Head (The Monkees album)

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Head is the soundtrack to the band's first and only theatrical release, Head. It was The Monkees' sixth album and their last to feature Peter Tork until 1987's Pool It! and the last to feature all four Monkees until 1996's Justus.

The original issue of the record (Colgems #COSO-5008) featured a front cover with a surface of aluminized PET film, meant to reflect the listener's "head" (face) back at him. With the movie having only a limited release (and virtually no publicity), the point was largely lost, and while the cover was innovative for its time, manufacturing was problematic; Micky Dolenz recalled years later that the cover was "actually ruining the printing presses at RCA!" A March 1985 LP reissue from Rhino Records (RNLP-145) was less problematic by using foil paper instead, the result less reflective than the original. The presently in-print CD from Rhino (R2-71795), first issued 1994, has a grey cover that is not reflective at all.

Showing the growing influence of Frank Zappa on the Monkees' circle (Zappa even has a cameo role as "The Critic" in the film itself), the soundtrack album intersperses the six proper songs ("Porpoise Song", "Circle Sky", "Can You Dig It?", "As We Go Along", "Daddy's Song" and "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?") with bits of Ken Thorne's incidental music, dialogue fragments and oddball sound effects, for an overall effect close to Zappa's We're Only in It for the Money.

The selection of music and dialogue approximates the flow of the movie itself, and was compiled by actor Jack Nicholson, who cowrote the film's shooting script. Nicholson recalled in Monkee Mania how he observed Michael Nesmith working on the album in the studio, asked if he could try some editing, and Nesmith let Nicholson take over the session, because "I just want to go home!".

Original album track listing

Side One

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Opening Ceremony" (film dialogue)		1:20
2.	"Porpoise Song (Theme from "Head")"	Gerry Goffin, Carole King	2:56
3.	"Ditty Diego – War Chant"	Jack Nicholson, Bob Rafelson	1:25
4.	"Circle Sky" (studio version)	Michael Nesmith	2:31
5.	"Supplicio" (film dialogue)		0:48
6.	"Can You Dig It"	Peter Tork	3:23
7.	"Gravy" (film dialogue; voice of Davy Jones)		0:06

Side Two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Superstitious" (film dialogue from The Black Cat; voice of Bela Lugosi)		0:07
2.	"As We Go Along"	Carol King, Toni Stern	3:51
3.	"Dandruff?" (film dialogue)		0:39
4.	"Daddy's Song"	Harry Nilsson	2:30
5.	"Poll" (film dialogue; voices of Frank Zappa and Victor Mature)		1:13
6.	"Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again"	Peter Tork	2:39
7.	"Swami – Plus Strings, Etc." (arranged by Ken Thorne)	Gerry Goffin, Carole King	5:21

1994 Rhino reissue CD bonus tracks

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
15.	"Ditty Diego—War Chant" (previously unissued version) (from rehearsal, with additional verse)	Jack Nicholson, Bob Rafelson	4:30
16.	"Circle Sky" (Live version)	Michael Nesmith	2:20
17.	"Happy Birthday to You" (previously unissued)	Mildred Hill, Patty Smith Hill	1:02
18.	"Can You Dig It?" (previously unissued mix) (Peter Tork vocal)	Peter Tork	3:25
19.	"Daddy's Song" (previously unissued mix) (Michael Nesmith vocal)	Harry Nilsson	2:06
20.	"Head Radio Spot" (previously unissued) (includes two spots)		2:03

Notes

• "Porpoise Song" is featured on the original Colgems LP and most reissues in short form, as in the movie. The 1985 Rhino LP reissue features the full 4:00 single version.
• The version of "Ditty Diego-War Chant" from the LP is played at various speeds as if one was spinning the turntable manually. The "untampered" version, a remix from the original eight-track master, is featured on the 2001 Music Box CD compilation.
• "Circle Sky" in the film is a live version, but the album features a studio version. The film's live version appears on the Rhino CD as a bonus track.
• On iTunes, "Circle Sky (Live Version)" plays an alternate take of "You and I" (from 1969's Instant Replay) instead.
• This is the only original Monkees album without a song by Boyce & Hart.
• The original pressing of the LP featured the misspelled name of producer "Jerry Goffin". Later pressings corrected his name to "Gerry Goffin" and are denoted by the "RE" at the end of the catalog number: COSO-5008 RE.

2010 Rhino deluxe edition

On October 26, 2010, Rhino Records released a three-disc deluxe box set through its Rhino Handmade division. Along with the three discs, the set contained a 27 page booklet and a bonus 7" record that includes unreleased instrumental versions of "Porpoise Song" and ‚"As We Go Along."

