ode to davy jones

Long before we discovered Weird Al Yankovic, my brother, sister and I spent a ridiculous number of hours wearing out my parents’ Monkees LP.  It was silly and accessible (listen to Gonna Buy Me a Dog and try not to sing along. Go on, TRY IT), and it had accompanying TV show reruns. But most of all, it had Davy Jones. Sigh. With his stylin’ 60s apparel and his tooth sparkle, Davy Jones was IT. I mean, the be all end all of romantic figures. Grown up me would be much more of a Mickey Dolenz or Mike Nesmith kind of gal, but I was nine and for my age, I had an appropriately underdeveloped man palate.

Anyway.

Yesterday, my brother left two lines of a Monkees song (This Just Doesn’t Seem to Be My Day) on my sister’s Facebook wall. Reading the lines, I cocked my head to the side and thought for a few seconds. Yes, it was vaguely familiar. And then, it wasn’t. It was TOTAL RECALL. It has probably been 20 years since I heard that song but wouldn’t you know it, it’s like it was encoded in my DNA. I’ve been singing the damn thing ever since. And yeah, maybe pining a little bit for Davy Jones and his tooth sparkle. Ping!

Care for a spider bite update? It’s shrinking, like a good little spider bite should. I will not be sorry when the medications run out, though. Hoo boy, they make me dopey. This week has been really pretty crappy anyway – sometimes work is demanding in a way that does not produce one single ounce of satisfaction even when you meet the demand – and dopey on top of that can make a girl feel stabby. I’m sorta glad I don’t keep scissors at my desk during weeks like this. So are my coworkers. 

15 comments to ode to davy jones

  • Laz

    Oooohhh…

    Am I first?!?

    What was the song?

    –LAZ

  • Jill V.

    OMGoodness! I used to love Davy too! Ahh… the Monkeys. The appropriate amount of funny, silly, music and good stuff. I would definitely be more of a Mickey fan now but good stuff Heather that just gave me the biggest giggle today! Thanks!

  • Megan

    I was a Davy fan too– it might have been the accent. The Monkees are way fun– I remember watching at my grandparents’ house because they had cable. My mom found my appreciation of the Monkees amusing since they were around when she was young.

  • Another Megan

    I was all about Davy Jones as a kid too! I saw the show recently, & thought Mike Nesmith was the much better choice now.

    My little self recognized that Davy had the most kid-like face. Mike was the most grown up looking, so he was “too old” at the time.

  • T in NH

    Yes, we watched the reruns & played the LPs incessantly. Gonna by me a Dog was (OK, is) one of my faves!

    I remember I used to get really confused when you’d hear someone talk about Davy Jones’ locker. I thought it had something to do w/him when he was in high school. LOL

    Not sure who I’d pick now that I’m sort-of old, but I think that will be one of the topics I’ll raise at Girls’ Night tonight!

  • jamie

    You have just replaced the Volbeat song that was stuck in my head with “I’m gonna buy me a dog, cause I need a friend now…” I loved (and had completely forgotten about) that song!

  • GP

    Oh yes,

    I can remember many a tween afternoon spent playing “Monkees”, in which my friends and I would re-enact their silly show. I always got “stuck” being Micky, but had a BIG crush on Davy.

    Embarrassing admission: I can still do the patented Davy Jones snapping hip-sway dance!

    Trivia: David Bowie’s given name is also David Jones, but he decided to change it when the Monkees burst on the scene so as to avoid confusion and/or copyright infringement.

    Thanks for the flashback, Heather!

  • Bridget

    I loved the Monkees when I was in elementary school, right around the time they put their reunion album out. I’m embarassed to admit, I was in a group called The Monkettes. I was Mickey. My family like to bring that up around potential suitors to humiliate me.

  • Davy Jones was my first childhood crush. You have excellent taste.

    Please update your Amazon wish list for Christmas! Put the Jancee Dunn books I mentioned on FB if you think they are interesting, I love her…

  • Re “sometimes work is demanding in a way that does not produce one single ounce of satisfaction even when you meet the demand”

    Holy crap, what you said! Jeebus.

  • Alyssa

    Another Mike Nesmith fan here.

    20 years ago, when we were in High school, my friends and I went to see the Monkees on tour. Twice. And lately my husband has been wearing the t-shirt, lol!

    Glad to hear the bite is fading!

  • Jamielou

    I used to play house and always say Davy was my husband. What was I thinking? It’s so obvious now that Mickey was the really talented one…..”She told me that she loved me and then she turned around and broke my heart…”

  • I teach 1st grade and around this time of year (along with all full moons and rainy days) I’m glad my kids have blunt scissors instead of sharp!

    ** just reread that and want to clarify that I’m not thinking about stabbing small children! I just have a just a teensy weensy little fear they’ll do it to each other. Or me.

  • Delirium

    Hi, Heather. Just wanted to say that I keep thinking of the photo of you & your sweetie. You both look so happy (a feat for any man in a suit and tie, so he must *really* be happy!), and you look like you fit together so well! Many thanks for trusting us, your readers, with this picture (you know, the interweb what it can be and all).

    And when they spider bite reaction abates, will you be regaling us with stories of the Very Big Weekend?

  • Mindy

    I might be a little older than the other people who posted on here. I remember watching Monkee reruns in 1970 when I was 5. I too fell in love with Davy and I still love him. I recently purchased the DVD sets of the Monkees TV shows and now my daughter is obsessed. I saw the Monkees in 1986 and I recently saw Davy solo. I think all the guys are great. Micky has an incredible voice and he’s hilarious. Peter is a very talented musician and songwriter and the same goes for Mike. Of course they were all extremely handsome.