ired ▁by ▁an ▁idea ▁by ▁Bob ▁Raf el son ▁Although ▁cred ited ▁to ▁The ▁Mon ke es , ▁the ▁song ▁was ▁produced ▁by ▁Tommy ▁Boy ce ▁and ▁Bobby ▁Hart ▁Record ed ▁at ▁United ▁Record ers , ▁Hollywood , ▁California ; ▁December ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 9 6 7 ; ▁February ▁ 1 0 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁ ▁Magn olia ▁Sim ms ▁Writ ten ▁by ▁Michael ▁N es m ith ▁Le ad ▁vocal / gu itar : ▁Michael ▁N es m ith ▁T ack ▁piano : ▁Paul ▁T . ▁Smith ▁Bass : ▁Max ▁Ben nett ▁Dr ums : ▁Earl ▁Pal mer ▁Trump et : ▁Oliver ▁Mitchell ▁T rom bone : ▁Lew ▁Mc Cre ary ▁Wood w inds : ▁Jim ▁Horn , ▁Jack ▁N im itz ▁Record ed ▁at ▁R CA ▁Victor ▁Studios , ▁Hollywood , ▁California ; ▁December ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁Record ed ▁as ▁a ▁low - fi ▁song ▁with ▁deliber ate ▁surface ▁noise ▁and ▁ski pping ▁as ▁if ▁it ▁came ▁from ▁a ▁ 7 8 ▁R PM ▁record . ▁On ▁the ▁s tere o ▁mix , ▁this ▁track ▁is ▁heard ▁only ▁on ▁the ▁left ▁channel . ▁ ▁V aller i ▁Writ ten ▁by ▁Tommy ▁Boy ce ▁and ▁Bobby ▁Hart ▁Le ad ▁vocal : ▁Dav y ▁Jones ▁Back ing ▁vocal : ▁unknown ▁Electric ▁gu it ars : ▁Ger ry ▁McG ee , ▁Lou ie ▁Sh el ton ▁Bass : ▁Joe ▁Os born ▁Dr ums : ▁Billy ▁Lewis ▁Tamb our ine : ▁Billy ▁Lewis ▁Sax