Different Drum

Album: Evergreen Volume 2 (1967)
Charted: 13
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  • You and I travel to the beat of a different drum
    Oh, can't you tell by the way I run
    Every time you make eyes at me? Whoa
    You cry and moan and say it will work out
    But honey child I've got my doubts
    You can't see the forest for the trees

    So, don't get me wrong, it's not that I knock it
    It's just that I am not in the market
    For a boy who wants to love only me
    Yes, and I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty
    All I'm saying's I'm not ready for any person
    Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me, so

    Goodbye, I'll be leavin'
    I see no sense in this cryin' and grievin'
    We'll both live a lot longer if you live without me

    So, don't get me wrong, it's not that I knock it
    It's just that I am not in the market
    For a boy who wants to love only me
    Yes, and I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty
    All I'm saying's I'm not ready for any person
    Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me, so

    Goodbye, I'll be leavin'
    I see no sense in this cryin' and grievin'
    We'll both live a lot longer if you live without me Writer/s: Michael Nesmith
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 27

  • Tizzylish211 from Canyon Lake, CaActually, my son-in-laws father wrote the original song. He sold it and gave up the rights. Quote from him on messenger “
    About 60% of my lyrics were used for $500. ( the important ones, in my opinion) I gave the rights to anything along with it. “

    I will ask him if he still has a copy of the original lyrics.
  • Andodoug from TorontoLeaving the "I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty" line is genius - it totally works, sounds way less sexist than a guy saying it, and made me think of her backing band pretty boys the Eagles
  • Love70and80 from MiamiLovely voice of Ronstadt and beautiful song of old Monkees Mike!
  • Joe from Lubbock, TxMy girlfriend made me listen to it in late December, 1967 and said that's how she felt about our relationship. Broke my heart.
  • Seventhmist from 7th HeavenI try to imagine how this would have been as a Monkees song. It wasn't their type of song, but I think Davy might have pulled it off.
  • Marty from MichiganI have (2) Evergreen 2 LP's. One of them is a Scranton pressing and Different Drum is the long version. My other version is LA pressing and Different Drum is a short version like the 45 single. What continues to be strange about this is they both say they are 2:45 long.
  • Bob from Calabasas, CaBobby Kimmel of the Stone Poneys was out of the music business for awhile in the 80’s and worked as a real estate agent in West LA. He represented my wife and me when we sold our condo in 1988. He was a good agent and a cool guy. We attended a concert together, where he introduced me to Karla Bonoff.
  • Sam from New YorkMonkees episode "Too Many Girls": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDgF-A_kGVg
  • Henry from Sanford, FlI love the vocals of Linda Ronstadt on this song. Her voice is so believable in terms of passion and delivery of the lyrics. The range of vocals is even-keeled. I just wish the song was a little longer. The song is 2:40, but it seems like it just drops, if that makes any sense.
  • David from Astoria, NyIt was originally recorded by some folkies from the East Coast called the Greenbriar Boys. The Linda Ronstadt version is pretty much a note for note cover. I think it was the first song Mike Nesmith sold.
  • John from Beltsville, Md"It's not you, it's me"...yeah right!
  • Bobby from Grand Rapids, MiNo 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.
  • Guy from Woodinville, WaWow, 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.
  • Bob from Orange, TxNesmith 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 from Orange, TxNesmith 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.
  • Theresa from Murfreesboro, TnI had no idea she sang this song, it's gorgeous.
  • Jay from Brooklyn, Ny"Knock it" and "market" only rhyme if you are from Boston.
  • Malicious Matt from Squatney, -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.
  • Madison from Norway, MeMike 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....
  • Guy from Wellington, New ZealandSorry that's not strings -- it's a baroque-style piano harpsichord, isn't it?
  • Guy from Wellington, New ZealandIncredibly 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!
  • Ekristheh from Halath, United StatesThis 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.
  • Garrett from Nashville, TnThe 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.
  • Forrest from Los Angeles, CaDidn't some of the Stone Poney's go on to form the Eagles?
  • Howard from St. Louis Park, MnThis was the song that put linda Ronstadt on the musical map in 1968. One of my favorite songs from that year.
  • Mike from Ipswich, EnglandPerhaps 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.
  • Jeff from Boston, MaThe Stone Poneys took their name from Delta bluesman Charlie Patton's song "Stone Poney Blues".
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