THE MONKEES - PLEASANT VALLEY SUNDAY

Released: July 1967

Charts: US: #3  UK: #11 

“Pleasant Valley Sunday,” written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, was inspired by suburban life in West Orange, New Jersey. Recorded by the Monkees in 1967, the single became one of their biggest hits, reaching No. 3 on the charts and appearing on their fourth album, “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd”.

Carole King revealed that “Pleasant Valley Sunday” was inspired by her and Gerry Goffin’s move to suburban West Orange, New Jersey, where Goffin grew disillusioned with the conformity and materialism of suburban life. His lyrics critique status-seeking, boredom, and societal pressure, making the song a sharp social commentary. Scholars have linked it to the New Left and 1960s counterculture, while Michael Nesmith humorously claimed it was about a mental institution.

The Monkees mostly played their own instruments on “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” with Peter Tork on piano and Mike Nesmith performing the iconic opening guitar riff. Producer Chip Douglas, formerly of The Turtles, created the riff—based on The Beatles’ “I Want to Tell You”—and taught it to Nesmith, who overdubbed it twice. Vocals were handled in unison by Nesmith and drummer Micky Dolenz, creating a distinctive blend of contrasting tones that Peter Tork later praised as a unique melding of their voices.