"Son of a Gypsy"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Son of a Gypsy" - the sixteenth episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (26 December 1966).  It was written by Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, and Treva Silverman, directed by James Frawley, and featured the song "I'm a Believer."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "A band of jealous gypsies kidnap Peter after The Monkees purloin their party gig."

"Too Many Girls (Davy and Fern)"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Too Many Girls (Davy and Fern)" - the fifteenth episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (19 December 1966).  It was written by Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, and Dave Evans, directed by James Frawley, and featured the song "I'm a Believer."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "A scheming stage mom plots to place her doe-eyed daughter alongside Davy in a dynamic duo." 

"Good Times"

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A couple days ago, I finally listened to Good Times!  I noticed something interesting about the title track, written by Harry Nilsson.  There are the recurring lines "I can tell it won't be long / Till there's dancing in the streets again / And music everywhere."  I'm pretty sure this is an allusion to the song "Dancing in the Street."  It's originally by Martha and the Vandellas, but the only versions I have in my collection are by the Mamas & the Papas and by the Who (live on the BBC).

In any case, "Dancing in the Street" has the lines:

There'll be music ev'rywhere
There'll be swingin' and swayin'
And records playin'
And dancin' in the street

As quoted above, "Good Times" also has "music everywhere" and "dancing in the street."  Those two phrases match exactly and are in close proximity to each other in both songs, so I can't think this is anything other than Nilsson's referencing "Dancing in the Street."

"I'll Be Back up on My Feet"

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While I was watching the "I'll Be Back up on My Feet" romp in "Dance, Monkee, Dance" yester-day, I thought the bass part sounded like it wouldn't be too hard to figure out, so I figured it out last night.  I got one of the guitar phrases too.

My recording is just the introduction, first verse, and first chorus (and maybe a bit of a lead-in to the second verse).  I should also note that this is the version that appears in that episode and as a bonus track on the deluxe edition of More of the Monkees.  Apparently, the Monkees re-recorded it for The Birds, the Bees, and the Monkees, but I don't have that album (yet) so this is the only version of the song I know.

"Dance, Monkee, Dance"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Dance, Monkee, Dance" - the fourteenth episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (12 December 1966).  It was written by Bernie Orenstein, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "I'll Be Back up on My Feet" and "I'm a Believer."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "A lifetime contract of dance lessons keeps The Monkees on their toes until the group tap into a scheme of their own."

"One Man Shy (Peter and the Debutante)"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "One Man Shy (Peter and the Debutante)" - the thirteenth episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (5 December 1966).  It was written by Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, and Treva Silverman, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "You Just May Be the One" and "I'm a Believer."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "When Peter falls for a debutante The Monkees comes to the rescue with a plot to win her heart." 

"I've Got a Little Song Here"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "I've Got a Little Song Here" - the twelfth episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (28 November 1966).  It was written by Treva Silverman, directed by Bruce Kessler, and featured the songs "Gonna Buy Me a Dog" and "Mary, Mary."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "An unscrupulous music publisher tries to take Mike Nesmith for a ride until The Monkees turn the tables." 

"Monkees a la Carte"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Monkees a la Carte" - the eleventh episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (21 November 1966).  It was written by Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, and Bernie Orenstein, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" and "She."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "The Monkees monkey with a mobster's plot to take over a string of West Coast restaurants."

"Here Come the Monkees"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Here Come the Monkees" - the tenth episode (and original pilot) of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (14 November 1966).  It was written by Paul Mazursky and Larry Tucker, directed by Mike Elliot, and featured the songs "I Wanna Be Free" and "Let's Dance On."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "In the pilot episode, The Monkees land a sweet-16 gig that is soon thrown into jeopardy when the birthday girl falls for Davy." 

"Monkees in a Ghost Town"

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I'm behind in writing this, but I noticed something about "Monkees in a Ghost Town" when I watched it a couple weeks ago.

