Alternate/Fantasy MONKEES albums

rswitzer: Thanks for the kind words! Yeah, I love Michelle's work. If she's willing to do covers for my albums, that'd be terrific, but I'm not going to force her to do all that work just for me!

TimM: Thank you! Yeah, I guess the nice thing is that the poor album choices left us with lots of fun to have rearranging them so many years later. So I should be grateful for that, at least! I wonder if Beatles fans have this much fun? I imagine that they already like the albums as is, so what would be the point in rearranging them?

Wade: I really like the Instant Replay list! It's a smart idea to leave off all of the '66 stuff. And I agree with you about "Shorty Blackwell" being a Broadway tune! Every time I hear it, I imagine it being an overture to the play, with the entire cast singing, "I'm feeling very bad todaaaaaaaaaay . . ."

 

More Of The Monkees:
Side One:
1. She
2. Valleri
3. Looking For The Good Times
4. [I'm Not Your] Steppin' Stone
5. Tear Drop City
6. Words

Side Two:
1. Through The Looking Glass
2. Don't Listen To Linda
3. Kicking Stones
4. Mr. Webster
5. I Never Thought It Peculiar
6. Apples, Peaches, Bananas and Pears
7. Ladies Aid Society

The Monkees Present:
Side One:
1. You And I
2. Changes
3. Someday Man
4. Smile
5. If I Knew
6. French Song
7. Time And Time Again

Side Two:
1. Alvin
2. Tear The Top Right Off My Head
3. Merry Go Round
4. Long Title
5. Lady's Baby
6. Can You Dig It?
7. Come On In
8. Seeger's Theme

Side Three:
1. St. Matthew
2. Propinquity
3. Some Of Shelly's Blues
4. Hollywood
5. Good Clean Fun
6. How Insensitive
7. Listen To The Band

Side Four:
1. Just A Game
2. Shorty Blackwell
3. Midnight Train
4. Little Girl
5. Bye Bye Baby Bye Bye
6. Rosemarie
7. Mommy And Daddy
8. Pillow Time

 

Excellent list, Scott! Good idea to just fix two of the albums, rather than going nuts and listing everything like I did.

Just curious: Are you not a Mike or Peter fan? They're very unrepresented on your More of the Monkees.

 

Oh no - not at all. I was just trying to keep the second album entirely in the hands of Boyce & Hart. Personally my first album mix would be all produced by Mike and go like this:

Side One:
1. All The King's Horses
2. I Don't Think You Know Me At All (Micky's Vocals)
3. The Kind Of Girl I Could Love
4. Papa Gene's Blues
5. Sweet Young Thing
6. So Goes Love

Side Two:
1. [I Prithee] Do Not Ask For Love (Davy's Vocals)
2. You Just May Be The One
3. I Won't Be The Same Without Her
4. Of You
5. Propinquity (Demo Version)
6. Mary, Mary

 

Changes
Side One:
1. Oh My My
2. It's Got To Be Love
3. Lady Jane
4. Ticket On A Ferry Ride
5. You're So Good To Me
6. Acapulco Sun

Side Two:
1. Tell Me Love
2. I Love You Better
3. All Alone In the Dark
4. Do You Feel It Too?
5. Do It In The Name Of Love

 

Sorry, it's been a busy month. I really enjoy your selections, Scott!

Over in the "Barrel Full" thread, I mentioned that there's probably enough material between Pool It! and Justus for one good album. With that in mind, here's my ultimate modern playlist, including a couple of Then and Now tracks. (This fantasy album would have to be a CD, since there are too many songs for a vinyl.)

1. Heart and Soul
2. Every Step of the Way
3. Regional Girl
4. Since You Went Away
5. That Was Then, This is Now
6. (I'll) Love You Forever (not a favorite, but I need more Davy songs to balance the album out, and this one was a B-side to a single)
7. Never Enough
8. MGBGT
9. Livin' on Lies (rare Pool It song)
10. Circle Sky
11. Whole Wide World
12. Oh, What a Night
13. Don't Bring Me Down
14. Midnight
15. Gettin' In
16. Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere
17. You and I (1996)

Thoughts?

