I’m A Believer – Live At The Cavern Club
Hey, hey, we’re the Monkees!
We have reached the halfway mark of the first set of our last Cavern Club show, and we are playing The Monkees’ biggest hit “I’m A Believer”. Unless you have been to one of our live shows you won’t have heard us play this song before as we’ had never recorded it in any other setting.
There is no denying that the Monkees’ music fit right into the Cavern. We saw and met singer and drummer Micky Dolenz when he had been performing there a few months earlier. He had played lots of his solo- as well as Monkees’ material and had fascinating stories to tell about their place and role in the music scene back in the 60s. From the oddness of playing a mutual tour with Jimi Hendrix to his relationship with the Beatles.
Hope you enjoy our take on this 60s pop classic!
Stay groovy,
Mona & Lisa
Yep this is fantastic. This whole CD is great. That little “Oooh” at 1:43 makes me smile everytime.
That was fantastic! Makes me more anxious to get the new album “Live at the Cavern Club.” I know it’s going to be fantastic! Not a trace of doubt in my mind. Love your Cover of my favorite Monkey’s song. Great ?❤
I love you too little monkeys???
I really loved your rendition of I’m A Believer. It’s great seeing the smile on your faces and love of what you are doing. Girls you are great!!!
You have made me a Believer how good you are.
Wow !! A great rendition of I’m A Believer, I really enjoy your music and seeing how much fun you are having performing. Never lose that. You Girls are great……
Not a trace of doubt in my mind. Listened to the two other versions I’ve loved and it’s clear to me. Once again – you two knocked it out of the park! I absolutely love this version. Such a Spectacular job. Wunderbar!
My favorite song of all time. I was a teenager when it came out. You did a very nice job with it. I only wish I were 40 years younger.
Fantastic! It was mentioned in the Wire that they’d like to cover some other Monkees songs. Based on this performance, I’d love to hear what they’d do with Pleasant Valley Sunday.
Awesome.
Knowing what we know now, how many of us would fly to Liverpool to see this last concert if it were to be scheduled for tomorrow? Covid, or no covid…
I became a fan of Neil Diamond in my teenage years when I came across some old LPs. Though now I hear this song and I think of Shrek.
Daydream Believer is another favorite Monkee.
??
Back when I first discovered rock music when I was about 5 years old in 2000 The Monkees became my favorite band. Just something about their music was so great sounding to me. Up until that point I listened to mostly little kid music. For nearly a decade they were my favorite band & I’m a Believer was my favorite song. You did a fantastic job on the song.
Amazing cover of one of my favorite songs. Great vocals Lisa. And Mona too on some of the latest videos. You two are incredible. I think Antonio and I need to get together and work on that time machine for a Cavern Club visit. I know I would have flown thousands of miles to hear it live. You two rock.
Never stop Monkee-ing around girls! Great cover as usual!
I can only say that i wish I had a “time machine” to go back and be able to watch the MLT on the stage of the Cavern.. even now I’m mesmerized, I wonder how wonderful it was to be there., but it’s not possible to go back in time., so I’m dreaming of watching the MLT on stage someday.. It’s a sweet dream. thanks Mona and Lisa.
One of the things I find Although i do like the originals I actually prefer MonaLisa Twins versions, they are amazing.
Finally! I was wondering if you were ever going to do any monkeys and this one answered my thoughts and it did it just as good as I thought you would. Actually it was even better than I would have imagined. Thanks for the treat girls???
And “I’m A Believer” in the Mona Lisa Twins…how is it that you take something that was awesome 55 years ago and make it better…oh yeah oh yeah It’s Getting Better All the Time…hhhmmm sounds familiar!!! Absolutely love you ?
Better than the original!
Howard thank you for the insight on this song, I thought Glenn Campbell and Leon and Hal were a part of this song. Thank you for the correct information.
Well that was fun as usual. From the creative mind of Neil Diamond to a mega hit by the Monkees, I’m sure it’s a favorite of any audience when you performed it.
