700 – The Monkees – Shades of gray (1967)

Escrita por Barry Mann e Cynthia Weil em 1965, foi gravada pelos Monkees no album deles chmado Headquarters, o primeiro onde o grupo tocou os instrumentos na gravação. Os vocais principais foram feitos por Davy Jones e Peter Tork.

Foi regravada antes pelos Will-O-Bees em 1966, mas não obteve muito sucesso. Também foi regravada pelos Sons of Champlin na mesma época dos Monkees.

A letra:

When the world and I were young
Just yesterday
Life was such a simple game
A child could play
It was easy then to tell right from wrong
Easy then to tell weak from strong
When a man should stand and fight
Or just go along

But today there is no day or night
Today there is no dark or light
Today there is no black or white
Only shades of gray

I remember when the answers seemed so clear
We had never lived with doubt or tasted fear
It was easy then to tell truth from lies
Selling out from compromise
Who to love and who to hate
The foolish from the wise

But today there is no day or night
Today there is no dark or light
Today there is no black or white
Only shades of gray

[Instrumental interlude]

It was easy then to know what was fair
When to keep and when to share
How much to protect your heart
And how much to care

But today there is no day or night
Today there is no dark or light
Today there is no black or white
Only shades of gray
Only shades of gray

A versão dos Monkees:

A versão dos Sons of Champlin:

A versão de Will-O-Bees: