Regional Girl - Micky’s cynical observation of Hollywood and dashed hopes and dreams. The guys play this one very well and it’s a good rocker. This to me was a potential single along with ‘Never Enough’ and You and I’. Being a “Hollywood Brat”, Micky puts a revealing spotlight on the underbelly of Show Business. 4/5. Live version from Wembley.
"Regional Girl" -- 3/5 Micky's somewhat surly attitude on Justus continues here, but with better results than we got on "Dyin' Of A Broken Heart". This is a pretty catchy tune, but I've always cringed at the "burgers" and "Pepsi" lyrics, which feel cheesy and sophomoric. I feel like I would like "Regional Girl" more if Micky had one or two more jovial moments on the album. Since he doesn't, "Regional Girl" kinda gets stuck in the mire.
Regional Girl - 4/5 I dig this tune. For me it is one of the best on this album. Another great rocking number. I think it works, but it does not sound much like the Monkees, as most of the album does not. More great guitar playing and accompanying bass. Definitely somewhat dark overall, especially the lyrics. The Regional Girl video is spoofing commercial TV ads, for a brand, was it united colors of Benetton? Someone here will know. The lyrics were cleaned up some for the video. B**ch lyric was removed.
"Regional Girl" The guys sound good on this one. Basically it's pretty much more of the same but I dig this one. One of my favorites on the album. It's definitely a keeper in my book. 4/5 from this little happy Monkees' fan.
Regional Girl- More angry Micky... This is a sad pattern on this album, which makes it kind of a downer. Back to the song, it is OK, but not a favorite for me. 2.5/5
So close to being a great song. Love how it's uptempo, but the angst in Micky voice, coupled with some of the lyrics makes it probably a 2/5, but I'll be not angry and give it a 3/5.
Unfortunately, I think this song is more the worse for “angry Micky” here. I said the other day my “Rico” on this album was coming. Here it is. First, I just don’t understand the title and never did. What is a “regional girl”? Is it like the silly articles in The Onion that refer to “Area Man”? Second, this song doesn’t seem to be about Micky’s divorce so where is the contempt on this one coming from? “Makin’ burgers for some bitch”? Really? There’s a lot of odd lyrics in this song... References to Indiana Jones and “Mary Mary” too. This song wishes it were as fun or memorable as “Mary Mary.” Nothing about this song feels like The Monkees to me and I just don’t like it. Not what I want from these guys.Sorry gang. 1/5.
Regional Girl is 4/5 I like the cynical and sarcastic tone of this one. You know the Monkees themselves know all too well how showbiz is, they’ve been up to the peaks and also seen the valleys. Got to also say that I think the video from the tv special is really really funny and great! It’s my favorite thing from the special and really shows the Monkees sense of humor. Even back in the original show, the spoofs and satire of other popular shows or cultural things were highlights to me. I think the video helped me really appreciate the song more. Whoever came up with the concept of spoofing those Calvin Klein commercials was inspired
Regional Girl is keeping with Micky's theme on the album as far as subject matter and even vocal stylings. It is a decent rocker and a 3 for me. There are some songs with strange words in it on this LP. That never really bothers me too much as many songs from any artist have questionable rhymes and content but I can see that a few choices here are interesting choices for the Monkees. But it seems like at this point in time, this is where they were at as a group and with Micky as a writer. I did not expect Justus to sound like it did but now in retrospect, it is hard to figure out what else it could have been. Pool It was lead vocals by the three guys only; this was a full on Monkees record only and it was 1996. I guess they could have looked like geniuses and in 1996 released something like Good Times but that was not the aim. After 30 years of getting told they couldn't play, they said what the heck (and took a few chances) and recorded as a unit. I like Justus for what it is. It may not be up there on the list of my best LP's by the band but I play it now and then, which is more than I can say for Pool It, Changes and ML 3.
Is Davy really this short or are the girls standing on boxes to make Davy look even smaller than usual?
Regional Girl - 2.5/5 It's well-performed but the lyrics have not aged well. I suppose if they were to have made it now it could have been called Flyover Girl. Naturally, all four of the members improved as musicians over time. But they feel far more "anonymous" as a competent band than when they were holding things together with string and glue on Headquarters. It impacts the charm of the Monkees performing together which is further undercut by the surly/bitter tone in most of Nez and Micky's lyrics. Without the much needed light and positivity that Davy and Peter brought to the table with their songs, this album would be a pretty dolorous affair. I'm glad they made Justus and there are several very good moments here. But nothing about the album has broken open for me over the past 23 years that would suggest I'll ever embrace it unreservedly. It seems destined to be a curiosity that I hold at arm's length and needs to be turned at certain angles to catch the light for best appreciation.
I feel like the Monkees have been fighting the same war since 1967. Once they finally moved on, it was Good Times all the way.
To me, 'Regional Girl' feels like the signature song for Justus. It's not a particular favourite of mine (though I do like it), it just feels somehow representative of the whole album. The expression 'regional girl' (or 'regional guy') seems slightly odd. I don't think I've ever heard that expression except on this song. I wonder if 'provincial girl' would be a more usual-sounding expression - not that it would have fitted that line in the song very well! Anyway, it's a pretty decent song: nice aggressive guitar riffs and a solid attack on the vocal, coupled with an easily memorable melody - this is how earworms are made!
Nez was actually very friendly and we were talking just before the picture was taken. I also knew Davy and we said hello, Micky not so much but he was friendly. Peter formally introduced me to Mike and we got into a conversation and Nez gave me his full attention. The photographer Michael Budd was taking pictures of the Guys and told me I was in the picture. I apologized and started to move away when Peter grabbed me by the arm, pulled me back in and said firmly “Fred, you’re IN the picture! I didn’t notice Nez’s pose as I was thrilled to have my picture taken with the group. I’m eternally grateful to Peter for being so thoughtful. The gentleman in the background is Lawrence Haley who played in the Monkees’ band at that time. I’ve seen similar pictures of all four Monkees taken with someone else with them and that seemed to be Nez’s standard pose, so I didn’t take it personally,I was just happy to be there! The full story of what led to my being there is in my Monkees book. (Plug, Plug!) https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1496112288/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1573080168&sr=1-1
I met Davy (very briefly) in 1989. He was shorter than me, and I'm only 5'4". By the way, there's another Davy Jones who is a political activist in Brighton, UK, and he's a bit shorter than me, too; in fact, he's a similar height to Monkee Davy Jones. (No, that's not a very rewarding comment, I know.)