I’m a believer that you girls make really good “Monkees”! Only from a musical and silly prospective, of course. Fantastic job! I’d never heard you do that one before!
Two thumbs up!
It’s so much fun watching you have so much fun yourselves while you perform! This reminded me of a video Q&A you girls did back in 2016 or 2017. Mona was going “remember that joke we used to do?” (and Lisa was going Wha?) The joke was I didn’t know how upset my wife was about my Monkees obsession. (pause) But then I saw her face…
That was just fab ladies, and you look as though you had as much fun performing this classic Neil Diamond song as I did watching and listening. I’m enjoying your ’Live At The Cavern Club’ series and look forward to the next release.
The Monkees version was recorded in October 1966 with Mickey Dolenz on lead vocals. Session guitarist Al Gorgoni (who played on “The Sound of Silence” and later on “Brown Eyed Girl”) had worked on Diamond’s “Cherry, Cherry” and also contributed to “I’m a Believer”. Other personnel on the record include Sal DiTroia on rhythm guitar, Neil Diamond on acoustic guitar, Russ Savakus on bass, George Butcher on piano, Stan Free on Vox Continental organ, George Devens on percussion, and Buddy Saltzman on drums.?❤️
I haven’t heard that song in a long time and you did it awesome. Great energetic vocals gave it wonderful vibe, and nice guitar sounds. Really enjoyed it, thanks
My favorite “Monkees” song. Fantastic performance. Loved your cover version.
The MonaLisa Twins! Yes, I’m a believer!
Great job on this song. Wow, that song is really up there for Lisa to sing and she did a great job.
Nice job on this MLT, you definitely kept it groovy on this one, looking forward to seeing more in the (hopefully) near future!
What a way to start my Friday Morning! Wow you ladies did a great job covering this song. It came out in 1966 and I remember hearing this for the first time and back then it brought a smile to my face and again you brought a smile to my face with tears of joy! I know the members of the wrecking crew that did all of the Monkees early music would be very proud of how you covered this song. People like Glenn Campbell , Leon Russel were in that crew. And the famous drummer Hal Blaine. You ladies are the best, and I am so glad I am a member of the Mona Lisa Twins Club, the grooviest club ever!!
Yeah! That brought an instant smile to my face 😀 Both your vocals were oustanding, especially Lisa when you let go at the end.
I love Mona’s drumming, but that guy is a hoot. Hyperactive drummers always add energy to a live show 😀
OMG! This is fabulous! One of my all time Favorite Monkees songs! I had heard a snippet form someone that had been to one of your shows. I always was secretly hoping you would one day do this song.
Well worth the wait. Your version is stellar. Thank
What a surprise! The Monkees… 50 years ago may be.
Thank you very much once again.
I’m waiting for you in Formentera!
These live versions are just amazing! And I had no idea you covered the Monkees – and a fantastic version. The Monkees has some great songs – maybe the next cover would Daydream Believer? I’m in awe of how you ladies can take some completely iconic original songs and then own the cover with how you “MLT” them. This “I’m a Believer” and “Lola” are just the two latest examples. Phenomenal, ladies – thanks for sharing!
Oh wow, I love this version…!!… up to now, the only cover I’ve ever enjoyed was Donkey from Shrek movie singing it ( the band ‘s name who’s singing it for Donkey, their name escapes me now) but now that honour has been Bestowed upon you, as my All Time Fave Rendition of this Monkees classic, and Donkey’s version relegated to runner up….Thankyou for sharing this, a slightly different departure of cover song choices, but hey, you’ve done your MLTBuzzLuvWorthyGroovy Majic on it…WooHoo, Kudos, made my Friday, and seguay into the wknd….?☮??❤
Without Googling it I think it was Smashmouth.
Thanks Darryl, that would be them?
The solo sounds pretty funky!.
Can you remember if you used a pedal for that Lisa?. Fuzz maybe?
Thanks Darryl. I played through my “Vox ToneLab ST”. For this song I probably used my “basic” setting which was just a bit of compression and “spring” reverb with a bit more drive in the solo.