We found out yesterday that songwriter Bobby Hart passed away earlier last week. In his honor, today’s classic song of the day is “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight?” by Mr. Hart and his partner Tommy Boyce, performing as Boyce and Hart. This single, released in December of 1967, shot up the charts early in 1968, reaching #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 on the Cash Box Top 100.
Tommy Boyce was a fledging songwriter and Bobby Hart was an aspiring singer when they first met in 1959. They started writing together soon after and ended up crafting a slew of songs with which you are no doubt familiar, including “Come a Little Bit Closer” for Jay and the Americans and “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone,” “Valeri,” and “(Theme From) The Monkees” for the Monkees. The two of them, in a way, helped to define the initial sound of the Monkees.
After experiencing success writing songs for others, Misters Boyce and Hart decided to try their collective hand at performing. They scored several hits on their own, including “Alice Long,” “Out and About,” and today’s classic song of the day, “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight?”
Boyce and Hart worked together through 1971 or so, then went their separate ways. They reunited in the mid-70s with former Monkees Mickey Dolenz and Davy Jones, as Dolenz, Jones, Boyce, and Hart, performing Boyce and Hart-written tunes for the Monkees. When that bit was over, the two continued on their own separate ways, releasing their own individual solo albums.
Tommy Boyce, unfortunately, struggled with depression and later experienced a brain aneurysm. He committed suicide on November 23, 1994, at age 55.
Bobby Hart continued performing over the years but slowed down as he got older. He’d been in poor health since he suffered a broken hip last year and passed away on September 10, 2025. He was 86 years old.
For today’s daily bonus video of the day, here’s Boyce and Hart performing (lip-synching) “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight?” on the December 12, 1967, episode of The Hollywood Palace, hosted by Herb Alpert. Tommy and Bobby were signed to Herb’s A&M Records at the time, making him their boss.
