Different Drum
Michael Nesmith
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You and I travel to the beat of a diff'rent drum. Oh, can't you tell by the way I run Ev'ry time you make eyes at me. Wo oh. You cry and you moan and say it will work out. But honey child I've got my doubts. You can't see the forest for the trees. Oh, don't get me wrong. It's not that I'm knockin'. It's just that I'm not in the market For a girl who wants to love only me. Yes, and I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty. All I'm sayin's I'm not ready for any person, Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me. So Goodbye, I'll be leavin'. I see no sense in the cryin' and grievin'. We'll both live a lot longer if you live without me. Oh, don't get me wrong. It's not that I'm knockin'. It's just that I'm not in the market For a girl who wants to love only me. Yes, and I ain't sayin' you ain't pretty. All I'm sayin's I'm not ready for any person, Place or thing to try and pull the reins in on me. So Goodbye, I'll be leavin'. I see no sense in the cryin' and grievin'. We'll both live a lot longer if you live without me.
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Written by: Michael Nesmith
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
`Composition and Release`"Different Drum" was written by Michael Nesmith in 1965, a member of the music group "The Monkees." It was first recorded and released by a bluegrass band called "The Greenbriar Boys."
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`Cover Versions`One of the most popular versions of the song was covered by a band called The Stone Poneys featuring Linda Ronstadt in 1967. It became a huge hit and propelled Ronstadt into fame.
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`Music Genre`Even though the song was first recorded by a bluegrass band, it does not adhere strictly to this genre. Over time, "Different Drum" has been recorded in a wide variety of genres, including folk, rock, pop, and country.
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`Song Inspiration`Michael Nesmith allegedly wrote "Different Drum" after being inspired by a folk song he heard in a Texas nightclub. He wrote the song on a typewriter, using an unconventional song structure that didn't follow the typical verse-chorus-repeat pattern.
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`Michael Nesmith’s Role`Although Nesmith wrote the song, he never actually recorded it with his own band, The Monkees. In fact, the Monkees' record label refused Nesmith's request to record the song, leading to its release by The Greenbriar Boys.
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`Chart Success`The version of "Different Drum" performed by The Stone Poneys featuring Linda Ronstadt reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 12 on the Cash Box pop singles chart in 1967.
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`Cultural Impact`The song's defiant and nonconformist lyrics made it a countercultural anthem during the late 1960s. It has been praised for encouraging individuality and rejecting societal norms.
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`Influence on Nesmith's Career`Despite the initial refusal from his label to let The Monkees record the song, the success of "Different Drum" allowed Nesmith to establish himself as a solo artist after leaving the band in the late 1960s.
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`Other Notable Covers`Susanna Hoffs, the Bangles lead singer, released a cover of "Different Drum" in 1997 on her self-titled solo album. Bluegrass artist Alison Krauss also covered the song in 1998 on her album "So Long So Wrong."
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`Use in Media`"Different Drum" has been used in several films, including "The Dish" in 2000 and "Cardinal Matter" in 2016. It was also featured in a 2016 episode of the television show "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life."
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"Different Drum Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 31 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/32073215/Michael+Nesmith/Different+Drum>.
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