Long before the Byrds or the Eagles brought rootsy, twang-heavy arrangements into mainstream rock, Mike Nesmith was already experimenting with the sound inside the Monkees.
The 1966 track “Sweet Young Thing” paired his distinctive Southern instincts with Carole King and Gerry Goffin‘s knack for melodic hooks. The result was a rare studio collaboration that created something genuinely ahead of its time.
Pitchfork reported that Nesmith introduced the country rock sound to teenagers via his work with The Monkees. The outlet noted, “Having brought that sound to the Monkees from their first LP onward, Nesmith doubled down on its hard twang, strong groove, and vaguely mystical lyrics on several solo albums after the group ended.”
The blog Power Pop reported that Monkees’ music supervisor, Don Kirshner, set Nesmith up to write with King and Goffin for the one-off tune. Nesmith was said to have liked both songwriters, but didn’t want to be “forced to write with someone else. Kirshner resented the rejection, feeling that a nobody like Nesmith should have flipped over the opportunity to work with two songwriting legends.”
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“Sweet Young Thing” was never released as a single from the band’s 1966 debut LP, The Monkees. The tune featured backing vocals by Monkees band members Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz, and Tork also played guitar. Davy Jones was not credited on that song.
Backing musicians on the track included members of The Wrecking Crew. Glen Campbell, James Burton, and Hal Blaine were among those listed as having participated in the recording session.
Although the tune never reached the Billboard Top 100, “Sweet Young Thing” was prominently featured in two episodes of The Monkees television series. These Season 1 episodes are titled “Success Story” and “The Audition (Find the Monkees).”
The song laid the groundwork for country-rock in a genre that didn’t even exist yet. The Byrds didn’t release Sweetheart of the Rodeo until 1968, and the Flying Burrito Brothers debuted in 1969. However, Nesmith was ahead of his time, weaving rock and country into pop records a full two years before those seminal albums.
Dangerous Minds reported, “In terms of the country rock hybrid sound, Nesmith–clearly–was a visionary of the form. He can be credited as much as ANYONE–including The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, even CSNY–with inventing the sound. Mike Nesmith was doing country rock dating to 1966’s “Papa Gene’s Blues” on the first Monkees album.”
Despite the Monkees frequently being dismissed as a manufactured teen act, Nesmith reflected on his time in the group with pride. “It is a part of my youth that is always active in my thoughts and part of my overall work as an artist,” he told Rolling Stone.
Looking back, “Sweet Young Thing” is so much more than a track on a sixty-year-old record. It’s a snapshot of Mike Nesmith creating the roots of a whole new sound.
Related: 1970 Solo Hit, Written By Mike Nesmith, Defined Early Country Rock
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