You would have to have been an 11 year old boy like I was to understand why More of The Monkees was so big. As a boomer we were wrapped up in the show & all the songs covered their different personalities perfectly,. Auntie was pure Peter gold! lol. With that said... As a 65 year old hippie, I do pretty much agree with your list.
I'm a second generation fan who was seeing the show in reruns in the '70s. Those songs were definitely straight off the show for me as well. That said it still has to be different for you since it was actually brand new stuff when you were first hearing it. If I'd made this list when I was much younger More Of would've been much higher. Now that the dust has long since settled It's dropped down a few spots but still love it.
More of the Monkees is my favorite. It doesn't bother me that much of the music was made by session musicians. The final product is what matters. Headquarters sounds weak by comparison, although it is still very good. On More of the Monkees, the rhythm sections are incredibly energetic. There's a lot of creative organ playing. I like all of the songs that this guy trashes. The musical background of Auntie Grizelda has a fascinating density of sound.
PAUL!!! This was just recommended to me bc I’ve been on a Monkees kick the last 6 months, and I did a double take seeing your face!! So excited to check out your channel, I just subscribed!
Once again your discussion (listing) of Monkees material is greatly appreciated and I too (a first generation fan from the '60's) go back and forth with your #1 and #2 selections. I agree that the songs on HEAD are stellar, you should check out the version of Daddy's Song with Mike singing lead instead of Davy (Mike also produced that track). One of the things you should cover is an overview of the extraordinary vocals of Micky Dolenz. He is not given the credit he deserves for being one of the best rock singers of all time but has continued (into his 70's) to hit those notes with an extraordinary quality, lacking many of his (still alive) peers. Continue doing what you do for fans like me.
Oh yes, I have the Head super deluxe set which has that Mike version of Daddy's Song. So bummed they stopped issuing those Monkees super deluxe sets just shy of doing the two best albums! WTF?!? Very much agree that Micky is a woefully underrated vocalist.
The Monkees Albums Ranked: 12. Pool It 11. Justus 10. Changes 09. Instant Replay 08. Present 07. Good Times 06. More of The Monkees 05. Headquarters 04. The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees 03. The Monkees 02. Head 01. Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd.
It's interesting to see that although people's order of ranking is always a bit different, certain albums are pretty much always in the top half and others always in the bottom half.
I enjoyed this video immensely. I was a teenager in the late 60s and me & my sister were Monkee fans and had these albums. I also agree with your ranking of the albums. The sixties, good music, good times. R.I.P. Michael Nesmith 😢
Thanks for sharing this interesting video and your picks. "More Of The Monkees" is MUCH higher on my list but I agree with you about the dreadful songs on that album, "Your Auntie Grizelda" and "The Day We Fell In Love" which should have not been on it. You had "The Birds, The Bees And The Monkees" higher on your list than on my list but to each their own. Their first four albums were their strongest efforts for me. And yes. I wish that the tv version of "I Wanna Be Free" would have been on their first album than the one that was on it which is still not too bad of a version. I was 13 when the Monkees first appeared in 1966 and they and the Beach Boys are my BIGGEST musical inspirations in my lifetime. (The Monkees inspired me so much that I founded a Monkees newsletter in the late 70's called "Monkees Marauders United" and along with three women, we published 12 issues for the next two years. One of our teen subscribers was a guy named Vance Brescia who wrote "That Was Then, This Is Now" for his band which is the song that the Monkees featured for their HUGE comeback tour in 1986.)
Really enjoyed this review. There were so many hidden gems that almost didn't see the light of day if it wasn't for the Missing Links albums (which tend to be some of my top albums even if they weren't legit albums) In light of the sad news on Friday, this really put a smile on my face. It's always lovely to see such in-depth factual content by genuine fans. Thank you ❤️
Neil Youngs guitar work on " You and I" is absolutely FANTASTIC.. add that to The Drumming by Hal Blaine ( from the Wrecking Crew) really makes it highly underrated song, not just as A Monkees song, but as a SONG in general. The lyrics and composition are excellent as well.
You're absolutely spot on with your assessment of Pool It and Justus. I had the exact same reactions when they came out. Although you make some really good arguments, I personally would move Instant Replay above Present and Good Times. I also would swap Headquarters with PAC&J. Although they were a proper band on Headquarters, the musicianship is what holds it back in my opinion. PAC&J is not only my favorite Monkees album, it;s also one of my favorite albums of all time. Oh, also one correction, the clothes on the cover of More Of... was from J.C. Penny.
John Gramaglia, You make a great point regarding the musicianship on Headquarters. Peter Tork commented that professional musicians could have recorded those songs in roughly four to six takes each. Peter stated the Monkees took up to twenty-five to thirty takes during Headquarters. Heck, they wanted to prove they could do it and they did.
