"I'm a Believer" is a song written by Neil Diamond and recorded by American band the Monkees in 1966 with the lead vocals by Micky Dolenz. The single, produced by Jeff Barry, hit the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending December 31, 1966, and remained there for seven weeks, becoming the last number-one hit of 1966 and the biggest-selling single for all of 1967. Billboard ranked the record as the number-five song for 1967. While originally published by Screen Gems-Columbia Music (BMI), it is now published by Stonebridge Music/EMI Foray Music (SESAC), with administration passed to Sony/ATV Music Publishing and Universal Music Publishing Group.
The song reached number one in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks in January and February 1967 and reached the top spot in numerous countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Ireland.
Billboard described the song as 'an easy-go dance mover' that 'will hit with immediate impact'. Cash Box said the single is a "medium-paced rocker [that] is full of the group's top notch harmonies and is laced with infectious sounds." Record World said it was "sensational."
The song appeared in four consecutive episodes of the television series The Monkees in December 1966. The Monkees principals later played it for themselves in live appearances, on overseas tours, and at reunion concerts.
History
Diamond also suggested the song to the Fifth Estate, who recorded it as a 1967 album cut to follow up their hit "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead".
A recording by Diamond, featuring additional lyrics, appears on his 1979 album September Morn. Diamond also performed it in a duet with Linda Ronstadt as part of a medley of his songs on an episode of The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour in 1970.
Charts
Neil Diamond
Recording
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 electric piano, Stan Free on organ, George Devens on tambourine, and Buddy Saltzman on drums.
The song was completed in 18 takes, and was recorded on 8-track tape, with two of the eight tracks featuring lead vocal performances by Micky Dolenz
The song is listed at number 48 on Billboards All Time Top 100. In 2021, it was listed at number 341 on Rolling Stones "Top 500 Greatest Songs of All Time"
Personnel
The Monkees
Micky Dolenz – lead and backing vocals
Davy Jones and Peter Tork – backing vocals
Additional personnel
Al Gorgoni, Sal DiTroia – electric guitars
Neil Diamond – acoustic guitar
Stan Free – organ
George Butcher – electric piano
George Devens – tambourine
Russ Savakus – bass
Buddy Saltzman – drums
Jeff Barry – producer
Artie Butler – arranger
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
All-time charts
Certifications
Smash Mouth version
American pop rock band Smash Mouth covered the song in 2001 as part of the soundtrack to the movie Shrek, along with "All Star". The band also released the song on its self-titled album. Eddie Murphy, portraying the character Donkey, also performed a rendition of the song in the film. The song was chosen for its opening line, "I thought love was only true in fairy tales", which matched the fairy tale theme of the film. Subsequently, the song was played as exit music for the Broadway musical adaptation of the film, for comic effect. (Weezer also had a version of the song at the end of Shreks 2010 sequel Shrek Forever After, which was inserted into the musical's finale a year into its run.) The Smash Mouth version peaked at number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 20 in New Zealand and Spain. In Australia, the cover reached number nine on the ARIA Singles Chart, received a Platinum certification for sales exceeding 70,000, and came in at number 36 on ARIA's year-end chart for 2001.