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The Monkees is the first album by the band The Monkees. It was released in September 1966 by Colgems Records.

The Monkees' debut was the first of four consecutive US number one albums for the group, and it also topped the UK charts. Assembled by television producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider to portray a Beatles-type pop band on a new series, the quartet recorded vocals only between rehearsals for the weekly show.

While subsequent albums would improve on its quality, largely due to the group's increased participation, The Monkees remains an appealing mix of pop songs and performances. Micky Dolenz delivers a rousing lead on the brisk "Last Train to Clarksville", a US number one single and one of several tunes written by veteran hitmakers Boyce and Hart, while Davy Jones handles the ballad "I Wanna Be Free". Michael Nesmith, the member with the most extensive musical background, sings lead on his own country-flavored compositions, "Papa Gene's Blues" and "Sweet Young Thing" (co-written with the legendary songwriting team Gerry Goffin and Carole King).

Though critics disparaged The Monkees as the 'Pre-Fab Four', the TV show was a hit. The symbiotic relationship between the show and radio play enabled The Monkees to hold down the top-selling album slot for 13 weeks, eventually selling over 5 million copies.

Track Listing

(Theme from) The Monkees (Boyce/Hart)
Saturday's Child (Gates)
I Wanna Be Free (Boyce/Hart)
Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day (Boyce/Venet)
Papa Gene's Blues (Nesmith)
Take a Giant Step (Goffin/King)
Last Train to Clarksville (Boyce/Hart)
This Just Desn't Seem to Be My Day (Boyce/Hart)
Let' Dance On(Boyce/Hart)
I'll Be True (Boyce/Hart)
Sweet Young Thing (Goffin/King/Nesmith)
Gonna Buy A Dog (Boyce/Hart)

Bonus Tracks

I Can't Get Her Off My Mind (Boyce/Hart)
I Don't Think You Know Me (Goffin/King)
(Theme from) The Monkees (Boyce/Hart)

Session Info

(Theme From) The Monkees

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead Vocal by Micky Dolenz
Backing vocals: Tommy Boyce, Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee, and Louie Shelton, Bass: Larry Taylor, Drums: Billy Lewis, Percussion: Gene Estes
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, July 5, 1966 (2-7:30 pm)
Produced by Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart and Jack Keller

Saturday's Child

Written by David Gates (later a member of the band Bread)
Lead Vocal by Micky Dolenz
Backing vocals: Tommy Boyce, Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee and Louis Shelton, Bass: Larry Taylor, Drums: Billy Lewis, Tambourine: Gene Estes
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, July 9, 1966 (2-9 pm)
Produced by Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart and Jack Keller

I Wanna Be Free

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead Vocal by Davy Jones
Acoustic guitar: Gerry McGee and Louis Shelton, Harpsichord: Michael Rubini, Violin: Bonnie Douglas and Paul Shure, Viola: Myra Kestenbuam, Cello: Fred Seykora
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, July 19, 1966 (2-7:30 PM)
Produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart

Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day

Written by Tommy Boyce and Steve Venet
Lead Vocal by Micky Dolenz
Acoustic guitar: Tommy Boyce, Electric guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee and Louis Shelton, Bass: Larry Taylor, Drums: Billy Lewis, Harmonica: Keith Allison, Tambourine: unknown
Produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart

Papa Gene's Blues

Written by Michael Nesmith
Lead Vocal by Michael Nesmith
Harmony Vocal by Micky Dolenz
Guitar: Peter Tork, James Burton, Glen Campbell, Al Casey, James Helms, and Don Peake, Bass: William Pitman, Drums: Hal Blaine, Frank DeVito, and Jim Gordon, Percussion: Gary Coleman
Recorded at Western Recorders Studio 2, Hollywood, July 7, 1966 (8-11:30 pm)
Produced by Michael Nesmith

Take a Giant Step

Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King
Lead Vocal by Micky Dolenz
Acoustic guitar: Tommy Boyce, Electric guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee and Louie Shelton, Bass: Larry Taylor, Drums: Billy Lewis, Percussion: Gene Estes, Glockenspiel: Bobby Hart, Piano: Jack Keller, Harpsichord: Michael Rubini
Recorded at RCA Victor Studio C, Hollywood, July 9, 1966 (2-9 pm)
Produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart

Last Train to Clarksville

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead Vocal by Micky Dolenz
Acoustic guitar: Tommy Boyce, Electric Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee and Louie Shelton, Bass: Larry Taylor, Drums: Billy Lewis, Percussion: Gene Estes and David Walters
Recorded at RCA Victor Studio A, Hollywood, July 25, 1966 (7 pm-3 am)
Released as a single, reached number 1 on the pop music charts
Produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart

