American musician Neil Diamond had a hard time at the beginning of his career. Due to lack of money, he even had to sell songs to other bands that he was going to perform himself. One of these compositions was the famous I’m a Believer.
Many believe that Neil Diamond wrote I’m a Believer specifically for The Monkees, but this is a misconception. He composed it for his first album and even managed to record it, but it was The Monkees who made I’m a Believer a hit.
The history of creation and the meaning of the song I’m a Believer.
In 2008, Neil Diamond gave an interview to Mojo magazine. The reporter asked how it happened that not he, but The Monkees achieved such huge success with this song, and if he regretted it.
Neil replied:
I was very pleased, because at heart I was still a songwriter and wanted my songs to hit the charts. It was one of the songs that was supposed to be on my first album, but Donny Kirshner, who was their music expert, heard Cherry, Cherry on the radio and said, “Wow, I want something like that for The Monkees! ” He was given a few things that I recorded for the next album. He chose I’m a Believer, A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You and Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow) and they had some big hits.
But the head of my record company almost lost his mind. He was furious because he felt that I gave another group records that could top the charts. I didn’t care, because I had to pay the rent, and everyone didn’t pay me for my records, and The Monkees were selling records.
Release and achievements
As a result, The Monkees’ cover of I’m a Believer came out before the original and became very popular due to heavy rotation on television. It was released as a single, topped the Billboard Hot 100 and was the best-selling record of 1967.
Neil Diamond included his versions of the song I’m a Believer, which are significantly different from each other, on the albums Just for Life (1967), September Morn (1979), In My Lifetime (1996) and Dreams (2010).
I’m a Believer has also been recorded by many other bands. She is better known to the younger generation thanks to the rock band Smash Mouth and actor Eddie Murphy, who performed separate versions of the song for the Shrek cartoon.
Interesting Facts
- Drummer Mickey Dolenz provided the vocals for The Monkees’ version.
- For the recording of I’m a Believer, The Monkees producers brought in session musicians. They doubted that the band members themselves would be able to play well.
- Michael Nesmith, guitarist for The Monkees, didn’t believe the song would succeed and tried hard to convince Jeff Barry that it wouldn’t be a hit.
I’m a Believer Lyrics
I thought love was only true in fairy tales,
Meant for someone else, but not for me
Oh love was out to get me
That’s the way it seemed
Disappointment haunted all my dreams
chorus:
Then I saw her face
Now I’m a believer
Not a trace
Of doubt in my mind
I’m in love
I’m a believer
I couldn’t leave her if I tried
I thought love was more or less a giving thing,
Seems the more I gave, the less I got
Oh, what’s the use in trying,
All you get is pain
When I needed sunshine, I got rain
I’m a Believer Lyrics by Neil Diamond
I thought love only exists in fairy tales
That she is for others, not for me
Oh, love decided to get me
That’s how it seemed to me
And all my dreams ended in disappointment
Chorus:
Then I saw her face
And now I believe
Not a trace of doubt
Not left on my mind
I’m in love,
I believe,
I couldn’t leave her even if I tried.
I thought in love you have to give something
It seemed like the more I gave, the less I got
Oh what’s the point of trying
If all you get is pain
When I needed the sun, it rained
