Who wrote “Daydream Believer,” the 1967 hit recorded by The Monkees?

John Stewart wrote “Daydream Believer,” the 1967 hit recorded by The Monkees. Stewart was a singer-songwriter and a former member of the Kingston Trio when he composed the song.

The Monkees released their version as a single in October 1967, with Davy Jones singing lead vocal. It became one of the group’s signature recordings and reached number one on Canada’s singles chart and number one on the US Cash Box chart, while reaching number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song is often misattributed to Neil Diamond because Diamond wrote several well-known songs associated with other performers. Carole King and Gerry Goffin were also major 1960s songwriters, but neither wrote “Daydream Believer.” Stewart’s composition later became a recurring cover choice for artists in several genres.