It was Boyce and Hart who wrote, produced and recorded (with the help of their band, the Candy Store Prophets) backing tracks for a large portion of the first season of The Monkees, and the band’s accompanying debut album. In 1966, despite some conflicts with Don Kirshner, who was the show’s musical supervisor, they were retained in substantially the same role. In late 1965, they wrote, produced and performed the soundtrack to the pilot of The Monkees, including singing lead vocals (which were later replaced, once the show was cast).

At one point in this period, Hart also co-wrote “ Hurt So Bad” for Little Anthony & the Imperials with Teddy Randazzo and his regular songwriting partner, Bobby Weinstein. The duo also wrote the theme song to the daytime soap Days of Our Lives. The latter two songs provided the Monkees with hit B-sides in 1967. They went on to write hits for Jay & the Americans (“ Come a Little Bit Closer”), Paul Revere and the Raiders (“ (I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone”) and The Leaves (“ Words”). Their partnership made a breakthrough with a song recorded by Chubby Checker, “ Lazy Elsie Molly”, in 1964. The song hit #8 in the US and #11 in the UK, becoming Domino’s biggest hit there in several years, and sold over a million copies.īoyce met Hart in 1959, and the following year played guitar on Hart’s single “ Girl In The Window,” which flopped, but marked the first time he used the name Bobby Hart, since his manager shortened it to fit the label. He waited six hours at Domino’s hotel room to present him with the demo, and got Domino to promise to listen to the song.

After being rejected numerous times, Boyce took his father’s suggestion to write a song called “ Be My Guest” for rock and roll star Fats Domino. Hart served in the Army after leaving high school, and on discharge traveled to Los Angeles seeking a career as a singer.īoyce was separately pursuing a career as a singer. Tommy Boyce (born Sidney Thomas Boyce, SeptemNovember 23, 1994) and Bobby Hart (born Robert Luke Harshman, February 19, 1939, Phoenix, Arizona) were a prolific songwriting duo, best known for the songs they wrote for The Monkees. I wonder What She’s Doing Tonight/ A&M 893/ January 1968/ #8 The songs they have written, plus I Wonder what She’s Doing Tonight/Ģ.

I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight/ Valiant 6034/ November 1963/ #21 “Barry” was Barry De Vorzon, who went on to considerable success as a film music composer the group’s other members were Terry Smith and Bodie Chandler.ġ. Their 1963 single for Valiant Records, “ I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight“, hit #23 on the US Black Singles chart and #21 on the Billboard Hot 100. Barry & the Tamerlanes were a doo wop trio from California.

Candy store prophets