I 'm a Believer - wikipedia I 'm a Believer `` I 'm a Believer '' US single cover Single by the Monkees from the album More of the Monkees B - side `` ( I 'm Not Your ) Steppin ' Stone '' Released 12 November 1966 Format 7 '' Recorded 15 & 23 October 1966 New York City, NY Genre Pop rock Length 2 : 47 Label Colgems # 1002 Songwriter ( s ) Neil Diamond Producer ( s ) Jeff Barry the Monkees singles chronology `` Last Train to Clarksville '' ( 1966 ) `` I 'm a Believer '' ( 1966 ) `` A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You '' ( 1967 ) The Monkees - `` I 'm a Believer '' 16 seconds ( of 2 : 47 ) Problems playing this file ? See media help. `` I 'm a Believer '' is a song composed by Neil Diamond and recorded by 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 No. 1 hit of 1966 and the biggest - selling record for all of 1967. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 5 song for 1967. Because of 1,051,280 advance orders, it went gold within two days of release. It is one of the fewer than forty all - time singles to have sold more than 10 million physical copies worldwide. While originally published by Screen Gems - Columbia Music ( BMI ), it is now published by Stonebridge Music / EMI Foray Music ( SESAC ). The song was No. 1 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. The song appeared in four consecutive episodes of The Monkees TV show in December 1966. Contents 1 History 2 Recording 3 Chart history 3.1 Weekly charts 3.2 Year - end charts 4 Smash Mouth version 4.1 Music video 4.2 Chart performance 5 Other versions 6 References 7 External links History Neil Diamond had already recorded this song before it was covered by the Monkees, and it still sometimes is performed in his live concerts. A revised recording by Diamond, featuring additional lyrics, appears on the album September Morn, while his original recording appeared on the 1967 album Just for You. Diamond also suggested it to the Fifth Estate who recorded it as a 1967 album cut to follow up their hit `` Ding - Dong ! The Witch Is Dead ''. The Monkees ' recording kept the novelty hit `` Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron '', by the Royal Guardsmen, at No. 2 for four weeks, and from reaching the Hot 100 's summit. The song was originally used in the home video version of the Coen brothers ' 1984 film Blood Simple, but after licensing issues were settled, was replaced in the 2001 director 's cut by the song used in the theatrical version : Four Tops ' `` It 's the Same Old Song ''. When Marvin Andrews scored for Rangers, or won the Man of the Match at Ibrox Stadium, the song was played. 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 and Neil Diamond on guitar, Russ Savakus on bass, George Butcher and Stan Free on keyboards, George Devens on percussion, and Buddy Saltzman on drums. The song is listed at No. 48 on Billboard 's All Time Top 100. Chart history Weekly charts Chart ( 1967 - 68 ) Peak position Australia ( Go - Set ) Austria Belgium Canada RPM Top Singles Germany Ireland ( IRMA ) Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) New Zealand ( Listener ) Norway UK ( OCC ) U.S. Billboard Hot 100 U.S. Cash Box Top 100 Year - end charts Chart ( 1967 ) Rank Australia 8 Canada 12 U.S. Billboard Hot 100 5 U.S. Cash Box 8 Smash Mouth version `` I 'm a Believer '' Single by Smash Mouth from the album Smash Mouth Released May 15, 2001 Format CD single Recorded Length 3 : 02 Label Interscope Songwriter ( s ) Neil Diamond Producer ( s ) Eric Valentine Smash Mouth singles chronology `` Then the Morning Comes '' ( 1999 ) `` I 'm a Believer '' ( 2001 ) `` Pacific Coast Party '' ( 2001 ) 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 Shrek 's 2010 sequel Shrek Forever After, which was inserted into the musical 's finale a year into its run. The Smash Mouth version hit No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Music video The video begins with the band performing in a tent. Then, the scene switches to them walking out of a movie theater, complete with cardboard advertisements of Shrek and the characters. Then, Harwell bumps into a blond - haired girl by accident and then tries to catch up with her. However, a man with blond hair comes up as Harwell freaks out and screams. Afterwards, the girl walks into a `` fairy tale convention '' at a hotel. Harwell continues to follow the girl into the hotel. Once in the hotel, Harwell tries to find the girl by looking through different rooms. However, there are short clips from Shrek each time he opens the door. Finally, he tries one more door and thinks it 's the girl. However, it is a blond - haired monkey, who