“Every Step of the Way” – The Monkees is a vibrant, harmony-rich gem that marked a pivotal moment in the band’s evolution during the late 1980s. Released in 1987 as part of their reunion album Pool It!, the song showcases a blend of 1960s pop nostalgia and 1980s radio-friendly rock, embodying both the enduring charm of The Monkees and their willingness to grow beyond the image of a made-for-TV band.
At its core, “Every Step of the Way” is a song about persistence, loyalty, and romantic devotion — told with the kind of melodic brightness and upbeat tempo that The Monkees had always excelled at, even decades after their television debut. Though by 1987 the cultural landscape had shifted dramatically from the band’s heyday, this track offered a kind of bridge: a connection between the past and the present, with modern production layered over classic Monkees-style optimism.
The track was sung by Micky Dolenz, whose voice, as always, carries the energy, theatricality, and charisma that defined so many of the group’s earlier hits. Though more polished and power-driven than his vocal work from the 1960s, Dolenz brings an emotional conviction that lifts the lyrics from ordinary pop into something sincerely uplifting. He doesn’t just sing about being there “every step of the way” — he sounds like someone who means it.
Lyrically, the song walks the line between anthem and love song. With lines like:
“I’ll be there through the night and day, every step of the way,”
the message is clear: true love doesn’t run, it endures. It’s a theme The Monkees had touched on before in their catalog, but here, it feels grown-up — less bubblegum, more battle-tested.
Musically, the arrangement reflects the late ’80s rock-pop production style: bright synthesizers, electric guitar riffs, steady drums, and big, stadium-style choruses. It was a clear departure from the jangly, garage-band textures of “Last Train to Clarksville” or “I’m a Believer.” And yet, for longtime fans, that shift wasn’t betrayal — it was evolution. The Monkees weren’t trying to recreate 1966. They were showing what it looked like when a band grows older, together, without losing its heart.
Pool It!, the album from which this single came, marked the first time since the 1960s that three of the original Monkees — Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork — recorded a full studio album together. Though Mike Nesmith did not participate, the project still carried the spirit of reunion. “Every Step of the Way” was the second single from the album, following the more nostalgic “Heart and Soul.” While neither single charted as high as the band’s 1960s hits, they were warmly embraced by longtime fans, and served as a symbol of the Monkees’ staying power in an industry that often moved on too quickly.
What gives “Every Step of the Way” lasting significance isn’t just the song itself, but what it represented. It was proof that the Monkees were more than just a flash in the pan, more than a TV novelty act. They were musicians, performers, and friends, still capable of creating music that moved people — even if the charts didn’t always reflect it.
Today, the song stands as a lesser-known but underrated anthem of Monkees resilience. It’s the sound of a band stepping forward, not back — honoring where they came from, while refusing to be frozen in time. For fans of Micky Dolenz, it’s another showcase of his vocal brilliance and his emotional accessibility. For fans of the Monkees as a whole, “Every Step of the Way” is a reminder: the journey isn’t about how high you climb, but who you walk beside, every step of the way.