"The porpoise is waiting" - HEAD by The Monkees: 50th anniversary

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mBen989, Nov 25, 2018.

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  1. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    It was fifty years ago next month that the soundtrack album to The Monkees' film HEAD was released.

    [​IMG]

    My usual topic questions;

    When did you first hear this album?
    What did you think?
    Has this opinion changed at all?
    How many copies of this album do you have?
     
  2. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
  3. Siegmund

    Siegmund Vinyl Sceptic

    Location:
    Britain, Europe

    When did you first hear this album?

    In 2002


    What did you think?

    I liked it, though I also thought it was a bit of a mess. Not much cohesion, but you would expect that of a soundtrack for a film like this. I was drawn in by some of the recording personnel and the fact that its as dirt cheap in a sale.

    Has this opinion changed at all?

    No.

    How many copies of this album do you have?

    None. I flogged it on eBay.
     
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  4. JuanTCB

    JuanTCB Senior Member

    Location:
    Brooklyn, NY
    - late '86
    - I liked the sound collage aspect better than a lot of the music
    - I now like the music better than the sound collage aspect
    - Probably close to dozen (the Lightning and the Rhino CDs, the Handmade box, the '80s and '10s Rhino LPs, a handful of Colgems LPs, and a UK RCA)
     
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  5. boggs

    boggs Multichannel Machiavellian

    It took me serveral years to understand that HEAD is a fantastic album ! I have the box set and play it all ! Specially love the mono mixes.
     
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  6. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    Might as well chip in with my two cents.

    I first heard this album via the 80s Rhino reissue I purchased at a certain record shkp in Manhattan that used to be across the street from The Strand bookstore. It's closed now so I won't mention its name.

    What did I think? I thought as an album HEAD made even less sense than the movie but still filled with some of The Monkees best tunes. ("Porpoise Song (Theme from "HEAD", "Circle Sky", "Can You Dig It", As We Go Along", "Daddy's Song", "Long Title: Do I have to Do This All Over Again")

    Oh wait, I left a note for myself; "mention the irony of of the album featuring two tunes from the one who would leave the group right after the movie opened." Well, I think I just did that so...

    I still own that LP and there's the CD from the complete albums set. Oh wait, there's the mono CD I made from the deluxe edition and other elements.
     
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  7. Daven23

    Daven23 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Hyde Park NY USA
    I first heard and saw Head around 2006

    I thought it was weird and the songs not as good as the “hits”

    I’ve since grown to love all 6 songs on Head. I just wish there were more songs

    I have two copies

    The original US LP and the 1986 Rhino Re issue LP
     
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  8. O Don Piano

    O Don Piano Senior Member

    First heard the "Head" soundtrack album in 1978.
    I was 14 and just met some older friends who're totally into record collecting and old 60s/70s bands. That seems funny now! One of them had every Monkees LP up to "Present". The only LP in regular record stores was Arista's "Greatest Hits". I was into the TV show (shown on KTTV in LA) and used to record every episode onto one cassette, then dub the songs onto another!

    I loved the LP immediately!
    I had also just discovered Zappa in 1978 so the craziness of the album was appealing to me!

    I still like this album, and play it from time to time.
    I skip over the last track most of the time these days.........so it makes for a very short listen.

    I used to have a 1968 Colgems pressing, but traded it out of guilt (long story); I have the weirdo Japanese Arista LP, and the 1994 Rhino CD.
     
  9. forthlin

    forthlin Member Chris & Vickie Cyber Support Team

    I always admired that sleeve with the shiny cover (I might be part raccoon) I love the Porpoise Song and bought the single at the time. Only heard the entire album 3-4 years ago. I like the single the best.:)
     
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  10. tages

    tages Senior Member

    Location:
    Seattle
    First heard sometime in the late 90’s on the Lightning CD.

    I liked it but always wished it had more actual songs on it (and wasn’t too crazy about Peter’s tracks).

    I enjoyed the film a lot more.
     
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  11. Man at C&A

    Man at C&A Senior Member

    Location:
    England
    I heard it first in around 1997, but I already knew The Porpoise Song and loved it.

    I really liked the album and still do. I first heard it on a CD on the Lightning label, which I've never otherwise heard of, but it sounds great and has a mix of Circle Sky with more upfront and clear vocals which I've always preferred. I couldn't stand Daddy's Song but now I like it. I'd prefer the album to have a couple more songs as The Monkees and musicians on this album sound great and some of my favourite songs by them are here.

    I still have that CD and an original UK stereo LP. Both have white covers, rather than the silver metallic mirror like one.
     
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  12. alamo54us

    alamo54us Forum Resident

    Bought the single "Porpoise Song" on release, got the album for Christmas in 1968 (along with the Beatles white album). I've always loved the Head soundtrack, considered it one of their best records, albeit too short on songs. One of my favorite things about the Monkees was the psychedelic production that can be found throughout their catalog and it's especially predominant here.
    I don't have too many copies; my original vinyl and the first Rhino CD.
    I'm a big fan of the film, too, and was lucky enough to see it in first run at a theater.

    For those interested in a deeper dive into the project, check out Peter Mills book, The Monkees, Head, and the 60's.
     
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  13. applebonkerz

    applebonkerz Senior Member

    When did you first hear this album?
    I don't remember exactly. I think it was around the same time that Japan pressed vinyl of all the albums were showing up in US stores at regular prices--sometime in the 80's?. Around then is when I purchased all of the albums, having only ever owned the very first album. Although I'm thinking the version of Head I had to purchase wasn't a Japan import like the others were. It definitely has a silver metallic cover. My vinyl is in storage so I can't easily check what it is exactly.

