Head (The Monkees album)

History

The music of The Monkees often featured rather dark subject matter beneath a superficially bright, uplifting sound. The music of the film takes the darkness and occasional satirical elements of the Monkees' earlier tunes and makes it far more overt, as in "Ditty Diego/War Chant", or "Daddy's Song", which has Jones singing an upbeat, Broadway-style number about a boy abandoned by his father. In his 2012 essay on the soundtrack album, academic Peter Mills observed that "on this album the songs are only part of the story, as they were with The Monkees project as a whole: signals, sounds, and ideas interfere with each other throughout."

Artwork

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 them. 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 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 being less reflective than the original. The Rhino CD reissue from 1994 (R2-71795) has a grey cover that is not reflective at all.

Original 1968 Colgems vinyl issue

1994 Rhino CD reissue

Tracks 1-14: Original album

15. "Ditty Diego — War Chant" (Alternate Take) (Nicholson, Rafelson) - 4:30
16. "Circle Sky" (Live Version) (Nesmith) - 2:20
17. "Happy Birthday to You" (Mildred Hill, Patty Smith Hill) - 1:02
18. "Can You Dig It?" (Peter on Lead Vocal) (Tork) - 3:25
19. "Daddy's Song" (Mike on Lead Vocal) (Nilsson) - 2:06
20. "Head Radio Spot" - 2:03

2010 Rhino Handmade deluxe CD reissue

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."

Tracks 1-14: Original album in stereo

15. "Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)" (Alternate Stereo Mix) (Goffin, King) - 4:12
16. "Ditty Diego — War Chant" (Alternate Stereo Mix) (Live) (Nicholson, Rafelson) - 0:52
17. "Circle Sky" (Alternate Stereo Mix) (Nesmith) - 2:34
18. "Can You Dig It?" (Peter's Vocal) (Stereo Rough Mix) (Tork) - 3:31
19. "As We Go Along" (Alternate Stereo Mix) (Stern, King) - 4:10
20. "Daddy's Song" (Remix With Slow Verse) (Nilsson) - 4:33
21. "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?" (Alternate Stereo Mix) (Tork) - 2:35
22. "Swami - Plus Strings, Etc." (Alternate Stereo Mix) (Ken Thorne) - 3:58
23. "Happy Birthday to You" (Alternate Stereo Mix) (Patty Hill, Mildred J. Hill) - 1:06
24. "Ditty Diego — War Chant" (Session) (Nicholson, Rafelson) 22:55

1. Head Promo: "Coming Soon" - 1:02
2. "Porpoise Song" (Mono Single Mix) (Goffin, King) - 4:03
3. "Ditty Diego — War Chant" (Mono Mix) (Nicholson, Rafelson) - 1:06
4. "Circle Sky" (Mono Mix) (Nesmith) - 2:33
5. "Can You Dig It?" (Mono Mix) (Tork) - 3:25
6. "As We Go Along" (Mono Mix) (Stern, King) - 3:56
7. "Daddy's Song" (Mono Mix) (Nilsson) - 2:17
8. "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?" (Mono Mix) (Tork) - 2:36
9. "Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)" (Rough Mono Mix) (Goffin, King) - 4:16
10. "Ditty Diego" (Alternate Version) (Nicholson, Rafelson) - 0:53
11. "Circle Sky" (Alternate Mono Mix) (Nesmith) - 2:32
12. "Can You Dig It?" (Peter's Vocal) (Tork) - 3:27
13. "Daddy's Song" (Mike's Vocal) (Nilsson) - 2:08
14. "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?" (Rough Mix Acetate) (Tork) - 3:45
15. "Can You Dig It?" (Mono Movie Mix) (Tork) - 3:08
16. "Daddy's Song" (Mono Movie Mix) (Nilsson) - 3:10
17. Head Promo: "It's This and That" (Hidden track)/Head Promo: "Now Playing" - 0:55
18. Introduction to Live Show - 8:21 (recorded in Salt Lake City, May 17, 1968)
19. "You Just May Be the One" (Live) (Nesmith) - 3:39 (recorded in Salt Lake City, May 17, 1968)
20. "Sunny Girlfriend" (Live) (Nesmith) - 3:32 (recorded in Salt Lake City, May 17, 1968)
21. "You Told Me" (Live) (Nesmith) - 3:20 (recorded in Salt Lake City, May 17, 1968)
22. "Circle Sky" (Live) (Nesmith) - 2:34 (recorded in Salt Lake City, May 17, 1968)
23. "California, Here It Comes" (Buddy DeSylva, Al Jolson, Joseph Meyer) (From 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee) - 1:04

1. "Circle Sky" (Excerpt) (Nesmith) - 1:38
2. Davy Jones Interview, Pt. 1 - 2:39
3. "Can You Dig It?" (Excerpt) (Tork) - 2:17
4. Davy Jones Interview, Pt. 2 - 8:32
5. "Daddy's Song" (Nilsson) - 2:43
6. Davy Jones Interview, Pt. 3 - 5:30
7. "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?" (Excerpt) Tork) - 2:47
8. Davy Jones Interview, Pt. 4 - 3:20
9. "Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)" (Goffin, King) - 2:47
10. Davy Jones Interview, Pt. 5 - 0:06
11. "Can You Dig It?" (Excerpt) (Tork) - 1:59

1. "Porpoise Song" (Instrumental Mix) (Goffin, King) - 4:18
2. "As We Go Along" (Instrumental Mix) (King, Stern) - 4:20

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.

Session information

all songs produced by The Monkees unless otherwise specified

Opening Ceremony

Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)

Ditty Diego — War Chant

Circle Sky

Supplicio

Can You Dig It?

Gravy

Superstitious

As We Go Along

Dandruff?

Daddy's Song

Poll

Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again?

Swami - Plus Strings, Etc.

1994 bonus tracks session information

Ditty Diego — War Chant [First Recorded Version]

Circle Sky [Live Version]

Happy Birthday to You

Can You Dig It? [Early Mix]

Daddy's Song [Early Mix]

Head Radio Spot

Personnel