Hearing your list makes me realize what newer generations missed out on. The 60's and 70's were far from innocent - they were trailblazers. The music of the Monkees was fun and hippie-like while being relevant to the times. Magic!
As a 14 year old in 1986 my first Monkees albums were Then & Now… The Best Of The Monkees on LP and as my first ever compact disc purchase and second was the double LP album from silver eagle records that I bought from a TV commercial. I quickly bought all the Rhino Records LP re-issues. My top 4 albums are Headquarters, Pisces, Instant Replay, then Head
I smiled throughout this video because it’s such a perfect expression of Monkees’ fans’ love for the band and ambivalence about the weaker stuff. My only complaint: it took years to get Ladies Aid Society out of my brain; now it’s back.
Excellent listing! We are almost in total agreement. Think you really nailed the bottom 3. I used to dream that a new Monkees album would come out. One day, I'm in a record store going through the bins and there it was! I had one of the early cd players in my car and played it immediately. Forty minutes of audio torture later, I came to the conclusion that "Pool It" was a piece of shit. Unlistenable. Even worse than the forgotten "Monkees" album, "Dolenz, Jones Boyce and Hart". Producer/arranger, Roger Bechirian should have been crucified on Hollywood Blvd. for giving us this garbage. "Justus" was another disappointment. Here we have just the four of them so it's "Headquarters" part 2, right? Not even close. IMO, most of the material was weak AND they were missing their "secret sauce", producer Chip Douglas, who helmed their three best albums.This is not a coincidence. Douglas brought out the best of the pre- fab four and was an incredible editor. He is the unheralded genius behind the Monkees'finest work. Agree with you on "Changes" as well. I remember going into the record store at the Cherry Hill Mall in New Jersey and discovering it in the Monkees bin. So strange that only the two of them on the album cover. It felt like the end. It WAS filling a contractual obligation. Davy was annoyed at the finished product and stated that "it sounds like an Andy Kim album". Kim had a hand in writing three of the songs and co-wrote the mega hit, "Sugar Sugar".This song was actually offered to the Monkees back in '68 and they wanted nothing to do with it. BTW, Kim ended up singing on the record as part of the animated "Archies".Wikipedia reports that it was #1 for FOUR weeks and was "Record of the Year" in 1969! Good creative decision for the Monkees to reject this bubblegum but not a good financial one. Still, nobody could label the Monkees as "sellouts" after they stood clear of it. We disagree on the top 2. IMO, "Pisces" was The Monkees' masterwork. You are joined by others in not being a fan of "Hard to Believe" but I love it. Davy's vocal is excellent, the rhythm guitar is front and center, the horns are well-placed and the percussion traps that kick off the tune and end with the "ahhhs" make the track unique. Thought that it was the perfect song to begin the second side with. Every track on this album could have been a hit single (Hard to Believe on the adult contemporary chart, known as "MOR" back then) The content of these songs, in many instances, deals with adult themes. War (Door into Summer), Sex (Love is only Sleeping) Groupies (Star Collector), Suburbia (Pleasant Valley Sunday), Female promisquity (Cuddly Toy) The musicianship is first rate and the entire album still sounds fresh. I feel that it was one of the best pop albums of that era. Headquarters is a solid #2. Great album. Songs were a little more lightweight than "Pisces" and I think Colgems made a major error by not releasing any singles from HQ in the U.S. (Randy Scouse Git/Forget That Girl became a hit in eight European countries.) "For Pete's Sake" was a missed single opportunity and probably would have become their fourth Top 5 single in the U.S. Also agree on "The Day We Fall in Love" but you and I were not the target audience! Little girls swooned over Davy. He was often on the cover of "16" and "Tiger Beat" (fan magazines aimed at preteen girls) The song was strictly for them. I'd venture a guess that the ones reaching puberty might have discovered their intimate side while listening to it. Unimportant fact check: I believe that the MOTM cover shot was for J.C. Penney, not Sears.
I'm a second generation fan and I have to disagree about Pool It. When it came out I got it right away and played and played it. Because it was new Monkees album!
