Showing posts with label Pleasant Valley Sunday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pleasant Valley Sunday. Show all posts

Thursday, February 10, 2011

My First Favorite Music TV Show

As I prepare to watch Glee with my wife, I think back to a favorite musical TV show from the distant past. I'm talking about The Monkees!

Starting in the fall of 1966, every Monday night at 7:30 I tuned in to watch Davey, Mickey, Peter and Mike lip sync to their hit songs. They were funny guys--and were apparently hired for that reason--not their musicianship--although they did actually have ability. But the goal was to be an American version of the Beatles' A Hard Day's Night movie--young guys running, fooling around, and playing music.

The producers of the Monkees may not have known how important the music would turn out to be--in its day--but some of those old hits remain on the oldies circuit--I'm a Believer (by a young Neil Diamond), Daydream Believer (John Stewart) and my personal favorite, Pleasant Valley Sunday.

The show only lasted a few years and the albums came and went, but the Monkees live on. They even reunited a number of years ago--four grumpy old guys--and Mickey Dolenz recently released an album of Carole King covers.
Now, back to Glee...