The episode trivia on the DVD menu mentions that Lon Chaney Jr.'s "role of Lenny in this episode is a lampoon of his role of Lennie Small in the film Of Mice and Men."

I think there's a bit more to it than that.  I haven't seen the 1939 movie, but I have read Steinbeck's book (albeit only once and about two and a half years ago; some of the delay in writing this was my looking up some things).  Like the two bandits in the Monkees episode, the two main characters in Of Mice and Men are named George and Lennie.

In one scene in the episode, the Monkees pretend that they want to play baseball (using a shovel as a bat), but really they just want to acquire the shovel so they can try to dig their way out of a jail cell.  After they have the shovel, Micky asks Lennie, "Hey, can we use your ball?"  Lennie puts his hands in his pockets, and he brings them out with the ball and a dead mouse:

Early in Of Mice and Men (it's page 7 in the Penguin Classics edition, which is what I have), Steinbeck's Lennie also has a dead mouse in his pocket.  He tells George he has it there so that he can "pet it with my thumb while we walked along."

"The Chaperone"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "The Chaperone" - the ninth episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (7 November 1966).  It was written by Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso, directed by Bruce Kessler, and featured the songs "This Just Doesn't Seem to Be My Day" and "Take a Giant Step."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "When Davy sets his sights on dating the daughter of an uptight military man, Micky is recruited as a chaperone - albeit with a twist." 

"I'm a Believer" b/w "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "I'm a Believer" b/w "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" - the Monkees' second single (Colgems 66-1002) - was released in the U.S. fifty years ago this month (November 1966).  The U.K. release (RCA 1650) followed on 30 December. 

"Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth" - the eighth episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (31 October 1966).  It was written by Dave Evans, directed by Robert Rafelson, and featured the songs "Papa Gene's Blues" and "All the King's Horses."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "The Monkees are saddled with the responsibility of babysitting a real live horse." 

"Monkees in a Ghost Town"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Monkees in a Ghost Town" - the seventh episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (24 October 1966).  It was written by Peter Meyerson and Robert Schlitt, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" and "Papa Gene's Blues."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "The Monkees get lost on their way to a gig and find their Monkeemobile vehicle out of gas in a seemingly deserted town." 

"Success Story"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Success Story" - the sixth episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (17 October 1966).  It was written by Gerald Gardner, Dee Caruso, and Bernie Orenstein, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "I Wanna Be Free" and "Sweet Young Thing."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "The group are bent on making Davy look like a star and give his visiting grandfather the Monkee treatment." 

"The Spy Who Came in from the Cool"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "The Spy Who Came in from the Cool" - the fifth episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (10 October 1966).  It was written by Gerald Gardner and Dee Caruso, directed by Robert Rafelson, and featured the songs "The Kind of Girl I Could Love," "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," "All the King's Horses," and "Saturday's Child."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "The Monkees are cast into the Cold War after Davy purchases a pair of 'red' maracas at a pawnshop." 

"Royal Flush"

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Last week, one of the readings in the church lectionary included 1 Timothy 6:10:  "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.  It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs."

It occurred to me - because Davy Jones made a note of it in his commentary for "Royal Flush" (season 1, episode 1) - that this is the origin of the "Money is the root of all evil" sign that hangs in the Monkees' pad:

"Gonna Buy Me a Dog"

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I listened to The Monkees [Deluxe Edition] a couple days ago, and I realized that the bass part in "Gonna Buy Me a Dog" mostly just alternates between two notes a fourth apart.  Once I had those two notes (B and E), it wasn't too hard to figure out the rest.  This is just the introduction (which is really only three notes), the first verse (which is entirely those two alternating notes), and the first chorus.  The bass part repeats for the rest of the song though, so while I didn't play the whole part, I do have it all.