My favourite Monkees tracks listed by recording session in approximate recording order: The Monkees Recording Sessions = 'I Don't Think You Know Me', '(Theme from) The Monkees', 'Take a Giant Step', 'Saturday's Child', 'I Wanna Be Free', 'Gonna Buy Me a Dog', 'Last Train to Clarksville', 'Mary, Mary', '(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone' More of the Monkees Recording Sessions = 'She', 'Hold on Girl (Help is on its Way)', 'Sometime in the Morning', 'I'm a Believer', 'Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)' Headquarters Recording Sessions = 'A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You', 'Love to Love', 'The Girl I Knew Somewhere', 'Mr. Webster', 'She'll Be There', 'You Just May Be the One', 'Randy Scouse Git (Alternate Title)', 'I'll Spend My Life with You', 'Forget that Girl', 'Shades of Grey', 'I Can't Get Her off My Mind', 'No Time', 'For Pete's Sake (Closing Theme)' Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Limited. Recording Sessions = 'Cuddly Toy', 'Pleasant Valley Sunday', 'Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky', 'Salesman', 'Words', 'Daydream Believer', 'What am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?', 'Goin' Down', 'Star Collector', 'She Hangs Out', 'Ríu, Ríu Chíu' The Birds, the Bees and the Monkees Recording Sessions = 'P.O. Box 9847', 'Valleri', 'Auntie's Municipal Court', 'Merry Go Round', 'Dream World', 'We Were Made for Each Other', 'The Poster', 'Shake 'Em Up (and Let 'Em Roll)', 'Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)', 'Rosemarie', 'I'll Be Back up on My Feet' Head Recording Sessions = 'Listen to the Band' The Monkees Present Recording Sessions = 'Steam Engine', 'Midnight Train' Then and Now... the Best of the Monkees Recording Sessions = 'That Was Then, This is Now' Pool It! Recording Sessions = 'Heart and Soul' I don't have a list of each of my favourite Monkees studio albums ranked. But I do have a top 5 albums list from best to worst: Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Limited. = With the Monkees playing their own instruments on most of the tracks, and a greater amount of session musicians than on Headquarters, I feel that this album is the definitive Monkees experience. However, I do wish that Micky and Davy had played at least one instrument on all the tracks they appeared on. Since they gave up playing their own instruments on certain tracks. Headquarters = This album is rather raw in comparison to other Monkees studio albums. But I'm glad that the Monkees were given a chance to prove that they could write some of their own songs and play most of their own instruments. More of the Monkees = Even though I feel that switching from Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart to Jeff Barry as the Monkees' lead producer was a mistake, I still feel that this is a slightly better album than its predecessor. The Monkees = This album really showcases the talents of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. Even if the Monkees didn't write any of the songs or play any of the instruments aside from the occasional Michael Nesmith composition and the occasional Peter Tork guitar part. The Birds, the Bees and the Monkees = The last song to be recorded and released on their previous album 'Hard to Believe' pretty much set the standard for this album. With the Monkees going off and recording their music separately. And Davy giving up playing his own instruments, Micky giving up playing most of his own instruments, and Michael giving up playing some of his own instruments, though he plays an instrument on all the tracks that he participated in on this album. Maybe if the Monkees had stuck to the same formula as their previous album, but with each of the Monkees playing at least one instrument per track, this album would be higher on the list. I don't have any fixed placings for the last four Monkees albums released during their original incarnation. But Head would probably be next, followed by Instant Replay, then The Monkees Present, then Changes. Personally if I was to make a list of all the Monkees' studio albums from best to worst, albums like Pool It!, Justus, Good Times!, and Christmas Party would probably be on their own list. Because they have too many modern tracks for them to be comparable to the albums released during their original incarnation.
From what I understand... not sure of the veraicty of this, as it's just gossip amoung the fanbase... but many have said that Davy is the one who was ADAMANT about the new 80's recordings sounding "trendy"... and not like what you'd really think a Monkees record would sound like. And it's not like retro sounds never made appearances in the 80's, Tracey Ullman's huge hit, "They Don't Know", many of the songs on Wham's "Make It Big" album sounded very Motown-ish, or in the case of "Hearbeat", sounded like a Ronettes record. And then Blly Joel's "Innocent Man" album was FULL of retro sounds. Considering that New Monkees recordings really SOUNDED like Monkees records after Davy died, that does seem to give some credence to that story.
Enjoyed your video and basically agree on your order of albums (except for Justus). Interesting fact: I was born during the same week that Headquarters, my all-time favorite album, topped the Billboard chart for its first and only time (was actually born on the same day that the Beatles performed "All You Need is Love" for 400 million people during the world's first international satellite TV broadcast; great song with which to enter the world). Anyway, although Headquarters isn't the greatest album musically, it's my favorite because of the context of it: Four very different guys who were put together to act in a TV show decide to become an actual band (even writing a lot of their own songs) and then record some phenomenal music. Mind-blowing achievement! Favorite tracks: "You Just May Be the One," which has one of the best bridges I've ever heard, perhaps only trailing the one in Johnny Nash's "I Can See Clearly Now"; "For Pete's Sake"'; "Sunny Girlfriend"; "No Time"; and "Randy Scouse Git" -- all of which they wrote themselves. Amazing!
Yeah! As I probably said in the video, you could easily make a solid argument for putting Pisces Aquarius at #1 but Headquarters just has that "thing" that puts it over the top for me. Where would you put Justus on the list?
