A Forgotten Talent in the Shadow of a Shining Ensemble

🎵 The Monkees – “Goin’ Down”

• Released: 1967 (B-side to “Daydream Believer”)

• Lead vocals: Micky Dolenz

• Writers: Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Diane Hildebrand

• Style: Jazz-rock / stream-of-consciousness / proto-rap

⚡️ A Sonic Rush

“Goin’ Down” is arguably one of the most unique and ambitious recordings The Monkees ever produced. From the first note, it grabs you and doesn’t let go: a frantic jazz groove, swinging horns, and Micky Dolenz racing through a waterfall of lyrics like a man possessed.

“Floating down the river with a saturated liver…”

This isn’t bubblegum pop—it’s raw, experimental, and wildly fun. Clocking in at over three minutes of breakneck vocal delivery, it’s a true performance piece.

🧠 Lyrical Style: Ahead of Its Time

The lyrics unfold like a stream-of-consciousness monologue. The story? A man who jumps into a river over a failed relationship—and then second-guesses the whole thing mid-fall. The writing is sharp, ironic, and often surreal, walking a tightrope between comic absurdity and emotional unraveling.

It’s been compared to Bob Dylan’s talk-blues style and even to early hip-hop rhythms in how it builds momentum through sheer lyrical force.

🎤 Micky Dolenz’s Vocal Performance

Simply put: Micky is on fire. He races through verses with jazz phrasing, precision, and soul. Many fans (and critics) point to “Goin’ Down” as one of his finest vocal performances. It’s breathless, chaotic, controlled—all at once.

And notably: the entire lead vocal was reportedly recorded in a single take. That’s how sharp Micky’s musicianship really was.

🎷 Musical Backing & Jazz Roots

The backing band includes some of L.A.’s finest session players, delivering a full-on jazz ensemble vibe: horns, upright bass, rhythm section. The groove is rooted in “Jumpin’ Jack,” a song by Bessie Banks, but The Monkees completely reinvented it.

Unlike most of their earlier hits, this one leaned fully into an adult, off-center jazz-rock style—a sign that The Monkees were much more than just a TV band.

📀 Release & Legacy

• Initially released as the B-side to “Daydream Believer” in 1967.

• Though never a major chart hit on its own, “Goin’ Down” became a fan-favorite, frequently performed live at Monkees concerts.

• It remains a deep cut that showcases the band’s creative edge, musical daring, and Micky’s masterful vocals.

🕶️ In Retrospect

“Goin’ Down” is the kind of song that shatters the misconceptions about The Monkees. It’s clever, musically ambitious, and vocally demanding. It reminds fans—and skeptics—that this band was more than a pop phenomenon. They were artists, willing to take chances.

And Micky? He didn’t just keep up with the jazz groove—he ran laps around it.