dances with a girl dressed as a banana. With no luck, Harwell walks out of the hotel, but the girl speeds off in her red convertible. Hoping to catch up, he sneakily takes a red cape and borrows a silver Lexus car driven by a costumed gingerbread man who is injured on crutches. Then, Harwell winks at the camera as the chase begins. While driving, he throws his red cape up and into the street. He then stops at a party where the girl is and goes into a tent. However, he sees multiple blond - haired girls with the same red shirt on, all dancing. By the time he catches up to her, the girl goes on a boat. Harwell asks a boat captain for assistance to win the girl. The band then performs on the boat during a heavy storm. Meanwhile, Harwell and the captain are on the lookout of the girl. He finally catches her on a dock and says that she forgot her keys. Just as he is about to leave, the girl recognizes him as Steve from Smash Mouth and asks for his number. However, Harwell declines and says he has to go. Finally, the girl then chases him and yells, `` Wait ! Please ! I love you ! '' Chart performance Chart ( 2001 ) Peak position Australia ( ARIA ) 9 Netherlands ( Single Top 100 ) 87 Germany ( Official German Charts ) 94 New Zealand ( Recorded Music NZ ) 12 US Billboard Hot 100 25 US Adult Top 40 ( Billboard ) Chart ( 2018 ) Peak position Poland ( Polish Airplay Top 100 ) 75 Other versions In 1966, French band Les Sextans recorded it in French as `` Ils aiment la vie '', an independent single. British singer - songwriter Robert Wyatt had a Top 30 hit in the UK in September -- October 1974 ( it reached No. 29 on the UK charts ) with a version of `` I 'm a Believer '' that features Fred Frith on violin, Andy Summers ( later of the Police ) on guitar, and drums by Nick Mason of Pink Floyd, who also produced the recording. It was Wyatt 's first recording after the June 1973 accident that left him a paraplegic. In 1995, British comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer teamed up with the band EMF for a version which reached No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 17 on the Irish Singles Chart. References ^ Jump up to : `` The Billboard Hot 100 All - Time Top Songs ''. Billboard. Retrieved 6 March 2012. Jump up ^ Billboard Year - End Hot 100 singles of 1967 Jump up ^ Flavour of New Zealand, 23 March 1967 Jump up ^ Roberts, David ( 2006 ). British Hit Singles & Albums ( 19th ed. ). London : Guinness World Records Limited. p. 200. ISBN 1 - 904994 - 10 - 5. Jump up ^ Beckett, david ( March 27, 2013 ). `` Blood Simple - Director 's Cut ( 2013 ) DVD ''. Film 365. Jump up ^ ' More of the Monkees ' deluxe reissue, Rhino Records 2017, booklet, Pages 17 and 20, containing personnel as listed by Monkees historian Andrew Sandoval, sourced directly from official Musicians ' Union records Jump up ^ `` Go - Set Magazine Charts ''. www.poparchives.com.au. Barry McKay. January 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2017. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1967 - 01 - 02. Retrieved 2018 - 05 - 09. Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- I 'm A Believer ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved March 14, 2018. Jump up ^ Flavour of New Zealand, 23 March 1967 Jump up ^ Joel Whitburn 's Top Pop Singles 1955 - 1990 - ISBN 0 - 89820 - 089 - X Jump up ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, February 2, 1967 Jump up ^ `` Go - Set Magazine Charts ''. www.poparchives.com.au. Barry McKay. January 2007. Retrieved 26 April 2018. Jump up ^ RPM Top 100 Singles of 1967 Jump up ^ Musicoutfitters.com Jump up ^ Cash Box Year - End Charts : Top 100 Pop Singles, December 23, 1967 Jump up ^ `` Smash Mouth - Chart History ''. Billboard.com. Retrieved 19 October 2014. Jump up ^ `` Australian-charts.com -- Smash Mouth -- I 'm a Believer ''. ARIA Top 50 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Dutchcharts.nl -- Smash Mouth -- I 'm a Believer '' ( in Dutch ). Single Top 100. Jump up ^ `` Musicline.de -- Smash Mouth Single - Chartverfolgung '' ( in German ). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH. Jump up ^ `` Charts.nz -- Smash Mouth -- I 'm a Believer ''. Top 40 Singles. Jump up ^ `` Smash Mouth Chart History ( Hot 100 ) ''. Billboard. Retrieved May 25, 2016. Jump up ^ `` Smash Mouth - Chart history ''. Billboard. Retrieved 2016 - 09 - 29. Jump up ^ `` Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia : : Związek Producentów Audio - Video ''. Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved July 2, 2018. Jump up ^ `` Official Singles Chart Top 100 02 July 1995 - 08 July 1995 ''. Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 17, 2018. Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- EMF ''. Retrieved July 17, 2018. External links Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics The Monkees Micky Dolenz Davy Jones Michael Nesmith Peter Tork Production / management Don Kirshner Bob Rafelson Bert Schneider Ward Sylvester Lester Sill Raybert Productions Chip Douglas Hank Cicalo Studio albums The Monkees More of the Monkees Headquarters Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees Head Instant Replay The Monkees Present Changes Pool It ! Justus Good Times ! Box sets Listen to the Band Music Box The Headquarters Sessions The Monkees : Original Album Series Compilation albums Greatest Hits ( Colgems ) Barrel Full of Monkees Re-Focus Greatest Hits ( Arista ) Monkeemania ( 40 Timeless Hits ) More Greatest Hits of The Monkees Monkee Business Monkee Flips Hit Factory Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees Missing Links Missing Links Volume Two 25th Anniversary Collection Greatest Hits ( Rhino ) Barrelful of Monkees : Monkees Songs for Kids ! Missing Links Volume Three I 'm a Believer and Other Hits Daydream Believer and Other Hits The Monkees Anthology The Definitive Monkees The Best of The Monkees Monkeemania ( The Very Best of the Monkees ) Live albums Live 1967 Summer 1967 : The Complete U.S. Concert Recordings Live ! 2001 : Live in Las Vegas Extended Versions Singles `` Last Train to Clarksville '' `` I 'm a Believer '' `` A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You '' `` Pleasant Valley Sunday '' `` Daydream Believer '' `` Valleri '' `` D.W. Washburn '' `` Porpoise Song '' `` Tear Drop City '' `` Listen to the Band '' `` Good Clean Fun '' `` Oh My My '' `` That Was Then, This Is Now '' `` Heart and Soul '' `` Every Step of the Way '' `` She Makes Me Laugh '' `` You Bring the Summer '' `` Me & Magdalena '' Film / television The Monkees ( episodes ) Head 331⁄3 Revolutions per Monkee Hey, Hey, It 's the Monkees Related articles Discography Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart An Evening with The Monkees : The 45th Anniversary Tour The Monkees ( book ) The Monkeemobile New Monkees Songs Book EMF James Atkin Derry Brownson Phil Cleary Mark Decloedt Ian Dench Zac Foley Richard March Milf Tim Stephens Studio albums Schubert Dip Stigma Cha Cha Cha Compilations Epsom Mad Funkers : The Best of EMF EPs Unexplained EP Singles `` Unbelievable '' `` I Believe '' `` They 're Here '' `` Perfect Day '' `` Bleeding You Dry '' `` I 'm a Believer '' `` Afro King '' Smash Mouth Steve Harwell Paul De Lisle Michael Klooster Randy Cooke Sam Eigen Kevin Coleman Greg Camp Michael Urbano Mark Cervantes Mitch Marine Jason Sutter Leroy Miller Sean Hurwitz Charlie Paxson Mike Krompass Rob Schwartz Kristian Attard Studio albums Fush Yu Mang Astro Lounge Smash Mouth Get the Picture ? The Gift of Rock Summer Girl Magic Compilations All Star Smash Hits Singles `` Walkin ' on the Sun '' `` Why Ca n't We Be Friends ? '' `` Ca n't Get Enough of You Baby '' `` All Star '' `` Then the Morning Comes '' `` I 'm a Believer '' `` Story of My Life '' `` So Insane '' Other songs `` Come On Come On '' Related articles Discography PopMart Tour Old Habits Mouth Sounds Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=I%27m_a_Believer&oldid=856690588 '' Categories : 1966 singles 1967 singles 1995 singles 2001 singles Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles UK Singles Chart number - one singles Number - one singles in Germany Number - one singles in Norway Irish Singles Chart number - one singles United States National Recording Registry recordings Neil Diamond songs Robert Wyatt songs Smash Mouth songs Songs written by Neil Diamond The Monkees songs RPM Top Singles number - one singles Song recordings produced by Eric Valentine 1966 songs Interscope Records singles EMF ( band ) songs Songs from animated films Shrek music Hidden categories : Articles with hAudio microformats Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart called without artist Singlechart usages for Australia Singlechart usages for Dutch100 Singlechart usages for Germany Singlechart usages for New Zealand Singlechart usages for Billboardhot100 Singlechart called without song Singlechart usages for Poland Talk Contents About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Euskara Français Italiano Nederlands Norsk Norsk nynorsk Polski Simple English Slovenčina Svenska ไทย 4 more Edit links This page was last edited on 26 August 2018, at 23 : 42 ( UTC ). 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Question: who sang the original i'm a believer
Answer: the Monkees