Search by Title

A	B	C	D	E	F	G
H	I	J	K	L	M	N
O	P	Q	R	S	T	U
V	W	X	Y	Z	#

Browse Categories Random Songfact Random Category Add to Songfacts Take the Quiz SongFAQ Get the Newsletter E-Mail Us Message Boards Full Interviews Lyrical Pursuit Song Fallacies

Songfacts:  You can leave comments about the song at the bottom of the page.

Mike Nesmith wrote this before he joined The Monkees. It's about a girl who leaves her man so she can do her own thing.

Before Ronstadt's release, a joking version was used in an episode of The Monkees TV show.

Nesmith recorded this himself in 1972.

Ronstadt was with her first band, The Stone Poneys, when she recorded this. It was credited to the group even though she was the only band member to appear on this. Studio musicians were brought in to back her up.

When this became a hit, it prompted Ronstadt to leave The Stone Poneys to start a solo career. (thanks, Brad Wind - Miami, FL)

Comments:

No doubt this a great song, until the woman your in love with plays it for you to explain why you and her cant be together. Happened to me.
- Bobby, Grand Rapids, MI

Wow, the video on this page is priceless! A young Linda Ronstandt standing on a tiny stage and belting out those soaring vocals "So-o goodbye..." without the lush strings backing her--just a small band--the Stone Ponys, I suppose. One of the best videos I've seen here.
- Guy, Woodinville, WA

Nesmith has released studio and live versions of this song. He mixes a talking blues style with occasional visits to the melody lines that Rondstadt sings in her version. Rondstadt seems anguished; Nesmith is straight-forward, matter-of-fact. He uses an additional verse, mostly spoken, prior to the last one: I feel pretty sure that you'll find a man who'll take a lot more than I ever could or can, and you;ll settle down with, and I know that you'll be happy.
- Bob, Orange, TX

Nesmith does this great song in a talking blues style that wanders from time to time into the melody lines that Rondstadt used. He also uses an additional verse prior to the last one (think in terms of a long run-on sentence): I feel pretty sure that you'll find a man who'll take a lot more than I ever could or can and you'll settle down with him and I know that you'll be happy.
- Bob, Orange, TX

I had no idea she sang this song, it's gorgeous.
- Theresa, Murfreesboro, TN

"Knock it" and "market" only rhyme if you are from Boston.
- Jay, Brooklyn, NY

Michael "Nez" Nesmith wrote this song about a guy who is not ready to commit to one girl, and Linda Ronstadt recorded it as a song about a girl who isnt ready to commit to one guy... Its a great song, whoever sings it IMO.
- Malicious Matt, Squatney, -

Mike sang this in a Monkee's episode (a part of it, anyway). The Monkee's were appearing on a TV show and they brought Mike on and he played a part of it really fast and he was mumbling through it (trying to be like a backwoods bumpkin). I'm pretty sure this was the same episode where Mickey kept doing impressions and saying 'You're the dirty rat that killed my brother!!' and Peter was doing magic tricks. How I miss that show....
- Madison, Norway, ME

Incredibly catchy tune -- one of my faves. The lyrics are one of those tear jerkers about some poor sap who can't get the message -- see also The Doobies' "What a Fool Believes". The twangly baroque-style strings are cool but the best thing is Ronstadt's fantastic voice. If she sang this to me I don't think I'd ever get over it!
- Guy, Wellington, New Zealand

Sorry that's not strings -- it's a baroque-style piano harpsichord, isn't it?
- Guy, Wellington, New Zealand

This is also notable for the bizarre combination of a country music lyric and Ronstadt's somewhat emphasized twang with British psych-pop 'classical' strings and harpsichord a la Left Banke.
- Ekristheh, Halath, United States

The Stone Poneys were 2 other guys besides Linda. About 4 years later, when, as a solo artist, she needed a backing band for a tour, she hired some random musicians who were hanging around the Troubabdor (L.A. nightclub that was a Folk mecca in the early 70's). Included in that backing band were Glenn Frey and Don Henley, who later recruited Randy Meisner, then Bernie Leadon, finally forming the Eagles.
- Garrett, Nashville, TN

Didn't some of the Stone Poney's go on to form the Eagles?
- Forrest, Los Angeles, CA

This was the song that put linda Ronstadt on the musical map in 1968. One of my favorite songs from that year.
- Howard, St. Louis Park, MN

Perhaps the most fabulous and versatile female voice in popular music, she has handled folk, country, rock and roll, soul, punk-edged rock as well as classic ballads from the 30s and 40s, Gilbert and Sullivan, La Boheme, and even Spanish Language material with her powerful emotional beautiful voice. Mike, Ipswich, England.
- Mike, Ipswich, England

The Stone Poneys took their name from Delta bluesman Charlie Patton's song "Stone Poney Blues".
- Jeff, Boston, MA