Rock

The song “Last Train to Clarksville” was written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart and was the debut single for The Monkees. They released it in 1966, and the song went to #1 on the U.S. billboard hot 100 and in Canada. It rose to #23 in the U.K. The song is also on their 1966 album The  Monkees. The lyrics tell of a man who calls the woman he loves on the phone and asks here to meet him at the train station in Clarksville before he leaves and possibly may never see her again. Musically, the song has similarities to “Paperback Writer” by The Beatles, which had been on the charts earlier in the year. While The Beatles were known for their “yeah, yeah, yeah,” this song features an “Oh no-no-no.” Meanwhile, happening in the world and the news, there was the war in Vietnam. Although the lyrics do not explicitly state that the singer is part of the military and going off to war, it is a possible interpretation. Session musicians for this track were from Boyce and Hart’s band the Candy Store Prophets.

The Monkees were formed in Los Angeles in 1965 by Robert “Bob” Rafelson and Bert Schneider specifically for the television show The Monkees. The series aired from 1966 to 1968. They were to be an imaginary band who wanted to be The Beatles but were not that successful. Strangely enough, they sold more than 75 million records worldwide, and at the point in 1967 when The Monkees were at the height of their fame, they had outsold The Beatles and The Rolling Stones combined. Of course, time moved on and things changed. So goes Sixties rock music…The Monkees were Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork, Davy Jones, and Michael Nesmith.

Here are the lyrics to “Last Train to Clarksville” by The Monkees:

“Take the last train to Clarksville,
And I’ll meet you at the station.
You can be there by four thirty,
‘Cause I made your reservation.
Don’t be slow, oh, no, no, no!
Oh, no, no, no!

‘Cause I’m leavin’ in the morning
And I must see you again
We’ll have one more night together
‘Til the morning brings my train.
And I must go, oh, no, no, no!
Oh, no, no, no!
And I don’t know if I’m ever coming home.

Take the last train to Clarksville.
I’ll be waiting at the station.
We’ll have time for coffee-flavored kisses
And a bit of conversation.
Oh… Oh, no, no, no!
Oh, no, no, no!

Take the last train to Clarksville,
Now I must hang up the phone.
I can’t hear you in this noisy
Railroad station all alone.
I’m feelin’ low. Oh, no, no, no!
Oh, no, no, no!
And I don’t know if I’m ever coming home.

Take the last train to Clarksville
And I’ll meet you at the station
You can be here by four-thirty
‘Cause I made your reservation

Don’t be slow
Oh, no, no, no
Oh, no, no, no
And I don’t know If I’m ever coming home

Take the last train to Clarksville
Take the last train to Clarksville
Take the last train to Clarksville
Take the last train to Clarksville”

For more songs by The Monkees: “Daydream Believer” and “I’m a Believer.”

Check Out The Groove Pad for More 1960s Music

The Pass the Paisley Groove Pad is a resting stop, a place to chill out and listen to the featured song on the stereo. If the mood strikes you, click on the juke box to access and listen to the 50+ free online music there. The TV has several channels, with selections updated twice a week. Every now and then, Pass the Paisley hosts an all-request of 1960s and 1970s songs for a Be-In at the juke box in the Groove Pad. Keep on truckin’. Hope you enjoyed “Last Train to Clarksville” by The Monkees.