    What did you think?
    It was immediately my favorite of their albums all the way through. I usually hate Davy's tracks and have to skip them, but I don't mind him on this album. I really like Peter's songs too on this. Love Circle Sky and the Porpoise Song.

    Has this opinion changed at all?
    No.

    How many copies of this album do you have?
    I think just two, the vinyl and the Rhino CD.
     
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  14. CDC

    CDC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    1st heard it around 10 years ago give or take. Picked it up because of how much it was talked about here.

    I really liked the CD then and still do. Very enjoyable and interesting. I was little dissapointed that the Monkees don't really play most of the instruments ..based on what I was reading I thought they played everything!

    I have to get a new copy as I wore out the last one; not careful enough with CDs in my car:(
     
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  15. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    This has probably been posted here somewhere before but it felt appropriot.

    Here's Carole King's demo for "Porpoise Song".

     
  16. Guy Smiley

    Guy Smiley America’s Favorite Game Show Host

    Location:
    Sesame Street

    Got the album in 1986, when I “discovered” The Monkees thanks to MTV and the radio play that followed.

    LOVED IT then, LOVE IT now.

    Opinion hasn’t changed: BEST album The Monkees ever did, or at least the best set of songs The Monkees ever released. I also think the movie is the best project the group ever did, period.

    The original Rhino CD, and, in the past year, managed to track down the Super Deluxe Edition for a really nice deal. Originally had it on cassette.
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2018
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  17. bosskeenneat

    bosskeenneat Forum Resident

    November 1968 left some fans of both the Monkees & Beatles perplexed as to "why they were acting so weird". Not everyone was ready for the White album NOR "Head" back then.
     
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  18. spsimmons

    spsimmons Forum Resident

    Location:
    Peoria Illinois
    First heard it in probably 1986 or 1987. Loved it immediately! Saw the movie a year or two later and I didn't get it. I was kind of not into the Monkees by then, so that probably clouded how I saw it. I love it now. I still enjoy the album as much if not more than I did back in the 80's.
     
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  19. Yeah, I've been reading that thread.

    I came in late to the album, because the first time I heard it was in the film. I purchased the Criterion America Lost and Found set (a great set, by the way). This was maybe 4 years ago, perhaps 3.

    Anyway, I purchased the deluxe version of Head. I was surprised that "Porpoise Song" was a skreetchy mess on a high-end system. It's a good thing that they included an alternate stereo mix on the set, which is much better balanced.
     
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  20. Guy Smiley

    Guy Smiley America’s Favorite Game Show Host

    Location:
    Sesame Street
    No, they didn’t do much of their own playing on this one. Given that they were finishing up the TV show, went right into making the film, had two albums out that year, and were gearing up for a tour of the Far East and Australia, along with 33 1/3 before the year was out, they were plenty busy.

    But you still have a killer Nez song and TWO excellent Peter compositions on the album. Why the excellent live performance of “Circle Sky,” with just the four of them playing, as used in the film, was not included on the album remains a mystery. I’ve read the other three blamed Nez himself for that.

    Still, Nez plays on both “Circle Sky” (Guitar and organ) and “Daddy’s Song,” while Peter plays guitar on his two songs. They, as a group, are listed as the producers of the album.

    Regardless, with guests like Carole King, Ry Cooder, and much of Buffalo Springfield (Stills, Young, Dewey Martin), it’s quite an album!
     
    Last edited: Nov 25, 2018
  21. Crack To The Egg

    Crack To The Egg Forum Resident

    Location:
    OR
    Odd, I just popped this on earlier and was disappointed that neither version of the album on Apple Music had the complete Porpoise Song.

    I heard it back in the 80s. I saw the film a couple of years later.
     
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  22. Platterpus

    Platterpus Senior Member

    The full version of Porpoise Song is only available on the 1992 Lightning/Arista CD from the UK. That CD has been OOP, rare and hard to find for a long time. Come to think of it, it seems all the Head CDs are OOP.
     
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  23. James Slattery

    James Slattery Forum Resident

    Location:
    Long Island
    My usual topic questions;

    When did you first hear this album?
    1980 when I graduated college and I could afford the later Monkees albums that I was missing. I think I paid $40.

    What did you think?
    Nothing special and nowhere as good as the previous 5 LPs

    Has this opinion changed at all?
    Not really. They performed the LP on a couple of their tours which to me was a head scratcher a big who cares.

    How many copies of this album do you have?
    The original LP and the Rhino CD reissue.
     
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  24. RoryMcBride

    RoryMcBride Forum Resident

    Location:
    London
    When did you first hear this album?
    In the mid-90s after seeing the film

    What did you think?
    Weird. I loved it.

    Has this opinion changed at all?
    Nope.

    How many copies of this album do you have?
    One...somewhere...I should get it on vinyls.
     
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  25. Dave Thompson

    Dave Thompson Forum Resident

    When did you first hear this album?
    Probably around 1973, 1974 - I was picking up all the Monkees albums as I found them second-hand.

    What did you think?
    Loved Porpoise, liked (most of) the rest

    Has this opinion changed at all?
    Not especially - "Daddy's Song" still annoys me as much as it used to

    How many copies of this album do you have?
    Two vinyl - Colgems and the recent Rhino boxed version, and the 1994 CD.
     
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