Pleasant Valley Sunday

[low_delta]

A couple of weeks ago, Cyn and I were out walking in her neighborhood. The whole area around there was built in the early fifties, and all the homes are those little cape cod style houses - very small, and similar. Sometimes I make fun of them, but we walked down one street, where all the houses were more "same" than on other blocks. There really was little distinction between them. No trees, similar shrubbery. No signs of life. No apparent pride of ownership. The song, "Pleasant Valley Sunday" came to mind, but the neighborhood described in the song is nicer than the one we walked through.

The local rock group down the street
Is trying hard to learn their song
Serenade the weekend squire,
Who just came out to mow his lawn

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday
Charcoal burning everywhere
Rows of houses that are all the same
And no one seems to care

See Mrs. Gray she's proud today
Because her roses are in bloom
Mr. Green he's so serene
He's got a TV in every room

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday
Here in status symbol land
Mothers complain about how hard life is
And the kids just don't understand

Creature comfort goals
They only numb my soul
And make it hard for me to see
My thoughts all seem to stray
To places far away
I need a change of scenery

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday
Charcoal burning everywhere
Another Pleasant Valley Sunday
Here in status symbol land

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday...

Comments

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

In case your readers don't recognize it, The Monkees performed that song. :)

[penpusher.livejournal.com]

My blurb from the soundtrack to "The Isolation Generation - Depressive"

Pleasant Valley Sunday – The Monkees: The Suburbs are targeted in this decidedly derisive ditty, written for the ‘Pre-Fab’ Four by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. The problems with our American culture are laid out on the lawn to see (“And Mr. Green/he’s so serene/he’s got a TV in every room”) and attack (“creature comfort goals/they only know my soul/and make it hard for me to see/my thoughts all seem to stray/to places far away/I need a change of scenery”). The Monkees, making one of the most politically charged social observations of the decade? Who knew?

Re:

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

Nice blurb!

I do remember being pleasantly surprised by the lyrics - much better than "Take the Last Train to Clarksville" or "I'm a Believer!"

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Thanks. Good stuff. And I didn't realize that's who wrote it.

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I didn't realize that I missed that. I often include copyright info too.

Like this: The Monkees (C) 2001. Rhino Records, Inc. All rights reserved.

But it was released in 1967.

And I also just learned that the mono and stereo mixes of "Pleasant Valley Sunday" differ considerably.

Re:

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was 11. Although I don't remember if they performed it at their live concert. :)

[vlinker.livejournal.com]

there are new neighborhoods where all the houses are different shades of taupe........eeewwww, and then there are the developments of snout-houses....(which are built over a 2 car wide garage on a narrow lot)......

Snout houses

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

The new version of the row-house?

Re: Snout houses

[vlinker.livejournal.com]

individual dwelling units built over a 2 car garage.....typically, the 2nd floor is cantilevered out over the front of the garage....hence, the "snout"......not a bad set-up for practicality, but aesthetics are "out-the-window...

http://www.spinellhomes.com/models/iris.html

[banana.livejournal.com]

*Now* I understand why I don't like living in the suburbs - I can feel the Monkees sneering at me!

I had a good laugh when I go to the bottom and found you were actually listening to Motorhead. 8~D

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I was wondering if anyone would notice that. I don't fill in that field all the time, but this time it seemed important.