 

I honestly wouldn't really change those albums. Not that they're really perfect or even necessarily good, but because they each have their own singular vision and purpose. What is most fascinating and frustrating about the Monkees' musical output is there are often many different factions fighting for supremacy on each album - whether it's within the foursome or between the foursome and Don Kirshner, or even between Kirshner's lackeys on the East Coast and Boyce & Hart in the west. I prefer to re-configure my albums so that each one has its own singular producer or intent. Hence I would re-do everything like this:

THE MONKEES ​

(produced by Boyce & Hart)​

SIDE ONE
1. Theme From The Monkees
2. Take A Giant Step
3. Let's Dance On
4. Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day
5. This Just Doesn't Seem To Be My Day
6. I Wanna Be Free (MLv2)

SIDE TWO
7. I Wanna Be Free
8. Saturday's Child
9. I'll Be True To You
10. I Can't Get Her Off Of My Mind (Bonus Track Version)
11. Last Train To Clarksville
12. Gonna By Me A Dog

THE MONKEES ​

(produced by Michael Nesmith)​

SIDE ONE
1. The Kind Of Girl I Could Love
2. All The Kings Horses
3. Papa Gene's Blues
4. I Don't Think You Know Me (Micky’s Vocals)
5. Sweet Young Thing
6. So Goes Love

SIDE TWO
7. You Just May Be The One
8. Prithee (Davy’s Vocals)
9. I Won't Be The Same Without Her
10. Of You
11. Mary Mary
12. Propinquity (Demo Version)

MORE OF THE MONKEES ​

(produced by Boyce & Hart)​

​

SIDE ONE
1. (I'm Not Your) Steppin’ Stone
2. She
3. Words (MLv2)
4. Through The Looking Glass (MLv3)
5. Tear Drop City (Instant Replay)
6. Valleri (MLv2)
7. Looking For The Good Times (Monkees Present)

SIDE TWO
8. I'll Spend My Life With You (More of the Monkees bonus track)
9. I Never Thought It Peculiar (Changes)
10. Apples Peaches Bananas & Pears (MLv1)
11. Don't Listen To Linda (More of the Monkees bonus track)
12. Ladies Aid Society (Monkees Present)
13. Mr. Webster (MLv2)
14. Teeny Tiny Gnome (MLv1)

MORE OF THE MONKEES ​

(The Kirschner Version)​

​

SIDE ONE
1. Sometime In The Morning
2. Hold On Girl
3. I'm A Believer
4. Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)
5. Your Auntie Grizelda
6. I Don't Think You Know Me (Peter’s Vocals)

SIDE TWO
7. I'll Be Back Upon My Feet
8. The Day We Fall In Love
9. Laugh
10. I’ll Be Back Up On My Feet (MLv2)
11. When Love Comes Knocking At Your Door
12. The Girl I Left Behind Me

A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THE MONKEES E.P.​

(produced by Jeff Barry)​

SIDE ONE
1. A Little Bit Me A Little Bit You
2. 99 Pounds (Changes)
3. You Can't Tie A Mustang Down

SIDE TWO
4. If I Learned To Play The Violin
5. She Hangs Out (MLv3)
6. Love To Love

HEADQUARTERS​

​

SIDE ONE
1. You Told Me
2. All Of Your Toys
3. Peter Gunn's Gun
4. Sunny Girlfriend
5. The Girl I Knew Somewhere
6. For Pete’s Sake
7. Fever

SIDE TWO
8. Early Morning Blues & Greens
9. Zilch
10. Shades Of Gray
11. Forget That Girl
12. Band 6
13. No Time
14. Randy Scouse Git

PISCES, AQUARIUS, CAPRICORN, & JONES LTD.​

​

SIDE ONE
1. Peter Percival Patterson’s Pet Pig Porky
2. Pleasant Valley Sunday
3. Salesman
4. Hard To Believe
5. What Am I Doing Hanging Round?
6. Going Down
7. Daydream Believer

SIDE TWO
8. Love Is Only Sleeping
9. Cuddly Toy
10. Door Into Summer
11. Daily Nightly
12. Don’t Call On Me
13. Star Collector
14. Riu Chiu

