Why all the hate for the Monkees' Pool It!?

Huh. To each their own, but I'd recommend listening to the Headquarters, Pisces, and Head albums again. A handful of songs from Birds, Bees too.

 

I remembering hearing the record "Luka" by Suzanne Vega that same year-- 1987. It sounded to me like something Peter could have done. Take what probably started as a simple folk song and give it a fairly tasteful modern 80's treatment.

So maybe the problem with Pool It is just a lot of the songs are bad?

I think Getting' In is the best song on the album. It's at least interesting and has energy, to me.

I would have liked to hear heard versions of Tender Is, MGBGT, Pirates, etc... all stuff that needed up on Peter's only real solo record.

 

It would have been interesting if they split the album up three ways, so that each guy received 4 songs (ala "The Monkees Present")... And it's too bad Peter didn't get to contribute more instrumentally...

 

Not if it was The New Monkees.

 

Now that's an idea for a poll: which is worse: Pool It or The New Monkees?

Wonder who would lose that. Ah ha ha ha...

 

PaulKTF already did that one...

Which is the worse album? The New Monkees or The Monkees Pool It? »

Darryl

 

The Micky songs on the album are all pretty solid, Peter's "Gettin' In" is probably the best overall song on the album, but Davy's songs are among the worst ever recorded by the band.

 

The Monkees Present is at least half of a great album: "Listen To The Band", "Mommy And Daddy", "Good Clean Fun", "If I Knew" and "French Song" are all fantastic cuts.

 

I've just looked out an old copy of Record Collector (No. 101, January 1988, pp. 36-39):

' "Pool It" may be slightly startling at first for old-time Monkees fans. The band have jettisoned their Sixties sound for a state-of-the-art production that includes synths, screeching guitars and even a raggae beat on "She's Movin' In With Rico".'

The article features an interview, by Peter Doggett, with Micky Dolenz, in which Micky says, "My attitude to the album was that we shouldn't try to recreate the sound of the Sixties, with 12-string guitars and tambourines. But we kept the philosophy, of simple productions without a lot of gimmicks and tricks, good songs, and don't get too slick. But essentially the Monkees' sound shouldn't change. It's like if 'Blue Peter' changed their format and aimed at 30-year-olds; you have a commitment to your audience, and I think it's unfair and cruel to betray them..."

Micky then goes, as he often does, to reference Star Trek (what fans expect of the original formula, etc.), before talking about his plans for Repossessed (which he is writing for Warners) and a Monkees movie (which he will direct). What I pick up from this, all these years later, is a question about what Micky judged to be the 'philosophy' of The Monkees' music, given that Pool It, to my mind, changes the sound significantly (there were other acts in the late '80s that sounded more like The Monkees to me than Pool It - e.g. Bangles).

 

Help me out here...and this is not a slam, it's just a different view on a song...but tell me why you like French Song so much. I think it's among their worst. Always love when fans are passionate about certain songs that I'm not.

 

According to the RIAA, it definitely isn't some big seller.

Monkees Chart Beat// hit singles and album sales

 

Nostalgia can only take you so far and Pool It was enough to make me put all my Monkees albums into storage for at least a decade. Pool It managed the rare feat of combining the worst-ever 'comeback' album with the worst album cover of all time.

Mike Nesmith was smart enough to not get within 100 miles of that pile of excrement.

 

Any connection to the eventual movie of that title, a parody of The Exorcist with Leslie Nielsen and Linda Blair? I don't see Micky's name on it at all.

 

I became a fan in 86 like most Monkees fans. I know i'm in the minority, but I absolutely love Pool It, but I do love the 80s sounds and productions. I have no problem with synnths. as a new fan, this was my first album of new material, so it will always have a special place in my heart. standouts include, heart & soul, don't bring me down, midnight, love you forever, since you went away, long way home, etc.

chad

 

Unfortunately I have no idea (though it would be interesting to know). I thought it was worth mentioning Micky's Repossessed (whatever that was) and the proposed Monkees' movie as they give some indication of Micky's activities/plans at the time of promoting Pool It. We know the Monkees' movie never came to anything, and I'm assuming (perhaps wrongly, if the project came to fruition in other hands) that the same can be said of his Repossessed.

 

"Pool It!" has no heart and soul.

 

I think it's genuinely beautiful pop ballad with some sophisticated Euro-flourishes. It has a great hint of jazz, too.

 

I also got into The Monkees during their comeback on Mtv in the 80's (actually saw them with opening act Weird Al Yankovic at the Ionia Free Fair!). I remember at the time really liking about half of the album. A quick listen now and I'd probably say I really like maybe 3 songs on it. None of them are really that memorable in a good way. For example, I can remember lines from songs that are still pretty cringe-worthy ("You used to hang out in the alleyway/You sewed a button on my shirt one day", or "You hold the key to my secret heart/Just turn the lock/And we could be lovers after dark"). And back then, I never knew that "I'd Go The Whole Wide World" was actually a remake! More than anything, I can tolerate it due strictly to nostalgic reasons.

 

Every step of the way was a remake also. I didn't know that until recently either.

 

I remember around that time, there was also talk of The Monkees starring in a version of "Hellzapoppin'" on Broadway...

 

Pool It basically isn't a real Monkees album but a set of solo recordings by members of a band that didn't want to work together at the time. I think this may be one source of Pool It hate among purists who care about such things. I just listen to music I like. I sort of like Pool It. It's not their worst album, that's Justus.

 

I’ll meet you halfway. Pool It! does have some good songs. The Micky tracks are all very good, “Gettin’ In” is terrific and possibly the best song on the album, and the Davy ballads are terrible on a par with “The Day We Fall In Love”.

My three favorites are “Gettin’ In”, “Midnight” and “Don’t Bring Me Down”.

 

I actually really like Justus. Being the only album completely written, performed, and produced by the Monkees themselves, I would say they rose to the occasion and some of the songs are quite remarkable. IMO, their overall worst album is More of the Monkees. Despite some really good songs (even a few classics in there), for me it has an overall downer vibe. They didn't sound like they were having much fun in the studio except for Peter on the goofy "Auntie Grizelda." Even "Laugh" (a pretty wretched song) sounds a bit depressing.

 

I remember this album when it came out. I'm sure all involved wanted a better outcome. It actually took a lot of guts to release a new Monkees album in 1987 from a 1960's rock band in that current 1980's music scene.

A failure commercially with some good and bad tunes.



Alan's Album Archives: The Monkees "Pool It!" (1986) (Album Review)

 

I enjoy Pool It more than Justus, but it may be that I feel Pool It is more of a pop album than Justus.
My tastes usually run more pop than rock.

Darryl