"Last Train To Clarksville" #1 11/5/1966

In the 50's Ricky Nelson showed how a tie-in between rock and roll and TV could succeed. The debut single by the Monkees certainly proved that. "Oh no no no" was a response by songwriters Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart to the Beatles and "yeah yeah yeah." It contained some oblique references to a soldier headed off to Vietnam, like "I don't know if I'm ever comin' home." Clarksville, Tennessee is home to Ft. Campbell and the Army's 101st Airborne, but Phoenix native Hart said it was a nod to the town of Clarkdale, Arizona, near Sedona. The famous opening guitar riff by Wrecking Crew member Louie Shelton was sort of based on "Paperback Writer." Lead vocals were by Micky Dolenz, the only Monkee actually on the record. Micky said the "doo-doo-doo-doo" part in the middle happened because production of songs for the show was so rushed he didn't have time to learn the lyrics.