"Your Friendly Neighborhood Kidnappers"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Your Friendly Neighborhood Kidnappers" - the fourth episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (3 October 1966).  It was written by Dave Evans, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "Let's Dance On," "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," and "Last Train to Clarksville."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "When The Monkees become finalists in a band contest, they are subject to some competitive sabotage." 

The Monkees

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, the Monkees' first album - The Monkees (Colgems COM-101 [mono], COS-101 [stereo]) - was released fifty years ago this month (October 1966), although Sandoval also notes that "some copies may have been on sale in September."  The U.K. release (RCA SF 7844) followed on 20 January 1967.

Side One:

1. "(Theme from) The Monkees"
2. "Saturday's Child"
3. "I Wanna Be Free"
4. "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day"
5. "Papa Gene's Blues"
6. "Take a Giant Step"

Side Two:

1. "Last Train to Clarksville"
2. "This Just Doesn't Seem to Be My Day"
3. "Let's Dance On"
4. "I'll Be True to You"
5. "Sweet Young Thing"
6. "Gonna Buy Me a Dog"

"Monkee Vs. Machine"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Monkee Vs. Machine" - the third episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (26 September 1966).  It was written by David Panich, directed by Robert Rafelson, and featured the songs "Last Train to Clarksville" and "Saturday's Child."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "Stan Freberg stars as a headstrong company man, Daggart, who plans to automate an old-fashioned toy company." 

"Monkee See, Monkee Die"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Monkee See, Monkee Die" - the second episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (19 September 1966).  It was written by Treva Silverman, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" and "Last Train to Clarksville."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "When an eccentric millionaire leaves The Monkees an unexpected legacy, the group must spend the night in the deceased's haunted mansion." 

"Monkee See, Monkee Die"

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This morning I watched Monkee See, Monkee Die, the second episode of the Monkees (which is the first episode of the Monkees I ever saw, something like a decade ago), and I noticed a couple things.

After Micky connects some elements of the telephone to the radio in order to get a signal out, he says, "Laugh will they."

I'm not sure about this, but I think that line is a reference to the Gershwins' "They All Laughed."  The song exhibits anaphora with the title line "they all laughed," and there's a line about radios: "They told Marconi wireless was a phony."

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During the "Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day" romp, there are two shots of the Monkees lying on the ground with their heads together:

This lookt familiar to me, and it wasn't too long before I remembered that there's a picture of the Beatles in this same configuration.  I think the reason I remembered is that it's also the cover image for Bob Spitz's biography of the Beatles:

[source]

I dug out my copy and lookt at the credits, which say this picture was taken by Bob Whitaker.  I couldn't find a specific date for it, but I did find a short biography of Whitaker that says he photographed the Beatles during 1964 to 1966.  So it's possible that those two shots in "Monkee See, Monkee Die" were inspired by this particular image.

"Let's Dance On"

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A couple days ago, I learned (most of) the guitar parts for the Beatles' version of "Twist and Shout."  The opening guitar phrase reminded me of "Let's Dance On," so I learned that guitar part in order to compare the two.  Both start with a four-note diatonic ascent (A B C# D in "Twist and Shout;" G A B C in "Let's Dance On"), then there's a considerable drop (a fifth in "Twist and Shout," down to G; a sixth in "Let's Dance On," to E), and then a bit of an ascent (up a second in "Twist and Shout" to A; two notes (F and then G) for a total interval of a third in "Let's Dance On").  Both songs also have rather lengthy chromatic phrases.  There's a six-note string (A to D) at the very end of "Twist and Shout" and an eight-note string (F to C) in the second and third phrases of the introductory figure in "Let's Dance On."

I checkt the credits on The Monkees album, and "Let's Dance On" was written by Boyce and Hart, so 1) there's precedence for that Beatle influence (I remember something about their writing "Last Train to Clarksville" based on "Paperback Writer," although that's a couple years after "Twist and Shout" in the Beatles' catalogue) and 2) it's likely that the song was written specifically for the Monkees and - because they were modeled on the Beatles - it's possible that the resemblance to "Twist and Shout" was intentional.

