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January 1, 2020 9:45 am  #1


Bobby Hart On Last Train To Clarksville: "I Don't Remember."

Well, that was a bit of an anti-climax. But at least we know that we'll never know. I received an email on New Year's Day from Bobby Hart, the famed co-writer (with the late Tommy Boyce) of dozens of classic tunes, including the Monkees "Last Train To Clarksville." 

In a previous post, I'd recalled Micky Dolenz saying there were rapid fire lyrics to the part of the song where he sings "do do do do do do do do do do do do do," but he was too exhausted from filming to get them in his head - and it was already after midnight. So they just put in the filler, left it that way and it didn't affect the song's success at all.  

I asked Hart if there was any way he could provide those missing lyrics. But alas, it appears they will be forever lost to history. Here's the brief text of his email. 

"The story is true but I don't remember the lyrics.
Happy New Year! 
Bobby"


A real shame we couldn't find out, but if he doesn't remember, there's no one left who can. Still, I appreciate getting a response at all. And if nothing else, we get a glimpse of his holiday card.

Happy New Year to all my fellow oldies! (Hmmm, I'm not sure that quite came out right!)

 

January 1, 2020 10:19 am  #2


Re: Bobby Hart On Last Train To Clarksville: "I Don't Remember."

Thanks very much, aflem. I think that there were a couple of significant positives in what came from this. First was the fact that you heard from Caroline Boyce as a result of finding the email address on the Boyce & Hart site. What impressed me about that was that Caroline would be that involved with the website, given the way that Tommy died ... I think it's very special that she is doing this. The other aspect that I like is that your question reached Bobby Hart and that you received an answer. From time to time things like this come up where I wonder if anyone has asked people who are alive who would be able to provide some sort of answer ... often I think that they haven't been asked, and I think that's unfortunate. So well done on your part all the way around, and thanks for sharing this with us. 

 

January 1, 2020 2:17 pm  #3


Re: Bobby Hart On Last Train To Clarksville: "I Don't Remember."

aflem wrote:

Well, that was a bit of an anti-climax. But at least we know that we'll never know. I received an email on New Year's Day from Bobby Hart, the famed co-writer (with the late Tommy Boyce) of dozens of classic tunes, including the Monkees "Last Train To Clarksville." 

In a previous post, I'd recalled Micky Dolenz saying there were rapid fire lyrics to the part of the song where he sings "do do do do do do do do do do do do do," but he was too exhausted from filming to get them in his head - and it was already after midnight. So they just put in the filler, left it that way and it didn't affect the song's success at all.  

I asked Hart if there was any way he could provide those missing lyrics. But alas, it appears they will be forever lost to history. Here's the brief text of his email. 

"The story is true but I don't remember the lyrics.
Happy New Year! 
Bobby"


A real shame we couldn't find out, but if he doesn't remember, there's no one left who can. Still, I appreciate getting a response at all. And if nothing else, we get a glimpse of his holiday card.

Happy New Year to all my fellow oldies! (Hmmm, I'm not sure that quite came out right!)

Interesting story...I'd never heard about that. It's kind of similar to the way Na Na Hey Hey, came about.  There's one way you might still be able to find the missing lyrics...through the Library of Congress. The song was copyrighted with the LOC and I'm wondering if Boyce and Hart submitted the original lyrics as part of the process.
http://tiny.cc/2c57hz

 

Last edited by Roman (January 1, 2020 2:25 pm)

 

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