Monkees ?

[GRAHAM SG1]

Our guitarist has suggested covering `Im a believer, Stepping stone and Last train to clarksville` by the Monkees, there was me thinking `oh yeah, they wont take long to grasp` but I am surprised how much bass there is on these songs, I thought they were just simple tunes but they actually have some nice basslines in them, I have been trying them out on `songsterr`, the more I play them the more I like them

 

[electracoyote]

Our guitarist has suggested covering `Im a believer, Stepping stone and Last train to clarksville` by the Monkees, there was me thinking `oh yeah, they wont take long to grasp` but I am surprised how much bass there is on these songs, I thought they were just simple tunes but they actually have some nice basslines in them, I have been trying them out on `songsterr`, the more I play them the more I like them

Studio bassists played some pretty busy lines on those tracks. Old school bubblegum bass.

 

[Mugwump]

We're tossing around the idea of covering Words. Fun song.

What was actually used to records these tracks? Peter Tork's Gretsch or Vox?

 

[Ed Fuqua]

Generally Carol Kaye's Fender.

 

[fkh006]

You are correct sir!!

(Sorry, no prize though!!)

Now lets figure out who wrote them.

 

[Alkali Ike]

Now is an opportune time to cover some Monkees material. I bet they're audience pleasers.

 

[Tampabass]

actually, much more Larry Taylor, Bob West, and Chip Douglas than Carol Kaye.

 

[DanNowhere]

Off the top of my head, I know I'm A Believer was written by Neil Diamond. I'd have to google the other two, but odds are it was Boyce & Hart

 

[DanNowhere]

Now is an opportune time to cover some Monkees material. I bet they're audience pleasers.

Yes, because they're great songs for the most part.

 

[CrewsControl]

Steppin' Stone and Last Train - Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart
I'm a Believer - Neil Diamond

 

[monkeyking]

I think I've played Stepping Stone in almost every band I've been in since high school. It has never failed to go over.

 

[Tampabass]

Yes, Stepping Stone is fun to play, enjoy playing Last Train to Clarksville, too.

 

[CPplaysBASS]

I actually own a Monkees box CD set that included most studio credits.

Bassists;
Im a believer - Unknown
Stepping stone & Last train to clarksville - Larry Taylor

Joe Osburn was on later tracks around '69 like "You & I"

Peter Tork is also credited as bass player on some tracks like You My Just Be The One which has also has a great bassline.

Larry Taylor seemed to be on most of the hits from the first couple of albums though.

 

[Tampabass]

debut album

"(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
An alternate mix of this song, with different backing vocals and with Micky's lead not double-tracked, was featured on the TV series episode "The Chaperone."

"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
A slightly longer version of this song, featuring an extended instrumental break in the middle of the song, was used in the episodes "The Chaperone" and "The Royal Flush."

"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
Percussion: 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
The mono version features Davy's vocals double-tracked, reduced to a single track for the stereo version
This was the only track from this album not to be featured in any episodes of the TV show
Originally titled "Yes I Will".
A slightly different version appears on the Rhino/Flashback CD "Last Train From Clarksville And Other Hits".

"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 Michael Deasy
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
At the very end of the song, Davy can be heard to sing "They're Coming to Take Us Away, Ha Ha.." referring to the July 1966 novelty hit by Napoleon XIV, "They're Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa!", which radio stations were beginning to ban from airplay

 

[Tampabass]

"More of the Monkees" (second album) - Carol Kaye is on a couple of these...

"She"

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead vocal by Micky Dolenz
Backing vocals: Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones & Peter Tork
Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee, and Louie Shelton
Organ: Bobby Hart
Bass: Larry Taylor
Drums: Billy Lewis
Percussion: Norm Jefferies
Recorded at RCA Victor Studio A, Hollywood, August 15, 1966
Produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Covered by The Dickies in 1978 on their debut LP The Incredible Shrinking Dickies.

"When Love Comes Knockin' (At Your Door)"

Written by Neil Sedaka and Carole Bayer Sager
Lead vocal by Davy Jones
Guitar: Al Gafa, Willard Suyker and Donald Thomas
Piano: Neil Sedaka
Bass: Russell Savakus
Drums: Herbert Lovell
Recorded on November 23, 1966 along with The Girl I Left Behind, which popped up on The Monkees' Instant Replay album in 1969
Produced by Neil Sedaka and Carole Bayer
Engineered by Ernie Olerich

"Mary, Mary"

Written by Michael Nesmith
Lead and backing vocal by Micky Dolenz
Guitar: Peter Tork, James Burton, Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Michael Deasy, and Don Peake
Piano: Michael Cohen
Bass: Larry Knechtel and Bob West
Drums: Hal Blaine and Jim Gordon
Percussion: Cary Coleman
Recorded at Western Recorders, Hollywood, July 25, 1966
Arrangement: Don Peake
Produced by Michael Nesmith
"Mary Mary" appeared on the Paul Butterfield Band's "East-West" release a year before the Monkees' version was released.
"Mary, Mary" became a rap hit for Run-DMC in 1988
The initial CD, released by Arista, featured a much longer fade than on either original mono or stereo Colgems LPs.