THE BIRDS, THE BEES, & THE MONKEES​

(produced by Michael Nesmith)​

SIDE ONE
1. Auntie's Municipal Court
2. Circle Sky
3. Nine Times Blue (Davy’s Vocals)
4. While I Cry
5. If I Ever Get To Saginaw Again (Davy’s Vocals)
6. Carlisle Wheeling (MLv1)

SIDE TWO
7. My Share Of The Sidewalk (MLv1)
8. Magnolia Simms
9. Daddy’s Song
10. Tapioca Tundra
11. War Games (MLv1)
12. Writing Wrongs

CHANGES: The Movie Soundtrack​

(produced by Davy Jones)​

​

SIDE ONE
1. Changes (MLv1)
2. The Girl I Left Behind Me (Instant Replay version)
3. Ceiling In My Room
4. War Games (BB&M Box Set – Version Two)
5. Dream World

SIDE TWO
6. We Were Made For Each Other
7. It's Nice To Be With You
8. The Poster
9. The Party
10. I'm Gonna Try

INSTANT REPLAY​

SIDE ONE (produced by Boyce & Hart)
1. Valleri
2. PO Box 9847
3. Through The Looking Glass
4. Don't Listen To Linda
5. Me Without You
6. Storybook Of You (MLv1)

SIDE TWO
7. D.W. Washburn
8. Shake 'Em Up
9. Don't Say Nothing Bad ‘Bout My Baby
10. I'll Be Back Upon My Feet
11. Porpoise Song
12. As We Go Along
13. Steam Engine

THE MONKEES PRESENT…​

SIDE ONE
1. Propinquity
2. Don't Wait For Me
3. Hollywood
4. Some Of Shelly's Blues
5. The Crippled Lion
6. How Insensitive
7. Good Clean Fun
8. Listen To The Band
9. St Matthew

SIDE TWO
1. Lady's Baby
2. Merry Go Round
3. Seeger's Theme
4. Long Title
5. Alvin
6. Can You Dig It? (Peter’s Vocals)
7. Tear The Top Right Off My Head
8. Come On In
9. Prithee
SIDE THREE
1. Shorty Blackwell
2. Rosemarie
3. Just A Game
4. Mommy & Daddy
5. Zor & Zam
6. Midnight Train
7. Bye Bye Baby Bye Bye
8. Little Girl
9. Pillow Time

SIDE FOUR
1. Smile
2. You And I
3. Penny Music
4. If You Have The Time
5. French Song
6. If I Knew
7. Time And Time Again
8. Someday Man
9. Man Without A Dream

CHANGES​

(produced by Michael Nesmith)​

SIDE ONE
1. You're So Good
2. Oklahoma Backroom Dancer
3. Little Red Rider
4. Calico Girlfriend Samba
5. Never Tell A Woman Yes
6. Down The Highway (f.k.a. Michiagn Blackhawk)
7. Angel Band

SIDE TWO (unfinished Instrumentals)
8. Thirteen is Not Our Lucky Number
9. Lynn Harper
10. Thank You My Friend
11. Suzanna Sometime
12. Omega
13. London Bridge
14. The Bus That Never Comes
15. ’Till Then
16. Tommy Blue
17. Michigan Blackhawk
18. Good Afternoon

CHANGES​

(produced by Jeff Barry)​

SIDE ONE
1. Oh My My
2. Ticket On A Ferry Ride
3. You’re So Good To Me
4. It’s Got To Be Love
5. Acapulco Sun
6. Lady Jane

SIDE TWO
7. Tell Me Love
8. Do You Feel It Too?
9. I Love You Better
10. All Alone In The Dark
11. Do It In The Name Of Love

 

I honestly wouldn't really change those albums. Not that they're really perfect or even necessarily good, but because they each have their own singular vision and purpose.

Well, it's not like we can go back in time and actually change any of the albums anyway. But I think that changing Pool It/Justus is just as valid as any of the revisions that you listed (which I do like, btw).

 

Suppose I want to make a "New Millenium" Monkees CD. I have Rays by Nez and Peter's recordings with and w/o his band. What have Micky & Davy released (if anything) newly recorded post 2000?

