Im A Believer

Song meaning of I'm A Believer by The Monkees

This Neil Diamond-penned love song stayed at Number One in the USA for seven consecutive weeks.

The vocals performed The Monkeys member, Micky Dolenz after a long day on the set of the Monkees TV series.

He later recalled that his life at the time was such a blur of filming and recording that he has no memory of making “I’m a Believer.” 

Although The Monkees did sing on this track, they did not play any instruments.

The producers used session musicians because they were not convinced The Monkees could play like a real band.

This was controversial, as the Monkees pushed to play their own songs.

Neil Diamond had intended the song to be recorded by the Country artist Eddy Arnold, and was surprised when record executive Don Kirshner passed it instead to The Monkees.

Mojo magazine July 2008 asked Neil Diamond if he resented at all the Monkees' success with this song at a time when his own recording career was less successful.

He replied: "I was thrilled, because at heart I was still a songwriter and I wanted my songs on the charts.

It was one of the songs that was going to be on my first album, but Donny Kirshner, who was their music maven, hears 'Cherry, Cherry' on the radio and said, 'Wow, I want one like that for The Monkees!'

He called my producers, Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich - 'Hey, does this kid have any more?' And they played him the things I had cut for the next album and he picked 'I'm A Believer,' 'A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You' and 'Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow),' and they had some huge hits.

But the head of my record company freaked. He went through the roof because he felt that I had given #1 records away to another group.

I couldn't have cared less because I had to pay the rent and The Monkees were selling records and I wasn't being paid for my records."

The lyrics in “I’m A Believer” tell the story of a man who never believed in love until he met a woman who changed his mind. The lyrics capture the feeling of being so in love that nothing else matters.

As well as reaching the top of the charts in the USA, the song was No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks in January and February 1967 and reached the top spot in numerous countries.

Lyrics of I'm A Believer by The Monkees

I thought love was only true in fairy tales

Meant for someone else but not for me.

Love was out to get me

That's the way it seemed.

Disappointment haunted all my dreams.

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 givin' thing,

Seems the more I gave the less I got.

What's the use in tryin'?

All you get is pain.

When I needed sunshine I got rain.

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.

Love was out to get me

Now, that's the way it seemed

Disappointment haunted all my dreams

Oh, 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.

Yes, I saw her face, now I'm a believer

And not a trace of doubt in my mind.

Said I'm a believer

I'm a believer

I'm a believer

Said I'm a believer

I'm a believer

I said I'm a believer

I'm a believer