The Beatles Let The Monkees Use This Iconic ‘Sgt. Pepper’s’ Song for Their Series Finale Episode
The Monkees television series may have only run for two seasons, but it continues to hold a special place for fans who enjoyed the mayhem and music Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones brought to the small screen. On the air from 1966 through 1968, The Monkees was conceived to tell the adventures of a fledgling band.
Subsequently, the series about this group of musicians would spawn a wildly successful band that would forever be linked to Beatlemania. Therefore it was a surprise when The Beatles allowed The Monkees to use a snippet of this iconic Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band song for the group’s series finale episode.
Micky Dolenz was invited to watch The Beatles record an album
On March 25, 1968, the last original episode of The Monkees aired on NBC according to The Monkees Live Almanac. Titled “The Frodis Caper,” Dolenz had a hand in writing and directing the episode, marking his debut behind the camera.
During a Monkees convention Q-and-A session, captured in a YouTube clip, Dolenz recounted how he visited the studio where The Beatles were recording ahead of the release of The Beatles’ studio album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
“I got dressed up like I was going to a major party — a Beatlemania funfest, freak-out psycho Jell-O thing with my paisley bell-bottoms, ty-died underwear, and my hair up in beads and the Lennon glasses,” Dolenz said in the clip. “I looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and Charlie Manson.”
However, a surprised Dolenz saw The Beatles were all business upon his arrival at the studio.
“I show up, and there’s nobody there except the four guys,” Dolenz recalled. “The place looks like my high school gymnasium, with fluorescent lighting, and there are just the four guys sitting there playing.”
He joked, “I was like, ‘Where are the girls?’”
How was ‘Good Morning Good Morning’ used in ‘The Monkees’ final episode?
During the studio visit, John Lennon showed Dolenz “Good Morning Good Morning” and Dolenz fell in love with the song. While working on the series finale of The Monkees, Dolenz shared how much he loved “Good Morning Good Morning” with a producer.
“They must have made a call,” Dolenz said in the Q-and-A. “At that time, it was unheard of to get a Beatle tune for any other purpose and they said yes.”
“Good Morning Good Morning,” which John Lennon claimed was inspired by a Kellogg’s commercial he heard while writing songs (per The Beatles Bible), was heard in the episode as the members of The Monkees rolled out of bed.
The episode itself told the story of an evil Wizard Glick, played by comedian Rip Taylor. Glick set out to control the minds of television viewers through the broadcasting of a hypnotic eye.
‘The Monkees’ pilot was filmed in 1965
The Monkees filmed their pilot episode in 1965. Nesmith, Tork, Dolenz, and Jones had personalities that appeared to mesh on camera. They also looked like a music group. Ultimately, Nesmith played lead guitar, Tork took over bass, Dolenz played drums, and Jones handled lead and backing vocals.
The Monkees debuted its first season in 1966, reported Biography. The men rehearsed their instruments and worked diligently on their improvisational techniques.
The Monkees ran for a total of 58 episodes. However, the group’s indelible mark on their fans would remain long beyond the airing of their final episode.