"Take a Giant Step"

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When I watched "Royal Flush" yester-day, I noticed what I think is a glockenspiel part in "Take a Giant Step" and figured it would be easy to learn.  It's only five notes (and only three pitches), so I'm not going to bother recording it, but I realized later that the same musical phrase (A B C# B A) is played by the bass during the "Come with me; leave yesterday behind…" sections and by both bass and guitar during the instrumental section, starting at about 1:28.  It's repeated with the A note linking the phrases though, so it's more like |: A B C# B :|.

"Royal Flush"

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Manufactured Monkees:

According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Royal Flush" - the first episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (12 September 1966).  It was written by Peter Meyerson and Robert Schlitt, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "Take a Giant Step," "This Just Doesn't Seem to Be My Day," and "Last Train to Clarksville."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "The Monkees foil a fiendish plot to assassinate Princess Bettina, the Duchess of Harmonica."

I watched this episode this morning (three times actually; once for the episode itself and then twice more for the commentaries by James Frawley and Davy Jones).  I found some things to write about.

I don't think I noticed this before, but at the beginning of the episode, Peter is wearing mis-matched socks:

After Otto explains his plan of poisoning Princess Bettina, there's a close-up of the bottle of poison, in which there's a continuity error.  The hand in the close-up has a ring:

but Otto isn't wearing one in the wider shot:

There are also a couple shots that match the lyrics of the songs playing during them.  When Sigmund is chasing Micky on the beach during "This Just Doesn't Seem to Be My Day," the camera turns upside down for the line "My whole world is upside down":

And during the party at the end, one of the extras stares at an-other during the line "You stare at me in disbelief" in "Take a Giant Step":

Those might just be coincidences, but I thought them interesting.

I read the trivia for the episode on the DVD menu, and apparently "Last Train to Clarksville" was in this episode only when it aired as a re-run.  It replaced the short interview at the end.

"Royal Flush"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Royal Flush" - the first episode of The Monkees series - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (12 September 1966).  It was written by Peter Meyerson and Robert Schlitt, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "Take a Giant Step," "This Just Doesn't Seem to Be My Day," and "Last Train to Clarksville."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "The Monkees foil a fiendish plot to assassinate Princess Bettina, the Duchess of Harmonica." 

"You Just May Be the One"

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Like I mentioned in my introductory post, I've been reading Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation.  Two days ago, I read the entry for Thursday 16 March 1967, and I discovered that Mike Nesmith played an electric twelve-string guitar on "You Just May Be the One."  When I recorded a version a couple days before reading that, I used just electric six-string guitar.  As far as I'm able, I want to make my recordings accurate (even if they are incomplete), so I'm a bit annoyed at learning that only now (but also a bit amused by the timing) because I have an electric twelve-string guitar, and - had I known "You Just May Be the One" uses one - I could have played it and made my recording a little bit more accurate.

I'm assuming the electric twelve-string guitar that Nesmith used is the Gretsch that's also featured in the show.  I have a Burns Double Six (because that's the kind the Zombies' Paul Atkinson had), so while it's not accurate as far as brand, at least it's an electric twelve-string.  At some point, I'd like to be able to have brand-specific instrumental accuracy, but I don't have the money for that now.  I'm making it a principle to get instruments I don't have any type of before I get specific brands of instruments that I already have some make of.  I already have an electric twelve-string guitar, so instead of a Gretsch twelve-string guitar, I'm saving up to buy a flute.

"Last Train to Clarksville" b/w "Take a Giant Step"

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According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Last Train to Clarksville" b/w "Take a Giant Step" - the Monkees' first single (Colgems 1001) - was released in the U.S. fifty years ago to-day (16 August 1966).  The U.K. release (RCA 1547) followed on 14 October.

