“You Can’t Judge a Book by Looking at the Cover”

Peter: You’re such a lovely audience, we’d love to take you home with us, we’d love to take you home! I don’t really wanna stop the show, but I thought you might like to know, that the singer gonna sing a song, and the man’s name is Mike Nesmith.
Mike: Watch the V.U., Hank!

You can’t judge an apple by lookin’ at the tree
Can’t judge a honey by lookin’ at the bee
Can’t judge a daughter by lookin’ at the mother
Can’t judge a book by lookin’ at the cover

Oh, can’t you see?
You misjudged me, baby
I look like a farmer, but I’m a lover
Can’t judge a book by lookin’ at the cover

Can’t judge a sugar by lookin’ at the pan
Can’t judge a woman by lookin’ at her man
Can’t judge a one by lookin’ at the other
Can’t judge a book by lookin’ at the cover

Oh, can’t you see?
You misjudged me
I look like a farmer, but I’m a lover
Can’t judge a book by lookin’ at the cover

You can’t judge a fish by lookin’ in the pond
Can’t judge a right by lookin’ at the wrong
Can’t judge a one by lookin’ at the other
You can’t judge a book by lookin’ at the cover

Oh, can’t you see?
You misjudged me
I look like a farmer, but I’m a lover
Can’t judge a book by lookin’ at the cover

Can’t judge an apple by lookin’ at the tree, baby
Can’t judge a honey by lookin’ at the bee
Can’t judge a daughter by lookin’ at the mother
You can’t judge a book by lookin’ at the cover

Oh, can’t you see?
You misjudged me
I look like a farmer, but I’m a lover
Can’t judge a book by lookin’ at the cover


  1. Live 1967 (1987) (CD).
  2. The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the ’60s TV Pop Sensation (2005), Andrew Sandoval, p. 302.