A song written by Michael Nesmith before he was a member of the Monkees. It was first recorded by The Paul Butterfield Blues Band on their East-West album on Elektra in 1966. The Monkees were musicians brought together for a TV series in 1966 who were creative artists in their own right.
Nesmith: “That song was written to be a hit. I knew it would be a hit. I never once thought of me doing the lead on that one. Mickey was my choice for that.”
Michael Nesmith passed away on December 10, 2021. Rest in peace Michael. Thank you for all you gave us.
The lyrics to the song are about a fellow wanting just to be with Mary. It is interesting to note that other songs written during that time often used the name Mary to represent Marijuana.
The Monkees version: https://youtu.be/AMNize7s8nc