The Monkees - A Better World
Ever since learning of Peter Tork's death the other day I and maybe even moreso my wife thought of him and THIS SONG.
See, my Monkees-lifer wife felt that THIS song "A Better World" was actually the best or her favorite track from the much praised Good Times! from 2016.
And it seems to receive very little to no love or attention!
It's really wonderful. The string arrangement, the sort of sad, cynical and in some way optimistic way it sounds and the lyrics specifically.
And so in thinking about Peter, this tune does not seem to leave my head.
IT WASN'T EVEN ON THE STANDARD GOOD TIMES! BUT ONLY A BLEEPING BONUS TRACK!
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I dunno, I love a lot of Good Times!
Birth of an Accidental Hipster, You Bring the Summer, She Makes Me Laugh, Me and Magdalena and some others...
but I may be siding with my wife now.
This is such a haunting, sad, beautiful tune.
And Peter never performed it live, I don't think. Not with The Monkees anyway, maybe at 1 of those solo shows he did in 2016 or 2017? I'd have to look it up.
It is kind of haunting me now..like his or his brother Nick's feeling about food and Global Food supplies. Why are people starving when there's more than enough food to go around.
It reminds me of "Earth Song" from Michael Jackson or a conversation I had with Johan Hallgren of Pain of Salvation in 2002 or 2004 at ProgPower USA.
In this song, it seems we are in a "Better World" and like Star Trek alludes to, starvation and famine are gone. A thing of the distant past, etc.
"Joytown" from Kevin Gilbert also comes to mind. Sort of a dream/fantasy utopia in some ways.
Rest in Peace Peter. Hopefully this song will reach even just more Monkees fans now posthumously.
I'm sure now you are living in this "Better World."
Maybe your brother Nick will at least be around to see that.
Bonus track from The Monkees' 2016 album GOOD TIMES
Credits Written by Nick Thorkelson
Peter Tork – Vocals, Guitars and Percussion
Micky Dolenz and Coco Dolenz – Backing Vocals
Joe Boyle – Lead Guitar, Bass and Backing Vocals
Sturgis Cunningham – Drums, Percussion and Backing Vocals
Katlin Wolfberg, Corinne Olsen, Emily Elkins and Eliza James – String Quartet
A Better World"
A better world is needed
I believe anyone can see it
A better world is coming
If we live as we believe
A better world is started
No need to be broken-hearted
No need for longing
We can have all we need
There’s more than enough
To feed all the hungry
To mend every broken heart
We can bring this about
If we mean it
It’s not gonna be easy
So start, so start, so start
The way we live is funny
Anyone can see it’s gonna
Take more than money
It’s gonna take all we got
The way we live is tragic
Anyone can tell it’s gonna
Take more than magic
But believe it or not
There’s more than enough
To feed all the hungry
With enough heart and soul
And if we don’t tire
We can bring this about
It’s not just my imagination
It’s not just you and me
And it’s not just two or three
It’s the whole wide world
On fire
You’ll get your money back
Your heart’s desire
A better world is needed
I believe anyone can see it
A better world is coming
If we live as we believe
A better world is started
No need to be broken hearted
No need for longing
We can have all we need
There’s more than enough (There’s more than enough)
To feed all the hungry
To mend every broken heart
We can bring this about
If we mean it
It’s not gonna be easy
So start, so start
Whole wide world
On fire
Whole wide world
On fire
