He Was A Little Bit Me, He Was A Little Bit You, Too

I will be 46 in roughly a month. 

Or maybe that should be, I'll be a rough 46 in a month?

Whatever.

I don't consider that to be old.  I don't think I look old.  I certainly don't feel old. 

But today, someone from my childhood died.  Someone important.  Someone seminal.  My first real crush.

And in this moment, I feel ancient.  If you are on either side of 46 by a couple years, chances are you feel the same.

Davy Jones has passed away of a heart attack, at the age of 66, taking with him a piece of my youth. 

Yes, that Davy Jones, of Monkees fame.  (He was an employed actor long before the Monkees creators found him, but he will be best remembered as the adorable, tambourine playing, maracas rocking frontman of the Monkees.  And he was performing right up to the end.  Last night on stage in Florida.)

My generation got The Monkees on their second go 'round - in reruns, but boy were they popular.  So popular that when they advertised their records on TV, my Mom made my sister and I buy our own sets so we would never fight over who got them.

(Kim?  Where the hell are those records anyway?)

My sister adored Peter, and friends of ours coveted Michael and Micky.  But Davy was MINE.  In all our make believe scenarios, he belonged to me.  He longed for me.  He loved me.  (And in that picture there?  He's still looking AT me.)

Ahhhh, the sweet, deluded imagination of youth.  Yes, deluded.  After all, I was only 10.  But my passion burned brighter for him than even that special spot my heart held for Donny Osmond in bell bottoms or Robby Benson in basketball shorts.

When he sang Daydream Believer, he was singing to me.  A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You?  Singing about me and him, of course.  And when he warbled I Wanna Be Free?  Of anyone but me.  They made him sing that.

He was adorable, funny, pocket sized like me.

And that spot in my heart that remains a little girl forever will miss him.

Thanks for the memories, Davy.  And thanks for being a little bit of me, my childhood, my innocent dreams.  And of course, a part of my (and my daugters') iPod.

Here's one of my favorite songs - he and Micky laughing it up on the silly, I'm Gonna Buy Me A Dog.

Comments

[Pat]

Sorry, Linda, but he was mine - me being almost 5 years older than you, he would have gone for me instead.

I know what you mean about singing to me with those songs though - I still love hearing them.. and they get regular rotation on my iPod

[Dorothy R]

Sorry ladies, I was there for the originals, no reruns for me, and I hate to break it to you but he and I were secretly married before you were even born. But he did find your school girl crushes amusing...

[Tracy in Cincy]

Davy Jones was my first love. I remember waiting at the corner drugstore for the new Tiger Beat or 16 magazine to be delivered just so I could see new pictures of him. My bedroom walls were literally covered from top to bottom with Davy Jones pictures. I was 12. I used to write him love letters. When my mom passed away, while we were going through her stuff I found a couple of the letters that she had saved and got a good laugh out of reading them. I feel like a part of my childhood has been stripped away from me.
RIP Davy. Thanks for everything.

[Carri in Michigan]

Thanks for that memory Linda. I loved the Monkees. So much fun!

[Shawn]

Guess I was the only one not to have a crush on him. I preferred David Cassidy. But I loved the Brady Bunch growing up and enjoyed the episode he was on...he was adorable and charming.

[Katy]

Mine, mine, mine, mine, mine, mine.....

My fav was "look out, here comes tomorrow, that's when, I have to chose...."

Yep, right there with you on being in love with Davy. And as of yesterday, I am a LOT closer in age to him that probably any of you!!

[Bobbsey]

Loved Davy. He was my favorite. My sister adored Peter. We made our mom buy Puffa Puffa Rice because they had a Monkees 45 on the box that you could cut out. I don't know how that sucker worked on the phonograph, but it did!! I remember screaming with excitement when he showed up for Marcia Brady. Best. Episode. Ever.

[RBlues]

Favorite Brady Bunch episode of all time! Loved Davy (although I was gonna marry Donny!).

[PennyB]

Like Dorothy, I saw the original shows (and the reruns too). I also watch a British soap opera (Coronation Street) and he was on it for awhile.

So many childhood memories are tied up in The Monkees..

[LB from Ohio]

My very first album was "More of the Monkees". I may have to go dig that up out of the basement today.

[Sue, Sacramento]

Awwww....Davy Jones, David Cassidy & Bobby Sherman. Loved them all!!!!

[Another Lori in TX]

So sad! RIP Davy Jones!

[Chicky (Kathy)]

Sorry Shawn and Sue, but David Cassidy was mine all mine...that being said - I saw the episode of him on Celebrity Apprentice and at that point, he was yours all yours - he did not age well at all...not like Davy Jones did...loved him too.

[Rudy]

I guess I experienced this totally differently. I tried to get the other boys to start a band even though I couldn't sing because even I realized all the neighborhood girls loved Davy, so if I was lead singer of a band maybe they would love me :)

[Kerry]

Well this explains why the restaurant was playing "Daydream Believer" at top decibels this evening.

Here's They Come....Walking' Down the Street.....
Hey Hey We're The Monkees!

[Auntiedip]

Nicely done Linda...

[jeanne from ny]

loved davy ...when he sang "cheer up sleep jean" he was singing to me....sorry ladies he was mine...Linda I would love to share this blog post on facebook...is there anyway to do that?

thanks again for getting into my head and putting my thoughts into words

[jeanne from ny]

should be sleepy jean...i've got to use the preview option more often

[Nikki]

Even after he was middle aged -- he still had his same love of life and sense of fun. I think he loved life. How sad that he died just months before his daughter was getting married.

He was mine. Even though by age 12 I was already taller than him!

[Theresa from Virginia]

I had the biggest crush on Davy when I was in the 3rd grade! I know just what you mean Linda - I felt so OLD when I heard he had passed away. I guess I should have realized he was in his 60s, but I still can't quite wrap my head around him being 66 - I still see him as the Davy Jones of my little girl dreams! Rest in peace Davy!