Monday Monkee Music

Earlier this week, at Ellipsis, my good friend Carly was complaining about how her favorite Monkee, Micky Dolenz, hasn't appeared at the nearby (to her) summer concert series in several years and asked who our favorite Monkee was. I've decided to use my Monday music thingy to answer her question, but, to answer another question she posed, I'd rather have a monkey instead of a Monkee.

The Monkees were a band that was "manufactured" primarily to appear in a TV series, but they had a little talent and put together a decent repertoire of pop-rock hits, including "I'm a Believer," "Last Train to Clarksville," "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone," my favorite Monkees' song. The band members had varying degrees of musical talent, but Mike Nesmith was the most accomplished musician of the four. He was also a talented songwriter, penning Linda Ronstadt's first hit "Different Drum." This song, though, makes him my all-time favorite Monkee. I love it! It's called "Cruisin'."



Lyrics:

Lucy and Ramona, cruisin' through the jungles of L.A.
Hoping to promote a dream somewhere along the way.
Rolling through the streets, looking for a disco,
Passing up the treats from a kid named Cisco
Trying to make connections with their blemish-free complexions.
And just as fate would have it, ended up with Sunset Sam.

Sam was selling watches from a suitcase on a TV tray,
And Lucy and Ramona were trying to figure out if he was gay.
The three of them were standing, staring at each other,
When the light behind their eyes blew each other's cover.
The ancient code was branded and each of them was handed
A ticket to their kingdom 'cause they saw their brother Sunset Sam.

Lucy and Ramona and Sunset Sam
People on the streets, trying to find a plan
People on the streets, looking for the land
Lucy and Ramona and their brother Sunset Sam

Lucy was from Compton and she met Ramona at the zoo.
Ramona was from Brooklyn, but she left when she was twenty-two.
Sam was a native of the Arizona desert
But he split when he was slated for some governmental make-work.
Their differences subsided when the common bond was sighted:
They were all from the same place that made the famous Sunset Sam.

Lucy and Ramona and Sunset Sam
People on the streets trying to find a plan
People on the streets looking for the land
Lucy and Ramona and their brother Sunset Sam

(Yes it is) Lucy and Ramona and Sunset Sam
People on the streets trying to find a plan
People on the streets just looking for the land
Lucy and Ramona and their brother Sunset Sam