"You Just May Be the One"

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I know the chords for "You Just May Be the One" (although I think there might be some subtleties with suspended 4th chords I'm missing, and I'm sure I don't have the strumming rhythm right), but rather than have just the chords, which I think would be rather boring to listen to, I attempted the vocals too.  Some of the harmony parts aren't right (because I drifted back into the lead vocal), and I don't think the "ah"s are very good (they're a bit high for me), but it's not the worst thing I've ever recorded.

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

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I thought I knew the bass part for "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," but in reviewing it before recording this, I discovered that there were a couple notes I was missing.  I know the organ chords, but I haven't lookt into the song closely enough to know when they're played and when they aren't.  Years ago - when I learned this - I thought they were played throughout, but when I listened to it earlier this year, I discovered that that's not the case.  So I have only one section of the organ part.

"She"

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On to More of the Monkees with "She."

I don't know the introductory guitar figure perfectly yet (I know a couple notes, but I don't know what effect is going on there or how to achieve it), so I didn't include that.  I listened to the original recording quite a few times, and I think the guitar drops out at the beginning of the chorus and then plays a tremolo on an E note.  I'm still not very good at tremolos though, and because I played both an open E string and the E note on the fifth fret of the B string, it sounds a bit messy.

I probably could have included more of the organ part (I have just the solo), but while I know the chords, and I don't yet know how the organ plays them.  In what rhythm and fingering, I mean.

I learned the bass part of this first, and then I learned the organ solo, and I was surprised to find that while the song is in E major, both the bass part and the organ solo include D natural notes in chromatic phrases (although they go different directions; the bass ascends from C# to E, and the organ descends from E to C#).  That chromatic phrase is in the vocal too, so there's a strong coherence among the parts.

The bass figure after "Why am I standing here" is different in the second chorus.  I actually think it's just a mistake and that it was supposed to have been the same as it is in the first and third choruses.  I played it the same, partially because I think it sounds better and partially because I don't know how to play the erroneous version.

"Sweet Young Thing"

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I was rushing when I put up my post yester-day, and - had I read it over again - I might have realized that what I said about my knowing only one song from the first album isn't true.  I even mentioned in my introductory post that I learned the bass part for "Sweet Young Thing."  It's actually not that interesting on its own because it's mostly just A notes.

I even wrote out the notation for this (thereby discovering that - if my knowledge of time signatures is right - this is in 2/4 time), but after recording it, I noticed something that invalidates what I wrote out.  The transition from the first verse to the chorus is just quarter notes, but the transition from the second verse to the chorus has a figure with eighth notes.  When I wrote out the notation weeks ago, I put repeat signs that indicate that the second verse is exactly the same as the first, which it isn't.  And I didn't feel like re-recording this, so that eighth note transition isn't in my recording either.  Until I learn an-other part to this, I probably won't update it just for the sake of two eighth notes.

"Last Train to Clarksville"

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Inaugural recording!  For these initial ones that set a benchmark of how much I knew when I started the project, I'm going to go chronologically, although it's appropriate that the first (and only) song I know parts of from the first album was also the first single, "Last Train to Clarksville."

I learned the guitar riff for this maybe six or seven years ago (I'll admit I lookt it up on the internet because I couldn't figure it out myself) although it wasn't until a few years after learning how to play it that I actually could play it because (the way I do it at least) it's played with a pick and extra fingers and I learned that skill only about three years ago.  The bass part either follows that guitar riff or is roots and fifths.  The tambourine part… that's an-other story.  I hadn't really noticed until recording this that there even is a tambourine part, and I figured, "I have a tambourine; I should be able to play that."  It was the hardest part, and not just because I'm an inexperienced tambourine player.  Sometimes it plays on the downbeat; sometimes it's the second beat.  It's difficult to keep straight.