@@AsItShouldBePodcast Regarding Justus, I'd probably put it somewhere in the middle of the pack. That album has a LOT of faults, but I think the songs Davey wrote/co-wrote and sung save it. It was almost as if Davey was going that extra mile to prove that he could do his own music, the same way that the other three Monkees were going full-throttle on Headquarters to prove that they could do their own music. It almost seems like the amount of drive and enthusiasm that they have for a musical project determines how good their songs will be. "You and I" and "It's Not Too Late" are absolutely wonderful, as is the live version of "Oh, What a Night" from their Billboard concert (on RU-vid).
I recently retired and started playing guitar again, I went strait to the net to look up Monkees songs...man it's hard finding actual tab for their stuff. I saw them a ton of times in the 80's. Never saw papa Nes though. I'm going to the Farewell tour on Oct 30th. I'm finally getting to see the Nes.....Can't wait.
What?? Really surprised there isn't a lot of Monkees tab online. Guess I haven't checked but I would definitely assume there would be a ton of it out there. I've seen all four but never all together. Only in threes. Micky/Davy/Peter in 2001 and Micky/Mike/Peter in 2013.
@@pegasus818 Yeah the tickets were sold out and I had to buy resale so I got jipped. I didn't care because I've never seen them with Nes and I know this will most likely be it for them. Just in case I've taken the pick gard off and it's coming with me just in case I get to meet him I'd love it signed. I saw Micky doing a solo act and after the show I met a girl who asked me if I was a fan and would I like to meet him. I was like hell yes...who are you? She was like, hi I'm his wife, were meeting across the street at the bar after the show. It cost like 100 bucks to go in and I got to meet him. He signed some drum sticks for me and I took a pic with him. Can't tell you how thrilled I was for two seconds of standing next to him..lol I'm hoping Mr. Nes will be next...I'm a huge fan of his.
Love this. Brilliant. You should teach a course on this band. Id enroll and I know many others would too. Especially loved the story about the “changes” score on Melrose. What vinyl lover HASNT had that thrilling rush where you find that elusive, obscure normally-VERY pricey nugget in the wild and feel the urgent need to buy it immediately before some realizes they made a pricing mistake…only to be sincerely underwhelmed later when you actually put it on. Really well-done. monkees forever!
Ha! Yeah, Changes was definitely underwhelming but fortunately I knew what I was in for as the Rhino reissue was already out by then. But a Colgems copy? Up till that day I thought I'd never own one. Thank you so much for the kind words.
Loved the 1st 3 albums because 1st album - Television band 2nd album - Television band becoming a band 3rd album- They're a real band. 4th album also a favourite
Though I am a longtime Monkees fan, and have heard most of their songs, I admit I have shied away from the 1980s and 1990s albums -- The songs I heard on the radio at the time was enough to ward me off -- And I also haven't fully listened to their final albums from the last couple of classic era albums, such as "Instant Replay" and "Changes". The exception would be those songs included in later boxed sets and "Missing Links", and such. So, as you mentioned the few songs I am unfamiliar with, I have been checking them out, here on RU-vid (all of their music is on YT, as far as I can tell). My evaluation of the 1980s and 1990s stuff hasn't changed, but I gotta say, while you didn't care for "Shorty Blackwell," I really kinda dig it. LOL! I like "Brian Wilson-esque" songs, and also I like novelty music. A song about a cat seems to fit that bill. It's a fun song, and while you weren't recommending it, I thank you for turning me on to it. I figure I am going to give those tracks I never gave a chance before a listen and see if there's anything else I've been missing out on all these years.
Ha! That's great! I love Brian Wilson-esque songs as well. Hadn't thought of Shorty in those terms (although now that you mention it, it does seem obvious). Maybe that's what will help me find my way with it.
This is my ranking: 12: Pool it, 11: Justus, 10: Monkees Present, 9 Changes, 8. Instant Replay, 7: Head, 6: Good Times, 5: The Birds, the Bees, and the Monkees, 4: Monkees, 3: Headquarters, 2: Piscis, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Jones, Ltd., 1: More of the Monkees. Agree with you that Pool it and Justus did not have the Monkees sound we loved and could recognize, and that The Day We Fall in Love was a bad track, perhaps a cheap attempt by Don Kirchner at exploiting Davy’s cute English accent. I love all of Mike’s yodeling ballads with engaging storylines, but I absolutely hate the two songs he loves to play: Listen to the Band and Circle Skies. My all time favorite songs, aside from the hits are: Sometimes in the Morning, Shades of Gray, Man Without a Dream, Was not Born to Follow, I Wanna be Free. Words, Porpoise song. I love Shades of Gray because it chronicles the lives of both the Monkees and that of their Baby Boomer fans, including mine. Peter’s voice has a haunting tone to it. I was scared by Head the first time I saw it, and more so by 33 1/3 Revolution per Monkee. Never understood or cared for psychedelia. I found the synthesizer sound annoying. More of the Monkees was my number 1 because, just like in your case, it was my first Monkees album, and I must have played it 50 times a day for months. The Monkees were quite prolific in a very short period of time for not being a “real band.” I love that their legacy has survived the test of time, and that their following keeps on growing. Monkees forever!
