The Monkees were widely accused of ripping off The Beatles. “Ripping-off” was usually too strong a word for the inspiration that the Prefab Four took from the Fab Four, but the word applied well to a Monkees song that sounded a lot like The Beatles’ “Twist and Shout.” Interestingly, The Monkees song in question changed the entire history of the group.

The Monkees’ ‘Let’s Dance On’ sounds like The Beatles’ ‘Twist and Shout’

“Twist and Shout” was originally an obscure song by The Top Notes. The Isley Brothers significantly reworked it and made it famous. The Beatles covered the song and added some rock ‘n’ roll to it. To this day, The Beatles’ cover is the most prominent version of the track. With all due respect to The Top Notes and The Isley Brothers, it’s also the best version of the track. 

The Monkees’ self-titled debut album includes a tune called “Let’s Dance On.” The song’s pop-rock rhythm is so similar to The Beatles’ “Twist and Shout” that it’s impossible not to notice. “Let’s Dance On” even reuses the famous opening riff from The Beatles’ song. The two tunes even share the theme of dancing. Micky Dolenz brings some of the same manic energy to “Let’s Dance On” that John Lennon brought to “Twist and Shout.”

The Monkees’ rip-off of The Beatles’ ‘Twist and Shout’ impressed an industry titan

“Let’s Dance On” was co-written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, a songwriting duo known as Boyce & Hart. They were behind Monkees hits like “Last Train to Clarksville,” “Valleri,” and “Words.” In the 2015 book Psychedelic Bubble Gum: Boyce & Hart, The Monkees, and Turning Mayhem Into Miracles, Hat said that he drew inspiration from many 1960s bands, including The Beatles, but he never wanted The Monkees to be too similar to their most obvious predecessor. 

Hart revealed that “Let’s Dance On” impressed The Monkees’ music manager, Don Kirshner. “When Donnie walked into Rainbow Studios on the corner of Yucca and Vine Street the next day, we were ready for him,” Hart wrote. “Our hot new recording band was primed and standing by: Gerry McGee and the Cajuns (now the Candy Store Prophets) plus two guitarist additions we had met over the past year of making demos, Louie Shelton and Wayne Erwin. We counted off, and they unleashed our fresh arrangements of ‘This Doesn’t Seem to Be My Day,’ ‘Let’s Dance On,’ and the ‘(Theme From) The Monkees.’

“Right from the first chord, Kirshner was blown away from the songs, the arrangements, and the sounds that filled the room,” Hart continued. “‘These sound like hits!’ he said, ‘Go ahead and book the studio, guys. You’re going to be producing The Monkees!’” Boyce & Hart’s songwriting would help define the band.

The Monkees’ ‘Let’s Dance On’ was part of a huge album

Kirshner was right that “Let’s Dance On” sounded like a hit — the hit being “Twist and Shout.” However, “Let’s Dance On” never became a hit in its own right. The track was never a single, so it did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. 

The tune’s parent album, The Monkees, was far more successful. The Monkees topped the Billboard 200 for 13 weeks, lasting on the Billboard 200 for 102 weeks in total. That record remains the group’s longest-charting album in the United States.

“Let’s Dance On” sounds a lot like “Twist and Shout” — but it’s still a lot of fun.