The Monkees – “Me & Magdalena” (Written By Ben Gibbard)

The Monkees – “Me & Magdalena” (Written By Ben Gibbard)

Next week, the Monkees will release Good Times!, their first new album in 20 years and the first since the death of founding member Davy Jones in 2012. The record is mostly made up of songs written for the boy band back in the ’60s that were never used, but a few contemporary songwriters threw their hat into the ring: We’ve already heard new originals from Rivers Cuomo and XTC’s Andy Partridge, and now we have Ben Gibbard’s contribution, which is called “Me & Magdalena.” Here’s what the Death Cab For Cutie frontman said to NPR about the track:

Before The Beatles, before The Velvet Underground and before punk and/or indie rock, The Monkees were the first band I truly loved. Their albums were always on in our home when I was a kid (especially Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.), and I learned to sing alongside them. I spent countless hours in front of the TV in the ’80s watching Monkees reruns wishing I could climb through the screen and be in the show with them. They made being in a band seem so fun — and goddammit, it should be! For these reasons and a million others, I can say with absolutely zero hyperbole that contributing “Me & Magdalena” to this album has been the greatest honor of my career.

Listen below.

Good Times! is out 5/27 via Rhino.

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