"hand me down from my nana bertolino's house and my young aunts and uncles were like the italian brady bunch"! ...LOL!!! ...that's a classic I can relate to that!! great reviews of all the monkees albums!! ...ciao paisan
I hadn't bought a Monkees record since 1968. But I bought Me and Magdalena. There's a video of Peter and Micky singing it live and it's even more enjoyable than the album version. It rekindled my love of the Monkees after 50 years. I even bought some Mike and Peter solo stuff.
Re: Instant Replay... one thing that was always GREAT about Monkees concerts, is that at every concert I've ever been to, they will always pull out a deep album cut, that you would never expect to hear live. When I saw them in 1997, Davy came up and sang "Don't Listen To Linda"... everyone went nuts, because never expect to hear stuff like this at a live show. The BIGGEST shocker at that concert was Micky coming forward and just Letting loose with the best live version of "Zor and Zam" that I'd ever heard, and they even used the unedited infamous Vietnamese prisoner execution footage on the big screen behind them. That performance made one hell of a statement, and blew all our minds.
I really enjoyed your list & reasons backing your choices. Well done, Sir! I rate the albums more as hitting the highs as opposed to a balanced album (if that makes sense). Here's my list: 1. PAC&J, Ltd. 2. The Monkees 3. Headquarters 4. Head 5. More of The Monkees 6. Good Times 7. The Birds, The Bees... 8. Changes 9. Pool It! 10. Instant Replay 11. Present 12. Justus Albums 2 through 5 are really interchangeable for me and if I made the list a week from now, it would probably be different. Pool It & Changes both took about 35 years to grow on me, but when I rediscovered them, I really like a lot of stuff on those two albums!
She Makes Me Laugh made me cry the first time I heard it. I felt like I was listening to The Monkees from the 60s. I was surprised you put Head so high, but you're absolutely right about those 6 songs.
Hey Paul: I gotta tell you that your spot-on list ranking the Monkees' albums are my same choices !!! Except for a few songs that I may feel differently about ("What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?"...a Michael Murphy classic with such a great hook!!!), I was knocked-out how you judged the quality of each album...I saw a recent list that put "The Monkees' Present" at number one...Yikes! As they say, there's no accounting for taste..."Headquarters" is basically their personal favorite as well...One of the things that makes it stand-out is the subtle nature of David's vocals, which fit well with the acoustic-based feel of the record...Regarding "Justus," I really thought the updated garage band version of "You and I" was a vast improvement over the 1975 DJB&H version, and the only track that actually feels like a Monkees' song...Discussing "Instant Replay," I agree that Micky's songs were pretty dismal...His ridiculously catchy "We'll Be Back Back in a Minute," the 1969 bumper music for the Saturday-morning reruns (which he played acoustic guitar and kazoo on!), was shoulders above those numbers in terms of sheer enjoyment...Regarding "Changes," which was basically a redone Andy Kim album, "Do You Feel it Too?" posesses a really joyous and memorable hook despite it's bubblegum nature, while "99 Pounds" contains some real guitar-driven energy...Speaking as an original fan, you definitely did your homework here...Bravo!
Totally agree with your assessment of You and I. The Justus version is definitely superior. In fact, had I included the DJBH album in the ranking it would've been at the very bottom. I've tried and tried with that album but I honestly just think it's terrible.
I believe "I Remember the Feeling" was only a hit on the west coast..."Moonfire" by Bill Martin was possibly the strongest track on the album...@@AsItShouldBePodcast
@@AsItShouldBePodcast I listened to the whole song but I am used to torturing myself lol. For example, I own the Disco Duck album and I watched the whole Star Wars Holiday Soecial hahahaha
For me, I'd go 1) Pisces 2) Headquarters 3) Head 4) More of the Monkees 5) The Birds, The Bees, and the Monkees 6) The Monkees 7) Good Times 8) Instant Replay 9) Changes 10) Present 11) Justus 12) Pool It
This is a great video, but I wanted to go to bat for Pete here because you mention that his voice was shot after he had cancer in 2009. I saw him perform with Micky and Mike around 2013 and he mentioned that he had been working hard on his vocals over the past few years, working with a vocal coach... and it showed. His vocals were great... I was quite impressed. I felt like it was kind of a validation for him because he never got to sing too often.
I really liked this review. It's pretty close to mine, though I would have switched Changes and JUSTUS. I actually like that one. Maybe it's just 'cause I was a young teen into grunge and The Monkees, but I liked the combination. I liked the Circle Sky re-recording, Admiral Mike, and Regional Girl, also PAC&J is my solid #1 and Headquarters is my solid #2. I gotta say it broke my heart a little when you talked about Mike and Micky doing a duet album since now that can't happen, though it kinda did with The Mike and Micky Show album. We miss ya Papa Nez. P.S. Shorty Blackwell is amazing! I hope someday you can find enjoyment in the epic absurdity of it.
