Pop Goes the Monkees!

Sometimes our memories from childhood are muddy and unsure.But then sometimes an event was so delightful, so fun and influential that the details you thought were long gone are still there in your head.This toy exemplifies a crystal clear beacon of joy (one of many) from my days in fourth and fifth grade.

Introducing the Mattel Talking Monkees Puppet! Place it in one hand and pull the string with the other.The most difficult part of writing this article was finding my childhood toy buried in one of my memento boxes in the basement. But, I found it! It no longer talks but its in great condition otherwise.

I never knew you could fix the audio on these string toys! Here are most of the sayings this puppet said. The only one I don't hear on this video was something like "I'm Micki, I'm Davy, and I'm Peter Monkee!"Now I wish I kept my Stacy doll (Barbie's British friend) that used to say, "I'm Stacy and I think mini-skirts are smashing!"

Where is the friend from childhood that shared my love of the Monkees and introduced me to the Ouja board? The height of her birthday party was playing this album and dancing in the living room. She was the first of my friends to have it.

I went home and begged my Mom for my own copy.I have forgotten so many details of my life then because we moved shortly thereafter, but for some reason, I remember that time and my friend's name.

Nothing can surpass how influential these 4 guys were to my preteen years. They were a TV show of young adults playing in a band, living in a groovy pad, getting into all kinds of adventures. To me it was the greatest. It gave me a happy escape every week.

Yes, they were a 'produced' band made for a TV show, but they worked hard to be taken seriously and even started playing their own instruments in their later albums.

I didn't want to go out with them and be a fawning groupie-- I wanted to BE them (a girl version). During the Sixties, girls were either singers or played tambourine. Maybe keyboard once in a while. But the boys with the shaggy hair were guys I wanted to hang out with as a peer, as an equal.

I decided I needed to learn a rock instrument to up my chances for getting in a band someday (I played flute in band at school and that was not going to cut it). Keyboard? No, not interested. Guitar or Bass? Maybe, but I really had trouble with finger positions.

Drums? Ahh, there you go! Cool fun and an unexpected instrument for a GIRL!

My parents agreed I could get drum lessons and I absolutely loved it. Later on, I would join many bands through the years and had a ball. This is one- circa 1983.The Antoinettes from left to right: Margie Shears-bass Meegan Voss-vox keyboard and lead vocals Kim Milai-drums and backup vocals Cathy Kensington-guitar and backup vocals.