Last Train to Clarksville is the 1966 debut single by The Monkees, written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart.
Colgems released it on August 16, 1966.
It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 that November.
Table of Contents
- The Story Behind the Song
- Recording the Single
- What Is the Song About?
- How It Charted
- Legacy and Covers
- FAQ
The Story Behind Last Train to Clarksville
Songs for a TV Band
The Monkees were put together for an NBC sitcom, which began airing in September 1966.
The show was modeled on the Beatles film A Hard Day's Night.
Don Kirshner had recruited Boyce and Hart to his Screen Gems songwriting operation, and the new group was one of their assignments.
They wrote a song that borrowed from the Beatles on purpose.
A Misheard Beatles Line
Hart has said the idea came from a line he misheard in the Beatles' "Paperback Writer" on the radio.
Classic Song of the Day reports that he heard Paul McCartney as singing about taking the last train.
Hart later learned the real lyric was different, but the phrase stuck.
The song also leans on a twangy guitar figure that resembles the "Paperback Writer" riff.
Wikipedia reports that Boyce wanted the riff to feel as memorable as those in "I Feel Fine" and "Day Tripper."
Recording the Single
The Session
The track was cut on July 25, 1966, at RCA Victor Studio in Hollywood.
Boyce and Hart produced, and Micky Dolenz sang lead.
Their own band, the Candy Store Prophets, played the instruments.
Who Played on It
Classic Song of the Day credits three studio guitarists:
- Louis Shelton on guitar, including the opening lick
- Gerry McGee on guitar
- Wayne Erwin on guitar
The self-titled debut album followed on October 10, 1966.
What Is the Song About?
A Soldier's Last Night
The narrator phones his girl and asks her to meet him at the station.
He is leaving in the morning, and he does not know if he will come home.
Wikipedia notes that the lyric never names a war, but its last line was read as a nod to a soldier shipping out to Vietnam.
Hart said the pair could not be too direct with The Monkees, so the group "kind of snuck it in."
Which Clarksville?
Many listeners assumed the title meant Clarksville, Tennessee, next to Fort Campbell, home of the 101st Airborne Division.
Hart denied it.
He said the name came from Clarkdale, a small Arizona town he passed through on summer trips to Oak Creek Canyon.
He added that he did not know about the Army base then, though it would have suited the story.
How It Charted
In the US
It went to number one on the chart dated November 5, 1966.
It replaced "96 Tears" by ? and the Mysterians, and Johnny Rivers' "Poor Side of Town" took over a week later.
Cash Box called the record a "hard-driving, pulsating romantic wailer."
Around the World
It also topped the chart in Canada, but peaked at No. 23 in the UK.
The B-side was "Take a Giant Step," with Dolenz again on lead.
| Measure | Detail | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Billboard Hot 100 | Chart dated November 5, 1966 | No. 1 (1 week) |
| Billboard year-end Hot 100 | 1966 ranking | No. 6 |
| Canada RPM | Peak, 1966 | No. 1 |
| Ireland | Peak | No. 5 |
| UK Singles Chart | Peak, 1967 | No. 23 |
Legacy and Covers
On Screen
The song appeared in seven episodes of the TV series, more than any other Monkees song.
It was the first of three number ones for the group, followed by I'm a Believer and Daydream Believer.
Covers
Other artists have recorded it:
- Cassandra Wilson, on her 1996 album New Moon Daughter
- The Four Tops
- Pam Tillis
- Ludichrist, a New York band, on their 1986 album Immaculate Deception
Where It Fits
The record is the opening shot of the 1966 teen pop boom.
It is also on our 100 best 60s songs list.
The band's full story is in our Monkees biography, and the genre is covered in the Pop and Brill Building hub.
FAQ
Who wrote Last Train to Clarksville?
Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart wrote it, and they also produced the record.
Don Kirshner brought them in to supply songs for The Monkees.
Did The Monkees play on the record?
Micky Dolenz sang lead, but studio musicians played the instruments.
Boyce and Hart used their own band, the Candy Store Prophets.
Is it an anti-war song?
It can be heard that way.
Bobby Hart said they could not be too direct with The Monkees, so the group kind of snuck the theme in.
Where is Clarksville in the song?
Hart said the name came from Clarkdale, a small town in northern Arizona he drove through in summers on the way to Oak Creek Canyon.
He denied a link to Clarksville, Tennessee.
How long was it number one?
It held number one for one week on the Billboard Hot 100, on the chart dated November 5, 1966.
Johnny Rivers replaced it the next week.
A TV band's first single borrowed a Beatles riff and found its own hook.
Wikipedia's entry on the song covers its history and charts in more depth.
Press play above and hear that twang.