Friday May 15, 2020 “She Makes Me Laugh” The Monkees

It’s another Frivolous Friday and what could be more musically frivolous than the pre-fab four, The Monkees. Modeled after the Beatles, Mickey, Mike, Davy & Peter did their very best to pretend to be musicians (two of them actually were) and provide jovial, slapstick comedy once a week surrounded by tunes from some of the very best rock & roll songwriters of the time. And be honest, those of us who remember them on their first run TV series, maybe you couldn’t tell your friends but you secretly looked forward to each week's episode if only for the tunes.

And in the abyss of pop music that I have been swallowed, here is a song-of-the day bookend with this pleasant Monkees tune written in 2016 by Rivers Cuomo (not related to Andrew…I don’t think) of the band Weezer who earlier on this adventure gave us “Islands In The Sun”. This jangly pop gem, “She Makes Me Laugh” is a song you are likely unfamiliar with but is catchy enough to have you singing along once you have gotten through the chorus once.

So much Monkee trivia that we could delve into but I will leave you with just a few minor considerations. Did you know that US sales for The Monkees were greater than both the Beatles (Sgt. Pepper) and the Rolling Stones (Their Satanic Majesties Requests) combined in 1967; that Mickey auditioned for the role of the Fonz on Happy Days; and yes Stephen Stills (Crosby Stills & Nash) did audition for The Monkees TV show but when he was rejected he suggested to his roommate that maybe he should audition. His roommate was Peter Tork…a future Monkee.

Enjoy the video, done in classic Monkee style and have fun singing along, lyrics below as always.

Stay safe and well…and frivolous.

I'm so glad that I got her to think of
She's fine as any Valentine
I think about her all the time
Cross my heart and hope to die


She sends me silly messages and pictures
Directing traffic in the mall
Or posing with some brand new shoes
She never fails to surprise


She makes me laugh, she makes me smile
And I could hang out with her all day and night
She makes me laugh, she makes me cry
And I would like to be with her for awhile


I'm so glad that I got her to think of
We'll have a dinner date tonight
And play some scrabble with the guys
And wear our pink party hats


Maybe I should take her on safari?
You'll see us wave from our canoe
If that's what she wants to do
Tell me what's wrong with that?


She makes me laugh, she makes me smile
And I could hang out with her all day and night
She makes me laugh, she makes me cry
And I would like to be with her for awhile


No matter whatever else I do
She's still the girl I should hold on to
No matter whatever else I do
She's still the girl I should hold on to
No matter whatever else I do
She's still the girl, she's still the girl.