Valleri
"Valleri" is a pop rock song written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart for the American band the Monkees. Released as a single on February 17, 1968, with "Tapioca Tundra" as the B-side, it served as the lead track from their fifth studio album, The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees.[1] Featuring lead vocals by Davy Jones, the song features a catchy melody and lyrics about infatuation with a girl named Valleri, and it became the Monkees' final top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number three.[2][3] The origins of "Valleri" trace back to 1966, when Boyce and Hart, frequent contributors to the Monkees' catalog, composed it hastily after misleading the band's music supervisor Don Kirshner about having a new song ready.[2] Initially recorded in August 1966 with basic instrumentation, an early version debuted on The Monkees television series in episodes aired on February 20, 1967, and April 17, 1967, helping to build fan interest.[2] Due to its growing popularity among disc jockeys and viewers, a rerecorded version was produced on December 26, 1967, with added horns on December 28, and session guitarist Louie Shelton contributing the distinctive riff, as none of the Monkees played guitar on the track.[2] Inspired partly by a real-life romantic disappointment in Bobby Hart's past, the song's simple, upbeat structure captured the Monkees' signature bubblegum pop sound during their transition toward more self-produced material.[2] It spent 12 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Cash Box chart for two weeks, underscoring the band's commercial peak amid internal tensions over creative control.[3][2]Origins and Recording
Songwriting
"Valleri" was written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart in 1966, at the request of Don Kirshner, the music supervisor for The Monkees television series, who sought a song featuring a girl's name to suit potential episodes.[2][1] According to an anecdote recounted by the songwriters, Boyce received Kirshner's call and impulsively claimed they already had such a track ready, prompting a hurried collaboration to deliver on the promise and secure the commission.[2] The name "Valleri" originated from a suggestion by Hart, drawn from a high school acquaintance he once admired, which they brainstormed en route to a meeting with Kirshner.[1][2] The lyrics revolve around the protagonist's intense infatuation with a girl named Valleri, emphasizing themes of love and emotional fulfillment through straightforward, repetitive phrasing in the chorus, such as "Valleri, I love my Valleri / There's a girl I know who makes me feel so good."[1] This structure captures a lighthearted pop sensibility with subtle dreamy undertones, aligning with the era's emerging psychedelic influences in mainstream music.[1] Initially conceived as a modest filler piece or B-side candidate for the series soundtrack, the song was not anticipated to become a significant commercial success at the time of its creation.[2][1]Initial Sessions
The initial recording sessions for "Valleri" took place on August 6, 1966, at RCA Victor Studio A in Hollywood, with Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart serving as producers.[4] The basic track featured session musicians and lead vocals by Davy Jones of The Monkees, marking one of the band's early involvements in the recording process beyond their television commitments.[2] This version, clocking in at approximately 2:33, relied on minimal instrumentation without subsequent overdubs, capturing a straightforward pop arrangement aligned with the song's origins as a quick composition pitched to music supervisor Don Kirshner.[5] The track remained unreleased at the time due to escalating disputes between The Monkees and Kirshner over production credits and artistic autonomy.[2] Kirshner, who prioritized outside songwriters like Boyce and Hart to maintain a manufactured sound tied to the band's TV series, clashed with the members' growing desire for creative input, leading to the original "Valleri" being vaulted alongside other material from the sessions.[2] These tensions highlighted the limitations of the band's early role, where they were often sidelined from full participation in favor of professional producers and writers. By early 1967, these conflicts culminated in The Monkees asserting greater control over their music, firing Kirshner and transitioning toward self-production on subsequent albums like Headquarters.[2] This shift in autonomy directly influenced the fate of the initial "Valleri" recording, which was set aside as the band moved away from the prefabricated formula that had defined their debut efforts. The original version would not surface until its inclusion on the 1990 compilation Missing Links Volume 2.[5]Final Production
Following the shelving of an earlier version due to songwriting credit disputes, "Valleri" was remade in late December 1967 at RCA Studio A in Hollywood.[6] The sessions, spanning December 26 to 28, were produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, who incorporated psychedelic flourishes to enhance the track's texture.[1] Key overdubs included a prominent brass section arranged by Don McGinnis, featuring musicians such as Lew McCreary on trombone and Oliver Mitchell on trumpet, which added a layered, orchestral depth to the arrangement.[7] Complementing this was a distinctive flamenco-style guitar solo by session guitarist Louie Shelton of The Wrecking Crew, whose contribution infused the song with rhythmic flair and exotic energy.[1] Davy Jones recorded his lead vocals separately from the instrumental tracks, providing a dynamic, energetic delivery that anchored the final mix.[8] The completed track clocked in at a concise 2:16 runtime, balancing pop accessibility with experimental edges.[9] This remake marked a deliberate shift toward a more rock-oriented sound, reflecting The Monkees' evolving style after their self-produced Headquarters sessions earlier in 1967, where the band asserted greater creative control over their music.[2]Release and Performance
Single Release
"Valleri" was released as a 7-inch 45 RPM single on February 17, 1968, by Colgems Records in the United States, catalogued as 66-1019, with the B-side "Tapioca Tundra," an experimental track written by Michael Nesmith.[10][2] This version of "Valleri" featured enhanced production, including a prominent brass section added during final sessions in early 1968, distinguishing it from earlier recordings and appearing on initial pressings.[2] The single served as the second extraction from the Monkees' fifth studio album, The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees, released two months later, and represented the group's final Top 10 hit on the U.S. charts amid escalating internal tensions over artistic control and the impending end of their television series.[1] Its promotion was closely tied to the Monkees' NBC television series, which featured the song in the episode "Monkees Blow Their Minds," which aired on March 11, 1968; as the show concluded its original run on March 25, 1968, and entered syndication reruns, it provided ongoing exposure for the track.[2][11] Internationally, "Valleri" saw releases including in the United Kingdom on RCA Victor (catalog RCA 1673) in April 1968, debuting on the charts on April 2, 1968.[12][13]Chart Performance
"Valleri" experienced strong commercial performance following its single release in February 1968, marking one of The Monkees' final major hits during their peak popularity period. The track debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 24 on the chart dated March 9, 1968, entering the Top 40 shortly after its launch, and ultimately peaked at number 3 during the week of March 30, 1968.[14][15] It maintained a presence on the chart for 11 weeks total, demonstrating sustained airplay and sales momentum.[1] Internationally, "Valleri" topped the Cash Box Top 100 for two weeks in early April 1968, reflecting robust popularity on U.S. pop radio formats.[16] In Canada, it reached number 1 on the RPM 100 chart, while in the United Kingdom, it climbed to a peak of number 12 on the Official Singles Chart.[17][13] The single's sales success led to RIAA gold certification in the United States in February 1968 for exceeding 500,000 units shipped, a testament to its rapid commercial impact.[18] As The Monkees' last Top 10 entry on the Billboard Hot 100—following earlier successes like "Daydream Believer"— "Valleri" underscored the band's enduring chart presence amid shifting musical trends, with its year-end performance on Cash Box highlighting sustained radio play throughout 1968.[19][16]| Chart | Peak Position | Weeks at Peak | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | 3 | 1 | Billboard |
| Cash Box Top 100 | 1 | 2 | Tropical Glen Archives |
| RPM 100 (Canada) | 1 | 1 | RAC Pro |
| UK Singles Chart | 12 | N/A | Official Charts |