Why The Monkees’ Davy Jones Listened to The Beatles’ ‘Penny Lane’ ‘5,000 Times’
Davy Jones of The Monkees listened to The Beatles‘ “Penny Lane” over and over. During an interview, he explained why he listened to the song repeatedly. In addition, Jones said he felt The Beatles were a “manufactured” band.
What The Monkees’ Davy Jones thought of The Beatles in general and George Harrison in particular
During an interview with The Bob Show, Jones discussed his reaction to The Beatles’ songs. He said every member of The Monkees was a fan of The Beatles. Jones said George Harrison was an underrated songwriter. Jones felt George was a very different songwriter compared to the other members of the Fab Four.
“I go to a pub now in Richmond, Virginia,” Jones said. “It’s called Penny Lane. It’s owned by a guy called Terry from Liverpool. The Beatles are playing over and over. Every Beatle record you ever heard.”
Jones said he had a particular fondness for the song “Penny Lane.” “And as I was leaving the pub couple of days ago, I walked out with a friend and [sings] ‘Penny Lane, there is a barber’ and I went ‘Woo! I can’t leave. I got to stand here.’ And I stood outside the building and listened to ‘Penny Lane,'” Jones recalled.
Jones listened to The Beatles’ “Penny Lane” over and over when he heard it. “The first time I ever heard it, I played it 5,000 times,” Jones said. “Because it was just so nice. It was different than anything and it was like a teenage … Don’t get this wrong. The Beatles were the first manufactured group. Not The Monkees. It was The Beatles.”
The way the world reacted to The Beatles’ ‘Penny Lane’
“Penny Lane” was a massive hit. The song spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, spending one of those weeks at the top of the chart. “Penny Lane” appeared on the soundtrack for The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour. The Magical Mystery Tour soundtrack reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200, staying on the chart for 93 weeks.
“Penny Lane” became popular in the United Kingdom as well. According to The Official Charts Company, “Penny Lane” reached No. 2 in the U.K. and stayed on the chart for 11 weeks. Meanwhile, Magical Mystery Tour hit No. 31 and remained on the chart for 10 weeks.
The way ‘Penny Lane’ impacted pop culture
“Penny Lane” had an impact on pop culture outside of its time on the charts. No Doubt and Engelbert Humperdinck covered the classic track. A character in the comedy Almost Famous was named after the song. The Rutles released a spoof of the song called “Doubleback Alley” that appeared in their film All You Need Is Cash, which parodied The Beatles’ entire career. “Penny Lane” also brought the street of the same name into the consciousness of many Beatles fans who might not have heard of it. “Penny Lane” is one of The Bealtes’ major songs and it impressed Jones.