 

Mickey has several solo albums released this decade. King For A Day and Remember from 2010 and last year. Davy released a couple of one-off singles... a song called Mr. Wong from 2000, Leavin' It Up To You 2003 and I believe a few more, but I'm forgetting the titles. I think he released an album called Just Me in 2001 (no idea what's on it). Ron

 

Micky's had two new albums out in the past couple of years. "King for a Day" which is a Carole King Tribute album, and "Remember" which is an album of cover songs that influenced him.

 

Right. I HAVE those Micky CDs and totally forgot. I think Davy is going to be the tough one to find recordings for. I think I have Just Me and will check it out. Thanks.

 

Ooh, that sounds fun! Let us know what you come up with, rswitzer!

I've often wanted to create an "album" out of the pre-1965 stuff for the guys, and also an album for the post-1970 to pre-1985 stuff, but I've never gotten around to it.

 

I just ordered Davy's "She" CD. I know there's enough stuff that I like on Mike, Micky, & Peter's CDs so I think this actually has some potential.

 

Davy had a few others, mostly released on his www.davyjones.net site.

 

OK, it was a tough challenge, but I think I made a listenable Monkees “New Millennium” playlist.

I started with Davy. His 2 CDs “Just Me 2” & “She” are pretty terrible. It’s Davy going through the motions with someone playing all the instruments on a cheesy keyboard. Uninspired stuff. Fortunately, I found 2 songs on i-tunes. “Amore” which is pretty good and, “Your Personal Penguin” which is a fun kid’s tune. “She” was the only tolerable tune off his 2 CDs IMO.

Peter’s CDs are more fun, but Peter’s vocals are . . . an acquired taste. “Bound to loose” is a decent tune and it has Peter on Banjo. I tried to stay away from remakes, but this version of “For Pete’s Sake” is pretty good. I didn’t take anything from the 1st Blue Suede shoes CD, but I took “Easy Rider” from his most recent CD with James Stanley. Nice harmonies.

Mike only released “Rays” and about half those tunes are instrumentals. I stuck to songs with vocals, choose my 3 favorites and had to edit the fades since on the CD many songs run together. The CD is very unMonkee but I think the 3 I picked don’t stick out too bad.

Micky’s 2 CD’s were “King For A Day” & “Remember”. I like the second much better. Again, I tried to stay away from remakes (“Prithee” is really good though). I like the 2 non-covers from Remember so I picked them.

Although I had my doubts along the way, overall I think this playlist works. Try it! All the songs are on i-tunes.

1. Many Years - Mickey Dolenz

2. Bound To Loose - Peter Tork And Shoe Suede Blues

3. Boomcar - Michael Nesmith

4. Do Not Ask For Love - Mickey Dolenz

5. Amore - Davy Jones

6. For Pete's Sake - Peter Tork And Shoe Suede Blues

7. Quiet Desperation - Mickey Dolenz

8. She - Davy Jones

9. East Rider – James Lee Stanley & Peter Tork

10. Rays - Michael Nesmith

11. Crying In The Rain (Featuring Coco Dolenz) - Micky Dolenz

12. Your Personal Penguin - Davy Jones

13. There It Is - Michael Nesmith

14. Remember - Mickey Dolenz

 

Good idea. I like this idea of continuing The Monkees into the 21th century. I am unfamilar with much of these songs. I do not have any of Davy's or Peter studio album, I do have Mike's Rays album and both of Micky's albums. I have not listened to them very much. Micky's latest works best when we do not have songs to compare it to. I prefer earlier Monkee songs to Micky's remakes etc. Good call on avoiding the remakes. As far as good quality Davy songs, did you consider Davy's Just Me album from 2001. It got great reviews. When I get this album I would either use it for either for the millenium album or for the Justus album. Make Justus a double album. It apparently was recorded closer to 1996's Justus sessions. I am not sure yet.

 

I did not use Davy's Just Me since I believe it was pre-2000. Some of the tunes on Just Me 2 were remixes of the songs from Just Me and I wasn't impressed. I did enjoy the 2 Davy singles I found on i-tunes!

