Psychedelic Bubble Gum: Boyce & Hart, the Monkees, and Turning Mayhem into Miracles

Hart's name may not resonate much with anyone born after the baby boom generation, but for much of the 1960s he was a prolific and popular artist and songwriter. Touching only briefly on his early years as the shy son of a minister, Hart tells the story of a young man struggling to succeed in the music industry. Not surprisingly, a significant portion of the book focuses on his two most enduring industry relationships. The first is with his singing and songwriting partner Tommy Boyce (1939–94) and the other is with the Monkees, for whom he and Boyce wrote a number of hits ("Last Train to Clarksville," "Valleri"), including the group's theme song. Hart writes about his interactions with many famous musicians but it never feels like he's name-dropping, and he rarely has anything negative to say about his peers or his experiences. In the end, he comes off as a guy who fought hard for success and who appreciates what life has given him.