behindthegrooves

On this day in music history: November 5, 1966 - “Last Train To Clarksville” by The Monkees hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 1 week. Written and produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, is the first number one single for “The Pre-Fab Four”. Working as staff writers for music supervisor Don Kirshner’s publishing company, Boyce and Hart use The Beatles then recent hit “Paperback Writer” as the initial inspiration for “Clarksville”. Bobby Hart mistakenly believes that The Beatles were singing about a “last train”. When he realizes that isn’t correct, he still likes the imagery enough to begin writing a song around it. The track is recorded at RCA Victor Studio B in Hollywood, CA on July 25, 1966. With The Monkees themselves spending as much as twelve hours a day filming the series, the music tracks are cut with studio musicians (though band members Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork are both accomplished musicians) in order to make the recordings as quickly as possible. The group would then be brought into the studio to record their vocals. The single is released on August 16, 1966, one month before their top rated TV series debuts on NBC on September 12, 1966. Entering the Hot 100 at #67 on September 10, 1966, it climbs to the top of the chart nine weeks later. “Clarksville” is the first of three chart topping singles, and six top ten singles for The Monkees. “Last Train To Clarksville” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.