 

Because of the spottiness of the Monkees recent solo works, it's tough to get a good mix, however, the '80's/early '90's offers a treasure trove of good pop songs for a pre-Justus compilation. If you own Davy's Just For The Record, Micky's Demoiselle, Pete's Stranger Things Have Happened and Nez's The Newer Stuff, you can go nuts, the songs sound oddly cohesive too because of the guys (ahem) love of the synthesizer. This is mine, I cheated a bit by including the "group cut" Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere from 1986, but there are more Monkees on Peter's Milkshake than that one, so who cares:
After Your Heart - Davy
Eldorado To The Moon - Mike
It's The Season - Micky
Sea Change (Take Me Down) - Peter
Hangin' By A Thread - Davy
Tanya - Mike
Lonely Weekends - Micky
Take A Giant Step - Peter
Baby, You'll Soon Be Sixteen - Davy
Magic - Mike
Beverly Hills - Micky
Tender Is - Peter
She Believes - Davy
Light - Mike
Piston Power - Micky
Milkshake - Peter
Don't Go - Davy
I'll Remember You - Mike
Not That Bad - Micky
Stranger Things Have Happened -Peter
It's Now - Davy
Carioca - Mike
Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere - Micky
Higher and Higher - Peter

 

Wow. Excellent job, rjswitzer! A lot of thought and time got put into that. I should try listening to that playlist someday!

Yours was also very creative, pacandj!

 

That is what I thought. Even though it(Just Me) was released in 2001(I think), it was recorded much earlier. Good job. I like how you kept it to 14 songs like a good Beatles or Monkees album from the 60s.P.S. Good job on everybody's list. It is fun to make new Monkees albums. They had so much quality material that was not released in the 60s. It is a joy.

 

I'm one of those who thinks the song order is important, so I tried to make this list flow well. All we need is for Michelle66 to design a cover!

 

rswitzer and pacandj, both excellent work

I posted this a year ago, but it went unnoticed, so here it is again...

I have been working on this for years, so I submit several works in progress from Monkees' fantasy land, hastened by the good earth's loss of David Thomas Jones:

First, I would make minor changes to Pool It!
I would remove Secret Heart (Brian Fairweather/Martin Page) 3:43, She’s Movin’ in with Rico (Andrew Howell) 3:19 and Counting on You (Alan Green) 3:47
I would add MGB-GT (Peter Tork) 2:35, That Was Then, This is Now (Vance Brescia) 4:04 and Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere (Dick Eastman/Bobby Hart) 3:57

Side One (20:35)
Heart and Soul (Simon Byrne/Andrew Howell) 3:53
Long Way Home (Dick Eastman/Bobby Hart) 3:49
(I’d Go the) Whole Wide World (Eric Goulden) 2:55
MGB-GT (Peter Tork) 2:35 non-LP B-side, technically recorded live in concert, so what?
That Was Then, This is Now (Vance Brescia) 4:04 1986 A-side
Every Step of the Way (Ian Hunter/Mark Clarke) 3:19
Side Two (20:56)
Don't Bring Me Down (Tom Teeley/Glenn Wyka) 3:37
Gettin' In (Peter Tork) 3:01
Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere (Dick Eastman/Bobby Hart) 3:57 should have been the next 1986 A-side
(I'll) Love You Forever (David Jones) 3:20
Midnight (? David) 4:27 does anyone know this songwriter’s first name?
Since You Went Away (Michael Levine) 2:34

And a bonus 1983 album; a precursor to Pool It!, grouping together the best of the post-Dolenz, Jones, Boyce and Hart/The Point studio sessions for Micky, Davy & Peter:
Side One (18:15)
It's Now (Peter Doyle) 4:00
Love Light (John Brown/Gerald Brown) 2:58
Can She Do It (Like She Dances) (Steve Duboff/Gerry Robinson) 3:42
To Be or Not to Be (Terry Britten/Brian Robertson) 3:05
How Do You Know? (Bobby Heatlie) 2:41
I Truly Understand (Traditional) 1:49
Side Two (19:08)
Piston Power (Micky Dolenz) 2:18
You Don't Have to Be a Country Boy (Tommy Boyce/Davy Jones) 2:32
Alicia (Micky Dolenz) 4:15
Rainbows (Chip Douglas) 2:55
Beverly Hills (Micky Dolenz) 3:23
Higher and Higher (Raynard Miner/Carl Smith/Gary Jackson/Billy Davis) 3:45