Disc 1: Original LP... Plus

15. "Porpoise Song" (alternate stereo mix)
16. "Ditty Diego—War Chant" (alternate stereo mix)
17. "Circle Sky" (alternate stereo mix)
18. "Can You Dig It?" (Peter's vocal – stereo rough mix; previously unissued)
19. "As We Go Along" (alternate stereo mix)
20. "Daddy Song" (Remix with slow verse; previously unissued)
21. "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?" (alternate stereo mix)
22. "Swami—Plus Strings, Etc." (alternate stereo mix; previously unissued)
23. "Happy Birthday to You" (alternate stereo mix)
24. "Ditty Diego" (Jack Nicholson, Robert Rafelson) (previously unissued – excerpts issued in 1995 release)

Disc 2: Outtakes and Rarities

1. "Head Promo 'Coming Soon'"
2. "Porpoise Song" (mono single mix)
3. "Ditty Diego—War Chant" (Mono mix; previously unissued)
4. "Circle Sky" (mono mix; previously unissued)
5. "Can You Dig It?" (mono mix; previously unissued)
6. "As We Go Along" (mono single mix)
7. "Daddy's Song" (mono mix; previously unissued)
8. "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?" (mono mix; previously unissued)
9. "Porpoise Song" (rough mono mix; previously unissued)
10. "Ditty Diego" (alternate version; previously unissued)
11. "Circle Sky" (alternate mono mix; previously unissued)
12. "Can You Dig It?" (Peter's vocal)
13. "Daddy's Song" (Mike's vocal)
14. "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?" (rough mix acetate; previously unissued)/"Head Promo 'Questions and Answers'" (Hidden track)
15. "Can You Dig It?" (mono movie mix; previously unissued)
16. "Daddy's Song" (mono movie mix; previously unissued)
17. "Head Promo 'It's this and that'" (Hidden track)/"Head Promo 'Now Playing'"
18. "Introduction to Live Show" (recorded in Salt Lake City: May 17, 1968; previously unissued)
19. "You Just May Be the One" (live) (Michael Nesmith) (recorded in Salt Lake City: May 17, 1968; previously unissued)
20. "Sunny Girlfriend" (live) (Michael Nesmith) (Recorded in Salt Lake City: May 17, 1968; previously unissued)
21. "You Told Me" (live) (Michael Nesmith) (recorded in Salt Lake City: May 17, 1968; previously unissued)
22. "Circle Sky" (live)
23. "California, Here It Comes" (Buddy DeSylva, Al Jolson, Joseph Meyer) (The same version used in the ending of the 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee television special)

Disc 3: Open-End Radio Special Interview Platter

1. "Circle Sky" (excerpt)
2. Davy Jones Interview, Part 1 (previously unissued)
3. "Can You Dig It?" (excerpt)
4. Davy Jones Interview, Part 2 (previously unissued)
5. "Daddy's Song" (excerpt)
6. Davy Jones Interview, Part 3 (previously unissued)
7. "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?" (excerpt)
8. Davy Jones Interview, Part 4 (previously unissued)
9. "Porpoise Song" (excerpt)
10. Davy Jones Interview, Part 5 (previously unissued)
11. "Can You Dig It?" (excerpt)

The front cover of the box also features an authentic reproduction of the album's original front cover, printed on foil mylar to reflect the person's head.

iTunes Mistakes

The live version of "Circle Sky" plays "You and I" instead.

Personnel

File:Headfour.jpg

The Monkees during the filming of Head

The Monkees

• Micky Dolenz (vocals, drums on live version of "Circle Sky")
• Davy Jones (vocals, maracas, keyboard on live version of "Circle Sky")
• Mike Nesmith (vocals, electric organ, guitar)
• Peter Tork (vocals, electric guitar, bass guitar on live version of "Circle Sky")

with

• Ken Bloom – guitar
• Danny Kortchmar – guitar on "As We Go Along"
• Leon Russell – keyboard
• Ralph Shuckett – keyboard
• Douglas Lubahn – electric bass
• Mike Ney – drums
• William Hinshaw – horn
• Jules Jacob – horn
• Gregory Bemko – cello
• David Filerman – cello
• Jan Kelly – cello
• Jacqueline Lustgarten – cello
• Max Bennett – string bass
• Clyde Hoggan – string bass
• James Hughart – string bass
• Jerry Scheff – string bass
• Michael Rubini – piano
• Keith Allison – guitar
• Bill Chadwick – guitar
• Richard Dey – bass
• John Gross – bass
• Eddie Hoh – drums
• Lance Wakely – guitar, bass
• Dewey Martin – drums
• Michael A. Glass – percussion
• Ry Cooder – guitar on "As We Go Along"
• Neil Young – guitar on "As We Go Along"
• Carole King – guitar on "As We Go Along"
• Harvey Newmark – bass
• Earl Palmer – drums
• Dennis Bruce – percussion
• Stephen Stills – guitar on "Long Title"
• Pete Candoli – trumpet
• Marion Childers – trumpet
• Anthony Terran – trumpet
• Richard Leith – trombone
• Lewis McCreary – trombone
• Justin Ditullio – cello
• Raphael Kramer – cello
• Emmet Sargent – cello
• Eleanor Slatkin – cello
• Brendan Cahill – percussion
• Jack Nitzsche – arrangement on "Porpoise Song" and "As We Go Along"
• Russ Titelman – conductor on "Porpoise Song"
• John R. Hoening – unknown
• Tony McCashen – unknown
• unknown – organ and flute