Album: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. (1967)

License This Song 

Songfacts®:

• Mike Nesmith wrote this song as an exercise in playing major-sevenths chords on a guitar, specifically, Eb-maj7 and Ab-maj7. Nesmith demoed the song in 1963, a year before Gerry & the Pacemakers released "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying." >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Keith - Dallas, TX
• The liner notes to the 1994 CD reissue of the Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. refer to the fictitious Pump Room mentioned by Micky Dolenz in his voice-over at the beginning of the track. The truth is that the Pump Room and the Palmer House, both mentioned in the voice-over, are real. The Palmer House is a historic hotel in downtown Chicago now owned by Hilton, and the Pump Room is a restaurant in the Gold Coast neighborhood of the city. However, the Pump Room never was part of the Palmer House, despite Micky's voice-over. The group recorded a good deal of the album in Chicago, which may explain Micky's use of Chicago landmarks. >>>

  Suggestion credit:
  Sean - Chicago, IL

Comments: 9

• Stephanie Stavropoulos from CaThe Pump Room was not a ficticious place!! It was/is located at 1301 North State Parkway, Chicago Illinois.
• Jim "woody" Woods from Long BeachForgive me. No flame please, but I honestly can't tell who is singing this. It doesn't have the twank of Mike, but it's too soft for Mickey or Peter, and doesn't sound like Davy either. Anybody?
• Jennifur SunThank you Mike for what will always be my fav Monkees tune. So pretty.
• Connee from Chestertown, MdTo Olivia of Philadelphia -- I posed the question to Peter Tork on his Facebook page. This was his staff's reply: "It's not a black eye. It's like a temporary tattoo they used to wear in the 60s. If you notice, he has one on his right hand in Pleasant Valley Sunday."
  -Connee, Chestertown, MD
• Esskayess from Dallas, TxYou hear Peter say, "Check, please!" as it fades out.
• Olivia from Philadelphia, PaIn the "What am I Doing Hanging Round" video, why does Peter have a black eye?
• George from Belleville, NjWhat a haunting beautiful ballad.I love the melody and chord changes.The lyrics are good too.All around a really good listening experience.
• Sean from Chicago, IlOh...speaking of recording in Chicago...it's pretty well known among Monkees fans that the "rainbow" films et al -- "Daydream Believer," "No Time," "She Hangs Out," "Salesman," "What Am I Doin' Hangin' Round," "Love Is Only Sleeping,' "The Door Into Summer," "Randy Scouse Git", and "Pleasant Valley Sunday" (am I forgetting any?) -- were filmed in Chicago. Well, what I just found out was that the studio where they did the films for those songs (I hestitate to call them "music videos" because they weren't called that then) is now known as Harpo Studios!
• Larry from Coral Springs, FlNice slow song with feeling

More Songfacts:

Goodbye Yellow Brick RoadElton John

"Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" is one of the few Bernie Taupin lyrics that is more about him than Elton John. The song is about giving up glitz for the simple life - not exactly Elton's M.O.

Take It EasyEagles

The Eagles' first single, "Take It Easy," was written by Jackson Browne, who was living in the apartment below Glenn Frey when he wrote it.

Me And Julio Down By The SchoolyardPaul Simon

Mickey Mantle and John Madden both appear in the video for "Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard" by Paul Simon. Biz Markie and Big Daddy Kane do a rap intro.

Tell Me Something GoodRufus

Stevie Wonder wrote the Rufus funk classic "Tell Me Something Good."

I Missed AgainPhil Collins

Phil Collins' "I Missed Again" was originally "I Miss You, Babe," and was a very somber song about his recent divorce. Collins decided to lighten it up and inject some humor into the song.

That Don't Impress Me MuchShania Twain

Brad Pitt and Elvis both get mentions in the 1997 Shania Twain hit "That Don't Impress Me Much."

Editor's Picks

Janis IanSongwriter Interviews

One of the first successful female singer-songwriters, Janis had her first hit in 1967 at age 15.

N.W.A vs. the WorldSong Writing

How the American gangsta rappers made history by getting banned in the UK.

Randy NewmanSongwriting Legends

Newman makes it look easy these days, but in this 1974 interview, he reveals the paranoia and pressures that made him yearn for his old 9-5 job.

Steven Tyler of AerosmithSongwriter Interviews

Tyler talks about his true love: songwriting. How he identifies the beauty in a melody and turns sorrow into art.

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Wherefore Art Thou Romeo LyricMusic Quiz

In this quiz, spot the artist who put Romeo into a song lyric.