If you want to be more creative, mix in Mike’s post Infinite Rider songs, collected on The Newer Stuff CD:
Total Control (Michael Nesmith) 3:55
Tanya (Michael Nesmith) 4:15
I'll Remember You (Michael Nesmith) 3:55
Eldorado to the Moon (Bill Martin) 2:49
Formosa Diner (Michael Nesmith) 3:50
Dreamer (Michael Nesmith) 4:45
Tahiti Condo (Michael Nesmith) 3:54
Chow Mein and Bowling (Bill Martin) 3:24

Other songs to consider (and I still am):
Walkin' in the Sand (Michael Nesmith) 3:09, Rollin' (Michael Nesmith) 3:30, Dr. Duck's Super-Secret All-Purpose Sauce (Michael Nesmith), So in Love With You (David Jones) 3:25, Manchester Boy (David Jones) 2:16, Baby, You'll Soon Be Sixteen (Alan Green), Baby, Hold Out (David Jones/Andy Sears) 4:21, One Man Woman (Doug Trevor) 2:59, Wich Mama (Peter Tork), Tender is (Peter Tork), Hi Babe (Peter Tork), El Salvador (Nick Thorkleson), Good Looker (Riley Cummings)

Next up is a 1994 album; the follow-up to Pool It! and precursor to Justus without Michael’s participation in the sessions. I used David's Incredible, Micky's Demoiselle, a couple of Peter's albums among other releases...:
Side One (22:30)
It’s the Season (Micky Dolenz) 2:47
Easy Rider (Peter Tork) 3:35
Make the Woman Love Me (Barry Mann/Cynthia Weil) 4:34
Moonbeam Song (Harry Nilsson) 3:13
Only Dreaming (Eric Goulden) 3:14
Not That Bad (Micky Dolenz) 2:46
Little Girl (Peter Tork) 2:31
Side Two (23:47)
Lonely Weekends (Micky Dolenz) 3:25
Hangin' by a Thread (Jerry Goldsmith) 3:47
Sea Change (Peter Tork) 4:02
She Believes (John Stewart) 3:40
Remember (Harry Nilsson) 3:17
Tender is (Peter Tork) 3:20
Manchester Boy (David Jones) 2:16

Also, does anyone know who wrote Wasn't in the Cards (from the old Peter Tork Project days)?I emailed Peter in 2011 and asked him who wrote this song, but received no reply.

Alternatively, my Fantasy version of Justus, if I was the boss (sorry Papa Nez, no songwriting from you!) I am still not in love with the sequencing, but I will continue to tinker...
Never Enough (Dolenz) Lead Vocal: Dolenz
Oh, What a Night (Jones) Lead Vocal: Jones
Little Girl (Tork) Lead Vocal: Tork (Once Again)
It's the Season (Dolenz) Lead Vocal: Dolenz (Demoiselle)
You and I (Dolenz/Jones) Lead Vocal: Jones
Unlucky Stars (Dolenz) Lead Vocal: Dolenz
Manchester Boy (Jones) Lead Vocal: Jones (Just For The Record)
Lonely Weekends (Dolenz) Lead Vocal: Dolenz (Demoiselle)
Easy Rider (Tork) Lead Vocal: Tork (Once Again)
Not That Bad (Dolenz) Lead Vocal: Dolenz (Demoiselle)
Run Away from Life (Tork) Lead Vocal: Jones
It's My Life (Dolenz) Lead Vocal: Dolenz
I Believe You (Tork) Lead Vocal: Tork
It's Not Too Late (Jones) Lead Vocal: Jones

Corrections? Thoughts? Marshmallows?

 

Wow. Great lists! Sorry that I don't know the answers to any of your questions, but you did a really creative job with those album listings.

 

Scott, looking back through this thread, I see that I didn't give you enough credit for all your hard work in this thread. I said I liked it, but you really put a tremendous amount of thought and creativity into how you split up those albums. Well done!