I've certainly had enough request for this gem so here it is. It was a mixing challenge but i think I get it just as I wanted it to sound. Hope you Monkee fans like it too!
I can't remember the name of the genre in classical music but it means the music evokes images and with sounds creates a likeness of the real world. This may be the best example of it in a pop context where the sounds of trains are embedded in the music from the high harmonies imitating a train whistle to the snare capturing the chug of a locomotive giving the music its drive etc.
Fans of this 1966 classic should check out the YT video "Last Train To Clarksville by Louie Shelton." He's the original session guitarist on this Monkees mega-hit.
This song was a reference to the train to Clarksville, Tennessee, which was a departure point for GI's on their way to Vietnam. This said, in a way.it is a protest song about the American involvement in that theatre...listen to the words...
I really didn't want to work on this Monkee song for one reason. My 12 string acoustic is so out of tune it was giving me a major migraine. What I had to do was tune it to a perfect G, play all the parts, Tune it to a perfect C7, play all the parts,then tune it to a perfect D and play all the parts, then play it back and that is what you hear on RU-vid. There was no other way to do it. Kenn
Interesting to hear the technical backstory. Maybe on one of your next enhancements you can show some stills of how you did it with the instruments / music. Or maybe just a brief montage of your set up to the sound of some brief music (a video just for your setup). Only do this if you feel 100% comfortable with it.
Now that I'm learning to mix, I listen for everything. You've managed to minimize that slightly off-beat jarring cymbal crash. You've made a great song even better! As a mixer I appreciate your great work and I know how difficult things like that are without the original tracks.
Well done. Now all you have to do is all the rest of the Monkees songs you haven't done. hahaha You can finish them in a couple weeks, right? hahahahaha
Yeah that is a long range project. The problem with doing these songs is that I don't get anything else done. It's so time consuming. When I retire in July I'd like to do a few every week till I get most of them done. I just love the Monkee songs and they are such fun to work on and there are still lot I haven't done. Kenn
Well at least you have a retirement plan. So many people that retire love the first few months then they get bored and eventually just rot away. If you keep busy doing these then that will never happen to you. Btw, what was it you wanted to enhance further with Sweet Young Thing as you mentioned in the original post description?
A little anti-war song with a catchy tune. The Wrecking Crew members played it perfectly, and the Monkees voices, especially Mickey Dolenz, kicked butt.
The Wrecking Crew weren't involved in recording the song. Boyce and Hart's band, Candy Store Prophets, performed the instrumental session work on the recording. Their lineup included Boyce, Wayne Erwin and the Ventures' Gerry McGee on guitar, Hart on keyboards, Larry Taylor on bass guitar, Billy Lewis on drums and Gene Estes on percussion. The lead guitar parts were done by Louis Shelton on a Fender Telecaster.
@@amb2745 There is a youtube recording of Louis Shelton playing his Clarksville solo and he spoke briefly about it. I don't recall he said anything about candy store prophets. Louis Shelton was a member of the Wrecking Crew. Watch the solo here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7L6Vin-5188.html&start_radio=1
Lyrics: Take the last train to Clarksville And I’ll meet you at the station You can be here by four-thirty ‘Cause I made your reservation Don’t be slow Oh no no no Oh no no no ‘Cause I’m leaving in the morning And I must see you again We’ll have one more night together Till the morning brings my train And I must go Oh no no no Oh no no no And I don’t know if I’m ever coming home Take the last train to Clarksville I’ll be waiting at the station We’ll have time for coffee-flavored kisses And a bit of conversation Oh no no no Oh no no no Take the last train to Clarksville And I must hang up the phone I can’t hear you in this noisy railroad station All alone I’m feeling low Oh no no no Oh no no no And I don’t know if I’m ever coming home Take the last train to Clarksville And I’ll meet you at the station You can be here by four-thirty ‘Cause I made your reservation Don’t be slow Oh no no no Oh no no no And I don’t know if I’m ever coming home Take the last train to Clarksville Take the last train to Clarksville Take the last train to Clarksville Take the last train to Clarksville Take the last train to Clarksville
I dedicate this track to my very dear friend Miss Tracy Ritter-Meinders who loved the Monkees TV show as a kid! Her favorite Monkee is Micky Dolenz- ‘cause he was the drummer! Tracy, you have good taste- your sisters too!💕XO
