Released January 9, 1967 Length 28:41 Artist The Monkees Label Colgems Records | Recorded June–November 1966 More of the Monkees
(1967) Headquarters
(1967) Release date 9 January 1967 Genres Rock music, Pop music | |
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Producer Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Neil Sedaka, Carole Bayer Sager, Michael Nesmith, Jeff Barry, Jack Keller, Gerry Goffin, Carole King Similar The Monkees albums, Pop music albums | ||
More of the Monkees is the second full-length album by the Monkees. It was recorded in late 1966 and released on Colgems label #102 on January 9, 1967. It displaced the band's debut album from the top of the Billboard 200 chart and remained at No.1 for 18 weeks—the longest of any Monkees album. Combined, the first two Monkees albums were at the top of the Billboard chart for 31 consecutive weeks. More of the Monkees also went to No.1 in the UK. In the U.S. it has been certified quintuple platinum by the RIAA with sales of more than five million copies. More of the Monkees is also notable for being the first pop/rock album to be the best-selling album of the year in the U.S.
Contents
History
Monkeemania had reached full swing by the time the album was released. The Monkees' second single, "I'm a Believer"—included on this album—held the number one position on the Billboard Hot 100 and they were about to embark on a highly successful concert tour.
The release of More of the Monkees was rushed to capitalize on the band's popularity, catching even its members by surprise. The band learned of the album's existence while on tour in Cleveland, Ohio, discovering it had already been released. They were dismayed by the cover image of them and offended by production overseer Don Kirshner's liner notes, which praised his team of songwriters before mentioning, almost as an afterthought, the names of the Monkees. The band, particularly Nesmith, was also furious about the songs—selected for the record from 34 that had been recorded—leading Nesmith to later tell Melody Maker magazine that More of the Monkees was "probably the worst album in the history of the world".
The group began to grow concerned over their musical output, since this album and their debut, The Monkees, featured them limited to just vocals with scattered instrumental contributions. Kirshner had a strict rule that the Monkees were to provide only vocals on his productions, though separate sessions produced by Michael Nesmith himself usually featured Peter Tork on guitar. More of the Monkees has Nesmith limited to one song as lead vocalist.
Within weeks of the release of More of the Monkees, Nesmith lobbied successfully with the group's creators, Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider, for the Monkees to be allowed to play their instruments on future records, effectively giving the quartet artistic control. To make his point clear to Kirshner, who was balking at the idea, Nesmith proceeded to punch a hole in the wall of a suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel during a group meeting with Kirshner and Colgems lawyer Herb Moelis, declaring to the latter: "That could have been your face!". This outburst came after Moelis snapped to Nesmith, "You'd better read your contract", when Nesmith threatened to quit. Kirshner was later dropped from the project altogether.
Artwork
The original pressing catalog number is COM/COS 102. When the album was reissued in 1969 the Colgems symbol replaced the word "Colgems" on the bottom right-hand corner of the reverse side (Catalog number COS 102 RE). It was standard practice for RCA to add an "RE" when any one side of a record sleeve had a revision. There were no mono copies issued in 1969 as they were phased out altogether in 1968.
Original 1967 Colgems vinyl issue
1994 Rhino CD reissue
Tracks 1-12: Original album in stereo
- "Don't Listen to Linda" (Boyce, Hart) (First Recorded Version) - 2:28
- "I'll Spend My Life With You" (Boyce, Hart) (First Recorded Version) - 2:30
- "I Don't Think You Know Me" (Goffin, King) (Second Recorded Version) - 2:19
- "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" (Diamond) (Extended Mix) - 2:53
- "I'm a Believer" (Diamond) (Early Version) - 2:53
1996 Sundazed vinyl reissue
Bonus track at the end of Side 1: "I Don't Think You Know Me" (Prev. unissued mix) - 2:19
Bonus track at the end of Side 2: "Don't Listen to Linda" (Prev. unissued version) - 2:28, "I'll Spend My Life With You" (Alt. version) - 2:30
2006 Rhino deluxe CD reissue
The following tracks were included on the 2006 deluxe edition of the album. Some were previously unreleased, while others were on the 1994 Rhino reissue or the Missing Links series. Studio chatter is included between some bonus tracks.
Tracks 1-12: Original album in stereo
- "Apples, Peaches, Bananas and Pears" (Boyce, Hart) - 02:18
- "Ladies Aid Society" (Original Mono Mix) (Boyce, Hart) - 3:27
- "I'll Spend My Life with You" (First Recorded Version) (Boyce, Hart) - 2:28
- "I Don't Think You Know Me" (Second Recorded Version) (Goffin, King) - 2:20
- "Through the Looking Glass" (First Recorded Version) (Boyce, Hart, Red Baldwin) - 2:31
- "Don't Listen to Linda" (First Recorded Version) (Boyce, Hart) - 2:28
- "Kicking Stones (Teeny Tiny Gnome)" (Lynn Castle, Wayne Erwin) - 2:32
- "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" (With Peter's Narration) (Diamond) - 3:08
- "I'm a Believer" (Early Version - Alternate Mix) (Diamond) - 2:51
- "Mr. Webster" (First Recorded Version) (Boyce, Hart) - 2:47
Tracks 1-12: Original album in mono
- "Valleri" (First Recorded Version) (Boyce, Hart) - 2:30
- "Words" (First Recorded Version) (Boyce, Hart) - 2:58
- "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" (TV Version) (Diamond) - 2:50
- "I'll Be Back Up on My Feet" (First Recorded Version) (Linzer, Randell) - 2:37
- "Tear Drop City" (Early Mix) (Boyce, Hart) - 2:18
- "Of You" (Mono Mix) (Bill Chadwick, John Chadwick) - 2:01
- "Hold on Girl (Help is on its Way)" (First Recorded Version) (Keller, Raleigh, Carr) - 2:44
- "(I Prithee) Do Not Ask for Love" (Michael Martin Murphey) - 02:59
Songs
1She2:38
2When Love Comes Knockin' (at Your Door)1:48
3Mary - Mary2:24