I attempted the vocals too (I double-tracked them because I can't not double-track vocals, but I don't think they're double-tracked on the original record).  I recorded only about the first minute, so I knew I didn't have to do the "da da da da da…" part in the middle (which I don't think my voice would suit).  I didn't do the backing vocals (notably the "Train" line) for the simple reason that I can't sing that high.  I hadn't realized this until singing it either (actually, I figured it out later, but I became curious while singing it), but the "home" in "And I don't know if I'm ever comin' home" is sung to a G note.  The song is in G major, so that G note is the tonic or "home" note.  The "home" in the lyrics corresponds to the "home" in the music.  The guitar and bass both play G notes there too; it's the note the riff begins on.  I also hadn't realized that "again" is pronounced the British way so that it rhymes with "train" (which I neglected to do).

Introduction

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January's Cloak:

Last year I started four projects in which my aim is to try to learn every part to every song by a particular band (with some stipulations).  I'd already been doing this with the Zombies since 2012, and while I knew that actually learning every part to every song is next to impossible, my experience with the Zombies' music showed me that even learning a few parts gave me a new appreciation of the music.  As I learned more parts, I started analyzing things from a musicological point of view, which gave me a deeper understanding of the songs.  So while the end goal of each of these projects is probably unattainable, it's still an enlightening journey.

I knew the Monkees started releasing records and broadcasting television episodes in 1966 (fifty years ago), so on 1 January, I started reading Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, and I planned (and still plan) to watch each episode on the 50th anniversary of its original broadcast and listen to each album on the 50th anniversary of its release (although for some album, Sandoval provides only the months they were released, not the exact days).

Between reading the book and listening to some of the albums for my Collection Audit project, I experienced a recrudescence in my interest in the Monkees.  I first got interested in them in about 2008, when I saw re-runs of the television series (the first episode I saw was actually the second episode of the series, which was a pretty good place to start).  Seeing Peter Tork playing bass on television was one of my main motivations to be a musician rather than just someone who listens to music (however, at the time, it was easier to get a guitar; I didn't get a bass until the end of 2010).  Even now, I still wear my belt bucket one belt loop over, just like he did (apparently to avoid scratching the back of his bass).

So reading about the Monkees and listening to their music sparked this renewed interest, and I found myself figuring out a few parts to their songs (the guitar part to the demo of "She'll Be There" [because it sounded brilliant], the bass part to "Sweet Young Thing" [because it sounded easy], and most of the parts to "She" [because it sounded interesting]).  After getting the chords to a couple more songs, I realized that I'd sort of stumbled into doing yet an-other of my cover projects.  The only purpose this post serves is to announce that I'm officially adding the Monkees to my roster of bands whose entire catalogue I'm trying to learn.  However, I'm going to restrict myself to the original albums by the quartet (even of those, I have only the first four and the soundtrack to Head).

Once I had the idea to do this, I had to come up with a name for the project.  I eventually decided on Manufactured Monkees.  Most of the inspiration behind this is a stanza in "Ditty Diego" – "You say we're manufactured / To that we all agree / So make your choice, and we'll rejoice / In never being free."  However, since I'm also interested in languages, I liked the etymological reference to hands in manufactured.  The "manu-" part comes from manus, the Latin word for hand, so there's something of a very subtle allusion to "magic fingers," which is in "Papa Gene's Blues" ("Play, magic fingers!") and which is Micky's moniker in the episode "Monkees on the Wheel" (which is one of my favorite episodes).  And also, obviously, hands are important in playing instruments.

Like my other cover projects, I've started a separate tumblr for this, and I'll be uploading rough (and possibly erroneous) versions of what I know of the songs.  Like I mentioned earlier, I'm doing my Collection Audit project this year (where I attempt to listen to the entirety of my music collection), so I don't have as much time to devote to this project as I would otherwise, but at least this is a start.

Rather than re-posting this, I'm just reblogging it from my main tumblr.

There are a couple songs I know parts to already (as I mentioned above), and I'll be recording and uploading versions of those over the next week or so, just to get a baseline of what I knew when I started this project.