guy to boost her status, was sung by Micky.

"Stepping Stone" is one of the band's most covered songs. Monkee Peter Tork said, "The songs that we got were really songs of some vigor and substance. '(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone' is not peaches and cream. It comes down hard on the subject ... the weight of the song is indicated by the fact that the Sex Pistols covered it. 'Stepping Stone' has guts."

4. Pleasant Valley Sunday

Album: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.

Year: 1967

What Makes 'Pleasant Valley Sunday' Great

Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and sung primarily by Micky, Pleasant Valley Way is a street in West Orange, New Jersey.

It was the one-time home of the married couple and was their ode to life in the suburbs, which appears happy to the outsider, but is a disappointment to those living the experience.

While studio musicians do play on the track, all four of the Monkees do as well.

3. Last Train to Clarksville

Album: The Monkees

Year: 1966

What Makes 'Last Train to Clarksville' Great

The debut single from the band was written by Boyce and Hart.

"Last Train" was written with the Beatles' "Paperback Writer" in mind. In fact, Hart misheard the term "paperback writer" for "take the last train" and decided to use the line after he found he was wrong.

The song tells the tale of a person leaving his home, possibly for good, and urging the woman he loves to meet him on a train platform to say goodbye. The line "and I don't know if I'm ever coming home" indirectly references the Vietnam War.

Micky sang lead and was the only Monkee to appear on the track.

2. I'm a Believer

Album: More of the Monkees

Year: 1967

What Makes 'I'm a Believer' Great

Written by Neil Diamond, the song captured the attention of impresario Don Kirshner, who thought it would be a hit for the Monkees. Diamond was allowed to record his own version as part of the deal, and got exposure from the Monkees' version as a result of the TV series.

The band sang on "I'm a Believer" with Mickey on lead vocals, but the instruments were left up to session musicians because producers did not believe the Monkees could play.

"I'm a Believer" was introduced to a new generation of fans when it was recorded by Smashmouth for the "Shrek" soundtrack in 2001.

1. Daydream Believer

Album: The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees

Year: 1968

What Makes 'Daydream Believer' Great

The biggest hit by the group was written by John Stewart of the folk group the Kingston Trio. It is one-third of a trilogy of songs about suburban life, but as Stewart tells it, "I never thought it was one of my best songs."

A few bands passed on recording it before it reached Monkees producer Chip Douglas at a Hollywood party, who decided to record it as a B-side to "Love Is Only Sleeping" (from "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd"), but the European single masters for that song were not ready.

"Daydream Believer," with Davy on lead vocals, became the A-side instead (with "Goin’ Down" as the B-side), and the rest is hit-making history.