U2’s Version of One of The Monkees Greatest Hits Was a Real Banger
The Monkees were quietly one of the most influential music acts of their generation. With four No. 1 albums in one year (a feat that has yet to be topped), the musical partnership of Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, and Davy Jones remains beloved to this day. Many great musical artists have covered their songs, but a U2 version with Davy Jones taking the lead on one of The Monkees’ greatest hits was a real banger.
U2’s cover of ‘Daydream Believer’ leveled up when Davy Jones joined a live singalong
U2 toured their PopMart series of shows throughout 1997, poking fun at the themes of consumerism and pop culture.
However, there was no mocking the sheer joy the band displayed when covering The Monkees’ “Daydream Believer.” The Edge took the lead on the song’s vocals throughout the tour, and the crowd was encouraged to join him for a rocking version of the pop classic.
This unforgettable concert moment featured a slot where the Edge would perform songs with a karaoke CD, complete with lyrics shown on a giant screen. In Los Angeles, the group was joined by a surprise guest: Davy Jones, who originally sang lead on the 1967 Monkees song.
The performance (available on YouTube) came 30 years after the 1967 debut of “Daydream Believer.” Jones’s enthusiasm as he performs the song is contagious, turning the song from a singalong into a real banger.
What other artists have covered ‘Daydream Believer’?
“Daydream Believer” was written by John Stewart and featured on the Monkees 1968 album The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees. The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart in December 1967 and remained at the top spot for four weeks. It was the band’s last chart-topper.
American Songwriter interviewed Stewart, who said the song was part of a “suburban trilogy.”
“I remember writing ‘Daydream Believer’ very clearly,” Stewart explained. “For some reason, I was writing songs all day, every day. It was part of a trilogy, a suburban trilogy. I remember going to be thinking, ‘What a wasted day — all I’ve done is daydream.’ And from there I wrote the whole song,” Stewart concluded.
Stewart covered the tune in 1971. Eight years later, “Daydream Believer” was covered by Anne Murray. Her version reached No. 3 on the Country Singles Chart and No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
What were The Monkees’ other 2 chart-topping singles?
The Monkees had three number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100: “Daydream Believer,” “Last Train to Clarksville,” and “I’m a Believer.”
“Last Train to Clarksville” was the first single released by The Monkees in August 1966, ahead of The Monkees September TV debut. Through exposure from the television show, “Last Train to Clarksville” topped the charts the week of Nov. 5, 1966.
“I’m A Believer” was the follow-up to “Clarksville.” The group’s momentum pushed the song to the top of the charts in December of 1966. “Daydream Believer“ their final hit, made it to the top five of the Billboard charts during its second week, and by the third, it reached the top spot in mid-1967.
The Monkees remained a quartet until 1968. Peter Tork was the first to leave the band. Two years later, both Mike Nesmith and Davy Jones also exited.
In May 1986, Dolenz, Jones, and Tork announced a 20th Anniversary Tour and began playing North America that June. In September 1988, the trio regrouped for shows in Australia, Europe, and North America, with that string of tours ending in September 1989. Nesmith showed up for some of the shows but sat out most of the tour.
The Monkees’ final album with all four members, Justus was released in 1996. It was the first album since 1968 on which all four original members performed and produced, and it would be the last studio album in which all four Monkees directly participated.
