Never Tell A Woman Yes Just average. I never look to play this song. There were better songs in the can which is unfortunate. 3/5
"Never Tell A Woman Yes" Another one I've never heard before, and another Nez song that doesn't contain the title. It sounds to me more like a First National Band track, and in the way that some of those tracks don't appeal to me, this one doesn't either. Not keen on the scat vocals at the start and end, nor on the tune in general, and it goes on far too long. A generous 2/5.
Never Tell is my least favorite Nez Monkees song. ALL of those great Nashville songs left in the vault at the time for this?! Should have remained a “missing link” until the reissues began in the 80’s. A generous 2/5.
Here it comes... Never Tell a Woman Yes gets a 5/5 from me! Why? I’m not 100% sure. All I know is, when I’m listening to the album, after a run of overly short tracks, this song makes the album feel more rounded, and as soon as it kicks off, I feel like I’m set for a good time. I can sing along to the whole thing word for word (and in the car, I do so very loudly), and the story keeps me entertained, as do Mike’s slightly off kilter ad-lib vocals. Above all, the band absolutely cook on this track, especially on percussion. Reason #5 I dig Present.
Never Tell a Woman Yes And now we've come to the sole Nesmith track that I have to give lower than a 4... It's corny as heck, and it does entertain....BUT...considering the outstanding songs that were not yet used on an album (like "St. Matthew", which he wouldn't even redo for his solo records), this one just kind of boggles the mind.. But I don't hate it by any means, it's just he set the bar so high that this is kind of a WTF track... But he would make up for it and then some with his excellent albums with the First National Band the following year! 3/5
Never Tell A Woman Yes - 3/5 Hated it the first time I heard it but over time it grew on me. It's the story that's the strongest part of this song over the honky tonk musical arrangement. Wouldn't throw it off the record as its simply album filler but the next track I would.
Never Tell is 2/5 I never listen to this song and given we know Nez had better songs, it feels like filler
I actually like "Never Tell...", maybe not a top tier Nez tune but it is an entertaining song with a very good backing track. 4/5
Ok, 2/5 for me. Never Tell a Woman Yes.. hmmm.. it SOUNDS good-- but the story is terrible. So instead of abandoning a woman and leaving her for dead.. he found his soul mate? Imagine if Nez had come up with a better story?
Yeah, I feel much the same. I like the sound of this song well enough, but the story rubs me the wrong way. Actually, it would rub me the wrong way, if I understood it better. So, this is some kind of old-time Western thing, with the caravan and the narrator living in a tent by a stream? OK. I guess so. Lady offers him a ride, he refuses, because he’s apparently dumb, and later she gets assaulted, robbed, and left for dead - also naked - somewhere? Charming. Where was the rest of her caravan when she needed help? Lady returns, years later, after an running into a friend of the narrator. So... She knows the narrator’s name, and just happened run into a friend of his, and they just happened to realize they both know the guy, and where to find him? What are the odds? Did she ever find some clothes? Of all places she could go, and people she could seek out, she chose the narrator. He really struck a chord with when he said “No,” apparently? Seems like self-esteem issues. She should aim higher. Finally, is the narrator graciously accepting this second chance for companionship or not? I can’t tell. He actually wonders if he would’ve robbed and assaulted her too? Wow. Stay classy, dude. Sorry, Nez. You had at least half a dozen better songs that could’ve made the album instead. 2/5.
Never Tell A Woman Yes is a different kind of tune as many have pointed out. I give it a 4 because I enjoy it and enjoy it more than the fourth Nez track on this album. I guess I am not as keen on lyrics and stories as some of the fans. It doesn't bother me that it may not make much sense, as mentioned before great songwriters, like Paul/John have down right nonsensical lyrics and some of them are their best. I can see why it may bother people, it just was never that important to me. The other conversation about Nez holding back does not hold water for me because of a couple of things. First, he actually recorded virtually every song he had. If Nez was holding back why record them at all? Why do Nine Times Blue on national TV? If he did that knowing he would not release it, then would release it solo, did he really think millions of people would buy the record because of that? Doubtful, he knew the Monkees popularity had past. I do think, he knew things were going to end soon for him, that may have been a factor but the songs on the last two LP's that were Nez, were pretty good stuff maybe not as good as the 3-6 LP's but pretty good.
It's a song I often would skip for being too sappy. But -- and this is weird -- there is an alternate mix on the 3-CD set which has the guitar in the beginning either double-tracked, or an additional guitar. Somehow, that "saves" the song for me, even if I really can't articulate why. It is a very pretty song.
And it was wonderful to see Nez -- and his kids -- caring enough about the integrity of the music to make sure it sounded as good as it could. Just have to shout out to the 2011 arrangement of "For Pete's Sake" too. It rocked in a Headquarters kind of way.
One other thing about "If I Knew" -- I first heard this on the 1985 Rhino vinyl LP reissue of "Present" and the very beginning of it (the opening guitar part) is so quiet I can hear the tape damage and almost see the tape getting twisted and "sticky shed" or whatever else was going on. Thankfully, other issues of this song sound much better!
I've never believed he was holding back his material. I mean, there might be a smidgen of truth to it--- but we are listening with contemporary ears. Never Tell A Woman Yes may have sounded pretty cool to Nez at that very moment back in '69
I've always thought it was cool that Coco tours with the monkees now. I mean, she is one of three people on stage that can say they actually sang on the monkees records back in the 60's!
"Never Tell..." has made be cringe ever since I first heard it (day after Christmas '86, Rhino LP). I'm not even talking about the lyrics - I just never liked the whole hokey arrangement/delivery. Not much else to say other than it's on my very bottom rung of Mike's Monkees-era stuff. It's not terrible; it's just not very good. 2/5
I was all set to give NTAWY a 2, but after playing it just now....I can't even do that. I am going to lose sleep over this, but I have to do it. 1/5 I'm sorry Nez. With that twerpy kid commercial in mind: if I played this for my parents after they told me I was wrong....I would STILL be wrong. Probably even MORE wrong after the fact.