"Hold on Girl"

Written by Jack Keller, Ben Raleigh and Billy Carr
Lead vocal by Davy Jones
Backing vocals by Micky Dolenz
Other personnel unknown
Produced by Jeff Barry and Jack Keller
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, September 10, 1966 and American Studios, Studio City, October 23, 1966
Slower version can be found on Missing Links Vol. 2

"Your Auntie Grizelda"

Written by Jack Keller and Diane Hildebrand
Lead vocal by Peter Tork
Other personnel unknown
Produced by Jeff Barry and Jack Keller
Engineered by Richard Podolor
Recorded at American Studios, Studio City, October 23, 1966

"(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone"

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead vocal by Micky Dolenz
Backing vocal: Tommy Boyce
Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee, Louie Shelton
Organ: Bobby Hart
Bass: Larry Taylor
Drums: Billy Lewis
Percussion: Henry Levy
Produced and Arranged by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Recorded at Western Recorders, Studio #1, Hollywood, July 26, 1966
Appeared on the flip side of "I'm a Believer"
Reached number 20 on the pop charts, making it the first Monkees b-side to chart
The original mono and stereo mixes differ slightly in two spots. On the stereo mix, Micky's vocal is dubbed in at the end of the instrumental bridge just before the second verse; this vocal bridge does not appear on the mono mix. During the fade, Micky's repeated, "Not your steppin' stone" begins sooner on the stereo mix than on the mono mix. The mono single fades out earlier than the track from the mono album, despite that both versions are shown with a playing time of 2:25.

"Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)"

Written by Neil Diamond
Lead vocal by Davy Jones
Backing vocals by Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz & Peter Tork
Organ: Maurgan Cheff
Percussion: Kauren Seguer
Other personnel unknown
Produced by Jeff Barry
Recorded in New York City, October 15 and 23, 1966 (studio unknown)
First of the two Neil Diamond songs performed by The Monkees on this album

"The Kind of Girl I Could Love"

Written by Michael Nesmith and Roger Atkins
Lead vocal by Michael Nesmith
Backing vocals by Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones & Peter Tork
Guitar: James Burton, Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Michael Deasy, and Don Peake
Bass: Larry Knetchtel and Bob West
Drums: Hal Blaine and Jim Gordon
Percussion: Gary Coleman
Arrangement: Don Peake
Produced by Michael Nesmith
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, June 25, 1966
Last Nesmith collaboration with another composer

"The Day We Fall in Love"

Written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell
Lead vocal by Davy Jones
Guitar: Al Casey
Harpsichord and Organ: Don Randi and Michael Rubini
Bass: Carol Kaye and Ray Pohlman
Drums: Hal Blaine
Percussion: Frank Capp and Julius Wechter
Violin: Louis Haber, Irving Spice, and Lousi Stone
Viola: David Sackson and Murray Sandry
Cello: Seymour Barab
Conductor: Arthur Butler
Arranged and Produced by Jeff Barry
Engineered by Ray Hall
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios Hollywood, October 28, 1966 and RCA Victor Studio B, New York, November 23, 1966

"Sometime in the Morning"

Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King
Lead vocal by Micky Dolenz
Backing vocals by Micky Dolenz & Carole King
Other personnel unknown
Produced by Gerry Goffin, Carole King and Jeff Barry
Recorded at New York City, October 13 and 25, 1966 (studio unknown)

"Laugh"

Written by Hank Medress, Phil Margo, Mitchell Margo and Jay Siegal
Lead vocal by Davy Jones
Guitar: Al Casey
Harpsichord and Organ: Don Randi and Michael Rubini
Bass: Carol Kaye and Ray Pohlman
Drums: Hal Blaine
Percussion: Frank Capp and Julius Wechter
Produced and Arranged by Jeff Barry
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, October 28, 1966

"I'm a Believer"

Written by Neil Diamond
Lead vocal by Micky Dolenz
Backing Vocals by Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones & Peter Tork
Guitar: Neil Diamond
Drums: Buddy Salzman
Other personnel unknown
Produced by Jeff Barry
Recorded in New York City, October 15 and 23, 1966
Reached number 1 on the pop charts

 

[menyou6873]

The Monkees got alot of negative press, But Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith were gigging musicians. Mike's compositions are especialy noteworthy. Papa Gene's Blues, Sweet Young Thing, The Kind of girl I could love...

Sorry, just an old fart reminiscing on some really good but underrated music! Good luck on your gigs!

 

[lowfreq33]

Yeah, in later years they started to let them play a bit on the tracks. Tork was the first to get a writing credit.

 

[Chainsaw Willie]

Oh yeah, Monkees tunes ARE great pop tunes, but that's completely coincidental of the actors who portrayed the Monkees on TV. The was the product of some of the greatest song writers of that era and some of the greatest studio musicians. As well as a number of men in suits calculating formulas for what would be the most profitable product to present to the masses.

I love the Monkees, but pretty much in the same way some people love Velveeta, Wonderbread, and Budweiser.






EDIT: Dang, all those other posts came in while I was writing! Making my post kinda redundant, while at the same time not actually offering any useful information. Drat!

 

[lowfreq33]

I heard at some point that Mike Nesmith's mom invented liquid paper. Don't know if that's true, but I heard it pre-Internet, so there's a chance.

 

[Chainsaw Willie]

I heard at some point that Mike Nesmith's mom invented liquid paper. Don't know if that's true, but I heard it pre-Internet, so there's a chance.

snopes.com: Monkee Mike Nesmith and Liquid Paper