Fifty years ago this week, the Monkees' 'Daydream Believer' was released, becoming the band's third and final number one single. Written by John Stewart and issued on 25 October 1967 by Colgems Records, the track marked the end of the group's meteoric chart run, which had seen them achieve five top-five hits in just 14 months.
The Monkees were a manufactured band, created by TV producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider in 1965 as a direct emulation of the Beatles. The quartet comprised Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, who were cast after individual auditions. Unlike the Beatles, who wrote their own songs and honed their craft in clubs, the Monkees relied on professional songwriters and studio musicians for their early hits.
Despite their manufactured origins, the Monkees enjoyed extraordinary commercial success. Their first two albums held the number one spot in the US for 31 consecutive weeks, selling 10 million copies. This surpassed even the Beatles' early dominance; 'Meet the Beatles' and 'The Beatles' Second Album' had managed only 16 weeks at the top in 1964.
'Daydream Believer' was written by John Stewart, a former member of the Kingston Trio, and was the band's third chart-topping single. Other hits included Neil Diamond's 'I'm a Believer' and Gerry Goffin and Carole King's 'Pleasant Valley Sunday'. The song's enduring popularity has made it a staple of pop culture, often associated with the band's legacy.