This Just Doesn't Seem to Be My Day

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead Vocal by Davy Jones
Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee and Louie Shelton, Bass: Larry Taylor, Drums: Billy Lewis, Percussion: Gene Estes, Cello: Joseph Ditullio
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, July 6, 1966 (2-7:30 pm)
Produced by Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart and Jack Keller

Let's Dance On

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead Vocal by Micky Dolenz
Backing Vocals by Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, Tommy Boyce and Ron Hicklin
Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee and Louie Shelton, Organ: Bobby Hart, Drums: Billy Lewis
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, July 6, 1966 (2-7:30 pm)
Produced by Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart and Jack Keller

I'll Be True to You

Written by Gerry Goffin and Russ Titelman
Lead Vocal by Davy Jones
Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee and Louie Shelton, Bass: Larry Taylor, Drums: Billy Lewis, Glockenspiel: Bobby Hart, Percusssion: Gene Estes, Unknown Backing Vocals
Recorded at RCA Victor Studio C, Hollywood, July 9, 1966 (2-9 pm)
Produced by Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart and Jack Keller

Sweet Young Thing

Written by Michael Nesmith, Gerry Goffin, Carole King
Lead Vocal by Michael Nesmith
Backing vocals by Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork
Guitar: Peter Tork, James Burton, Glen Campbell, Al Casey and Mitchell Deasey, Fiddle: Jimmy Bryant, Bass: Bob West, Drums: Hal Blaine, Frank DeVito, and Jim Gordon, Percussion: Gary Coleman
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, July 18, 1966 (8 pm-12 am)
Produced by Michael Nesmith

Gonna Buy Me a Dog

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead Vocals by Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones
Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee and Louie Shelton, Organ: Bobby Hart, Bass: Larry Taylor, Drums: Billy Lewis
Recorded at RCA Victor Studio #1, Hollywood, July 23, 1966 (2-8 pm)
Produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart

CD Bonus Tracks

I Can't Get Her Off My Mind (alternate take)

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead Vocal by Davy Jones
Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gery McGee, and Louie Shelton, Piano, autoharp: Bobby Hart, Bass: Larry Taylor, Drums: Billy Lewis, Percussion: Gene Estes and David Walters
Recorded at RCA Victor studios, Hollywood, July 25, 1966 (7 pm-3 am)
Produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Later re-recorded by The Monkees and used on Headquarters

I Don't Think You Know Me

Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King
Lead Vocals by Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith
Guitar: James Burton, Glen Campbell, and Al Casey, Organ: Larry Knechtel, Drums: Hal Blaine and Jim Gordon, Unknown backing vocals
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, July 25, 1966 (7:30 pm- 12:15 am)
Produced by Michael Nesmith

(Theme From) The Monkees

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Vocals by Micky Dolenz, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Other personnel unknown
Produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
In another key than the album version
Recording info unknown

Trivia

Early pressings of the album's cover featured a misspelling of 'Papa Gene's Blues' as 'Papa Jean's Blues'

Other Personel

Engineered by Hank Cicalo and David Hassinger
Music Supervisor: Don Kirshner
Music Coordinators: Lester Sill and Emil LaViola
Cover Photo by Bernard Yeszin

References

All information can be found on the reissue of The Monkees
The Monkees: The Day-By-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation by Andrew Sandoval

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
   Length      = [[30 min]] |
   Label       = [[Colgems Records]] |
-  Producer    = Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Jack Keller, Michael Nesmith|
+  Producer    = Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Jack Keller, [[Michael Nesmith]]|
   Reviews     = <nowiki></nowiki>
 *''[[All Music Guide]]'' [[Image:4 out of 5.png]] [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE47E1FDE4EAE7620C986374BC4A460FD078716DA8D112D4954CFA17F4688196AF150F0888EE4B67DAB7BB0FD2EA45F43D6C0EA51F6DF672D5DF0&sql=10:nnez97i7krjt link]
@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 Though critics disparaged The Monkees as the 'Pre-Fab Four', the TV show was a hit. The symbiotic relationship between the show and radio play enabled ''The Monkees'' to hold down the top-selling album slot for 13 weeks, eventually selling over 5 million copies.
-=All Music Review=
-The Monkees did virtually nothing besides sing lead vocals on their full-length debut; poor Peter Tork didn't even get to do that, his contribution being limited to one of the six guitar parts on "Papa Gene's Blues." Given that it wasn't a project of high integrity, it wasn't bad — in fact, much of this is reasonably gutsy pop/rock, including their TV theme song, the hits "Last Train to Clarksville" and "Take a Giant Step," and various decent songs by top Brill Building tunesmiths like Goffin/King, Boyce/Hart, and David Gates. Michael Nesmith was allowed one composition ("Papa Gene's Blues") that indicated his country-rock direction. [The CD reissue includes unremarkable bonus tracks of alternate versions of the Monkees theme and a couple of songs that would turn up on subsequent LPs.]
 =Track Listing=