"Gotta Give It Time" written by Jeff Barry and Joey Levine

Trying to find the original version of a song called "Gotta Give It Time", which I found on an odd Monkees cover album earlier. I've got two versions on site, but I'm thinking their must be another version somewhere given the info I have.

The version that appears on the cover album was recorded by a group from Detroit called Freddy & The Four-Gone Conclusions. It originally appeared as the B-side to the group's own song "(You're Just A) Waste of Time" in 2000.

The version by The Monkees didn't appear until 16 years later on the album Good Times!.

A backing track for Jeff Barry and Joey Levine's "Gotta Give It Time" was originally recorded in January 1967 and, 49 years later, it was finally given a vocal by Micky Dolenz (with backing vocals by Michael Nesmith) for The Monkees' 2016 album, Good Times! Andrew Sandoval discussed its original '67 attempt for an entry in his Day-By-Day book:

​"...The studio musicians next settle in to recording Joey Levine's promising 'Gotta Give It Time,' not coincidentally co-written with today's session producer Jeff Barry. Only four takes are made of this garage-styled rock number, the final one being marked as the master. Had The Monkees ever completed the recording it could have been another '(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone.'"

https://www.monkeeslivealmanac.com/blog/song-of-the-day-gotta-give-it-time

JoJo greets

Interesting. I wonder how the Detroit group got hold of it. Thanks for the info!