I grew up on the Monkees. Sad to see Davy go, but his memory will live on in the great music they did. Here is one of my favorite Monkees’ tunes, the somewhat obscure 1967 “Daily Nightly”. Wonderfully psychedelic, it is an early example of the use of synth on a pop recording. And it uses the word “phantasmagoric”. Gotta love it.
Darkened rolling figures move through prisms of no color
Hand in hand, they walk the night, but never know each other
Passion cast in neon lights light up the jeweled trav’ler
Who, lost in scenes of smoke-filled dreams
Find questions, but no answersStartled eyes that sometimes see phantasmagoric splendor
Pirouette down palsied paths with pennies for the vendor
Salvation’s yours for just the time it takes to pay the dancer
Once again, such anxious men find questions but no answersThe night has gone and taken its infraction
While reddened eyes hope there will be a next oneTerror signs look down upon a world that glitters glibly
And mountainsides put arms around the unsuspecting city
Second hands that minds have slowed are moving even faster
Toward bring down someone who’s found
The questions, but no answers