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TL;DR:

  • Mike Nesmith noted that a major star wrote The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.”
  • He said the band’s producers preferred “I’m a Believer” to a song he wrote.
  • The song he wrote became a hit for other artists.
The Monkees’ Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Peter Tork | Bettmann / Contributor

The Monkees‘ producers rejected a song that Mike Nesmith wrote for the band. Subsequently, the producers embraced The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer,” which was written by Neil Diamond. Nesmith revealed what he thought about this situation.

Mike Nesmith discussed The Monkees’ ‘I’m a Believer’ and pop songs in general

Nesmith wrote a song for The Monkees called “Different Drum.” “It was completely rejected,” Nesmith told Vice in 2016. “They wanted ‘I’m a Believer,’ that Neil Diamond stuff.” Diamond also wrote other Monkees songs such as “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You.”

Nesmith had no issue with the rejection of “Different Drum.” “That’s fine, I wouldn’t know a pop song if it bit me on the nose,” he said. “I don’t know how to write those.”

Mike Nesmith discussed the difference between his songwriting and The Monkees’ songs

Nesmith then discussed some of the pop songs The Monkees released on their 2016 album Good Times! “I have an appreciation for songs like ‘You Bring The Summer’ and ‘She Makes Me Laugh,’ which are much more Monkee-ish than I know,” he said. I know a very melancholy [style of songwriting] that makes you really sad if you’re lonely, but also has a certain amount of hope to it.”

Nesmith contrasted his style with The Monkees’. “But that’s not Monkee stuff — but now it sort of is,” he said. “You meet people who put The Monkees in a completely different space in their head. I don’t recognize it, I mean, I acknowledge it but I don’t know it when I see it. I guess I just have to trust that other people are shooting straight with me.”

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How ‘Different Drum’ and ‘I’m a Believer’ performed on the pop charts in the United States

The Stone Poneys and Linda Ronstadt released their own version of “Different Drum.” The track reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the chart for 17 weeks. The track appeared on the album Evergreen, Volume 2, which reached No. 100 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 15 weeks.

“I’m a Believer” became far more popular. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks, staying on the chart for 15 weeks in total. The tune appeared on the group’s second studio album. More of the Monkees reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for 18 weeks, lasting a total of 96 weeks on the chart.

“Different Drum” wasn’t as big as “I’m a Believer,” but it proved Nesmith could write a hit.

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