I have most of these albums, and I haven't heard of some of the others. I have mono and stereo versions of a few, including Headquarters. I also found a Tiger Beat issue that includes all the lyrics to Headquarters. I keep those together.
I saw The Monkees last show at Greek in LA with Mike’s having to take breaks as his health waned. Never in 40 years thought I’d ever hear Sweet Young Thing live. It was a sad goodbye. In 2010, Ran into Mickey in Calabasas and he was glad to see all the Monkee songs I had on my phone including songs from Pool It! I suggested he do Karaoke to his own songs. Great Breakdown. I’m sure they’ll get some downloads from this ( some of which will be from me pulling songs from Good Times.
I freely admit that I’m an outlier among Monkees fans in that I really like Justus. I’d also put Good Times higher (I was heart broken when Adam Schlesinger died). I’d happily swap Birds and Bees out of the top 5 for Good Times. Apart from that, I have a hard time arguing with your choices here.
Good Times really does deserve a very high spot. Was never a fan of Fountains of Wayne but Adam Schlesinger made a huge and amazing mark on Monkees history with that great album. I will always be grateful to him for that.
Great video, but I would have liked to have heard your thoughts on the Christmas album, which I really like. Perhaps it doesn't deserve a ranking, but it's a great Christmas album, IMHO. Thanks!
This is my ranking:11.Justus,10.Pool It,9.Changes,8.The Monkees Present,7.Instant Replay,6.The birds,the bees and the Monkees,5.Head,4.More of The Monkees,3.Headquarters,2.The Monkees and 1.Pieces,Acquarius, Capricorn and Jones
VERY sound, SPOT-ON assessments of all the Monkee Albums! My favorite Monkee Album is "Pisces Aquarius Capricorn & Jones Ltd." The perfect blend of their four individual styles and they did a fine job playing SOME (yet not all) of their instruments. Had ALL OF YOUR TOYS made it on to "Headquarters" that would probably be my favorite. HQ is a great album, yet it didn't have a single which I found to be very odd. PEACE!
not a bad list, but have to disagree with number one and two. i'm sorry but PACJ is a perfect record!! i also understand the hate for Pool It, but i love 80s productions, and it was my first original record after becoming a fan, so it's higher for me. Changes will forever be last, though i do like it somewhat.
I always thought the cover of the Changes album was really strange and awkward with Mickey whacking a tambourine and Davy shaking his maracas as though to emphasize the percussive nature of their new album. And then I came to find out it was originally a shot of Mickey, Davy and Mike and you can even see part of Mike's shadow in the corner of the picture where they cropped him out.
You know what killed Headquarters? It came out a WEEK before Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band! It probably would have sold a lot more copies. Randy Scouse Git is brilliant.
Great video!!! Instant Replay would be a little higher on my list but totally agree about the Micky songs on there. You and I is worth the price of admission. Totally agree with your assessment of The Monkees Present as well. Its absolutely astonishing how much great material they did that never saw release during the day. Some of those outtakes could've made the late 60s albums better. Pisces is #1 for me! A masterpiece. Anyway, thanks for this!!!
Thanks, Warren! It's astonishing how much material they were able to record, period. They were around for barely more than three years (in their initial run) and put out 9 albums and recorded at least 12 or 13 albums worth of stuff. Probably more than that. This on top of shooting a TV show, touring, etc. Absolutely insane.
@@AsItShouldBePodcast .....man I am so glad I discovered your channel! It's incredible how much specific music and albums I have in common with you. I'm checking out all the videos and can't believe I stumbled on to your ranking of the Bee Gees albums! Wow. I so appreciated that list and very happy to see Mr Natural up there in the top 10 where it belongs! Also really appreciated the Todd ranking and the Doors. I got into Todd the year after you did apparently. Really looking forward to your next video and you will probably see more comments from me in the future I would think! Going to recommend a few people I know to subscribe. Take care!
On a positive note, I must tell you that "The Birds, the Bees and the Monkees" did actually chart at #7 in the UK in New Musical Express!! At the time in 1968, music publications would print only a portion of the chart given the space that was alotted...
Here I go: 12) "Pool it!" 11) "Justus" 10) "Changes" 9) "Present" 8) "Instant Replay" 7) ""The Birds, the Bees and the Monkees" 6)"More of the Monkees" 5) "Good Times" 4) "Head" (if it wasn't really an EP song-wise, I'd rate it higher..) 3) "The Monkees" 2) "Headquarters" 1) "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones LTD."
Really enjoyed your ranking and breakdown, PACJ is my #1 because the highs peak so high, but completely agree Hard to Believe and What Am I doing…drag it down a bit. Imagine how the album would have done if they had replaced those 2 tracks with Daydream Believer and Going Down.
Not Sears, J. C. Penney's. (At least, according to Mickey.) "Head" was SUPPOSED to be a 2-hour movie but, they cut off half an hour and it's possible a few more songs went with it. I was told they were gonna make a second movie and ads for it were gonna say, "From the people who gave you, Head!". I helped run sound at two Todd Rundgren concerts and, at one of the two, he tried to fart into the microphone but fell off the stool! I'm pretty sure he was at least slighted toasted by that time!! I don't see why anybody would call, "A Whiter Shade Of Pale", psychedelic. There's no psych at all to it! Honourable mention: Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart. I would've put Changes at 12 and Head at 1. Instant Replay would've been 11, Present, possibly 10, maybe not that low, I haven't heard Pool It but, probably 9, Justus and the last one can either be 8 or 7, the rest can all fight it out for 2 or 3. It might run More 6, Headquarters 5, Monkees 4, Pieces 3 and Birds 2.
Great review, I really enjoyed it. Agree with most of your listings and definitely your number one choice. Headquarters has always been my number one album and always will be. I love all the songs on it and it really works as a whole, it is The Monkees at their most genuine and cohesive. Just a word about 'Pool It!' I agree with you entirely about the awful eighties backing tracks but I think the songs are generally pretty good, particularly 'Midnight' which I really like. I'd love Rhino to take that album out of the vaults, erase all the synths and drum machines leaving just the original vocals and then put a proper Monkees sound to it like on Good Times. I then think it would be a pretty good album!
All I'll say is "Changes" had 3 or 4 GREAT tracks on it.Worth listening to."Oh My My"--was great.Other ones like "Ferry Boat" and another Micky song later on side one were extremely melodic.It's a 1970 album that I'm glad to have listened to--just a couple years ago--for the first time.
Headquarters is my #1 too. More Monkees is also a favorite- probably my 2. Can’t bring myself to buy head because then I’ll have to admit “I got head from the Monkees”
I am 70 so I was there at the beginning and while they are a sentimentally favorite 60's band I can't really relate to many of the albums after Pisces. So for me Pisces would be # 1, The Monkees # 2, More of The Monkees # 3 and Headquarters # 4. Put the rest where ever you want although I did like 'Good Times' but after all these years I can't really place it in with the Classic Monkees period. AS the song sez 'That was then and This is Now'. But then again sometimes I wonder 'What am I doing hangin' 'round'. Keep On Rockin'
Hi…. With what you know about the full monkees Catalogue of songs it would be interesting for you to go Album 1- 12 and put in songs that you think would make each album Better….so different track listing…. Regards Craig.
Thanks, that's a good idea! Funny you should suggest that. I actually had been mulling over doing a new series of videos where I customize the track list of albums. I always used to make my own versions back in the cassette days like a lot of people probably did. The Monkees are prime candidates for that treatment since they have such a wealth of non LP material to choose from for alternate tracks..
I hated seeing "Pool It" and "Justus" ranked so low, yet I agree with you. I bought "Pool It" on cassette. It was a clear, bright sky blue, cassette tape. Very colorful, with quality liner notes. You could tell that MONEY had been put into the album. Shame they couldn't find better Monkee songs. I also liked HEART & SOUL and MIDNIGHT. Regarding "Justus" I agree it needed more Mike Nesmith. I liked the idea of the band covering an old song but thought the new version of CIRCLE SKY was weak. The studio and live versions on the "Head Soundtrack" are much better. I didn't care for Peter's lone vocal contribution, I BELIEVE YOU. I always thought it would have been great for the Monkees to cover FOR PETE'S SAKE with Peter on lead vocals. He always sang the lead in their concerts, why not record it? I also liked Micky's REGIONAL GIRL. I also thought Davy's YOU & I was a good song.
Never cared for those early commercially-calculated , very unimaginative Kirshner stuff. JUSTUS, HEAD and HEADQUARTRS by far were, to me, the REAL Monkees albums--albums that represented their farthest move away from that early meh/average AM output. The stuff that always intrigued me were the songs they themselves wrote and played. The farther away they got from the material cranked out for their show the better then got. JUSTUS was terrific, and showed they could (and did) move up with the times rather than repeating the sounds of times that had started to gather dust. They always sounded truer, to themselves and to the creative spirit the more they changed and experimented (which is why HEAD veered so courageously far away from their tv show) I wish they had done more albums along the lines of JUSTUS.
I think that the only reason they redid Circle Sky was because on the Head soundtrack it was Mike and a bunch of session musicians and the others thought that they did a awesome live version but it wasn't released until years later.I was bummed that Mike only sang two songs and Admiral Mike wasn't that good really.
Another 1st generation Monkees fan here. I’ll never forget watching the first episode in September 1966. I was six, my sister was 11, and we became fans for life. I just saw Mike and Micky on the 19th in Red Bank, NJ. I agree with almost all of your rankings, but my number one would have to be Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. I mean, I love Headquarters, but in terms of songs, production and musicianship, I believe PAC&J narrowly edges out HQ. I’m sure even Micky would admit that Eddie Hoh was a better drummer. But obviously, it’s all quite subjective. They’re the top two Monkees albums, in any case. Very enjoyable watching your ranking vids! You have a great voice and personality. Best of luck to you. (P.S. I REALLY enjoy your songs “All The Way To Chicago” and “Give Rest To My Mind.” They encompass everything I enjoy in listening to music from “my day”….i.e. the 60’s and 70’s!)
My 12: 01) Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn + Jones Ltd. (almost perfect) 02) Justus (way better than Headquarters fluff) 03) HEAD (half an excellent album) 04) The Monkees (all good except "I'll Be True To You" and "Buy Me A Dog") 05) Headquarters (slightly overrated by Monkees fans) 06) Birds, Bees + Monkees (not bad at all) 07) Present (some great songs) 08) Instant Replay (very close to the one above) 09) More Of The Monkees ("The Day We Fall In Love" will always drag this one down) 10) Changes (wtf?) 11) Good Times (a couple of good tunes) 12) Pool It! (only Peter's songs are any good) Everybody has different tastes.....
Kirshner's influence would not have helped Headquarters' sales. This was the period of Sgt. Pepper. The music world changed in an instant. In fact Headquarters was only #1 for one week but stayed #2 (behind Pepper) for the entire summer. And like you said, 3 million is nothing to sneeze at.
Loved your review of all the albums…. While I don’t disagree with your Number 1….. geez I would have Good Times much higher…. What an Album…. At least top 3 for me ….. She makes me Laugh, Whatever’s Right really swings…. Gotta give it Time….. 1 Headquarters…. 2 Good Times, 3. PAC&J Ltd.
While I 100% agree that they shouldn't have just followed the trending sounds for the reunion albums, I do like some of the Pool It songs. Gettin' In may not sound like a Monkees' song but it's such a bop
Yeah, I do like a few of the songs but find the production to be awful. I like Heart & Soul, Whole Wide World, Don't Bring Me Down, Gettin' In and Midnight, which is nearly half the album. But I probably already said that in the video... ;-)
I love the content of this channel, both Paul’s solo vids and the ones with Crystal and Tommy, but I’ll admit I only clicked on this one because I dug the paisley button down in the thumbnail. Monkees…I guess they’re alright. 😬
i remember seeing the changes lp at a used record store in the mid 80's priced at $40 .00 , the store owner saying it was the rarest of monkee albums . the copy you found at $1.99 was it on colgems ? or the rhino reissue ?
Cuddly Toy was the last track they recorded as a band,and ought to have been included on Headquarters,instead of I Cant Get Her Off of My Mind,imho,was the worst track on that album,otherwise great album! and Daydream Believer really ought to have been on Pisces,instead of Hard to Believe,which is another great album.
I love Can't Get Her Off of My Mind but totally agree, Cuddly Toy would've worked much better on Headquarters and Daydream Believer absolutely should have been on PACJ
I watched this video again due to my appreciation of the Monkees and for a few other reason. First of all having just won a bid on E-Bay for a vinyl copy of changes, I can say you are lucky to have only paid $1.99 for it. Next for a fact fix (please double check me on this and don;t hate me) but the Monkees were not wearing Sears catalog clothing for "More Of The Monkees" but instead wearing J.C. Penny's apparel. Lastly (I think) with you doing your best of the year album series, understand 1967 is the last year single sales were bigger than album sales. When determining a great album a question that you should ask yourself is what makes a great album? Is it the collection of songs like "Help" or a whole piece of work like "Dark Side Of The Moon"? I may be wrong on this but I believe that "Headquarters" was the first number one pop/rock album not to feature a single. To avoid wasting any more of your time remember "The Monkees" should be looked as a real band. If you don't believe me look at your own video views. "The Monkees" are some of your most viewed video topics and it's not because of the television show. Sorry for the ramble lol.
I'm a huge Monkees fan fearing that their large amount of material will get lost in the shuffle in your next video for 1967. I should have phrased my last comment a little less passionately.
I was excited when this came out, especially to see Nez was involved. Then disappointed to see his only vocal is on the oft-recorded Circle Sky. With only 1 other Nesmith written song. Not a very good album. I dug it out recently, and it hasn't improved with age. I do like Tork's "I Believe You" though.
I gotta disagree with your assessment of some Peter Tork Outakes those songs that appear on later monkees demos outtake album missing links etc are gems
Good video, many great points. I would say on a song-by-song basis, PAC&J is slightly better than Headquarters.......but I totally get why you put it at number one.
Yeah, as I probably said in the video I completely understand why PACJ tops most lists. Really both albums stand shoulder-to-shoulder as the very best.
