"Daydream Believer"

Last week, I learned the piano part in the introduction and verses of "Daydream Believer."  To this, I could add the string part from the second verse, which I learned in November 2017.

I played both parts on my Nord Electro 5D.  I used "Black Upright" for the piano (recorded in mono and with the treble boosted) and one of the Hohner String Melody II samples for the string sound.

The Rainbow Room

Back in March, I saw a picture of the Monkees in "the Rainbow Room," similar to this one I found on Getty Images:

What really caught my attention was the Vox Super Continental; I didn't know the Monkees had used one.  Some quick searching didn't reveal what episode this was from (eventually, I discovered it was from the performance of "She Hangs Out" in "Card Carrying Red Shoes"), so I re-watched almost all of season two of The Monkees and made a list of what songs are performed in the Rainbow Room, what episodes they appear in, and who plays what:

• "Pleasant Valley Sunday" (in "The Picture Frame"* and "Monkee Mayor")
• Mike: guitar
• Micky: drums
• Peter: electric piano
• Davy: bass
• "Randy Scouse Git" (in "The Picture Frame" and "Art for Monkees' Sake"*)
• Mike: guitar
• Micky: timpani
• Peter: piano
• Davy: drums
• "Love Is Only Sleeping" (in "Everywhere a Sheik, Sheik"* and "I Was a 99 lb. Weakling")
• Mike: guitar
• Micky: vocal and unknown machine
• Peter: bass
• Davy: drums
• "Daydream Believer" (in "Art for Monkees' Sake" and "A Coffin Too Frequent")
• Mike: guitar
• Micky: tambourine
• Peter: piano
• Davy: vocal and some piano
• "She Hangs Out" (in "Card Carrying Red Shoes")
• Mike: guitar
• Micky: drums
• Peter: organ
• Davy: vocal
• "No Time" (in "The Devil and Peter Tork")
• Mike: guitar
• Micky: drums
• Peter: piano
• Davy: tambourine

*These performances are intercut with romps.

According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, these segments in the "Rainbow Room" were filmed on 2 August 1967 at Fred Niles Film Studios in Chicago.

"Hitting the High Seas"

According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Hitting the High Seas" - the forty-forth episode of The Monkees series (and the twelfth of the second season) - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (27 November 1967).  It was written by Jack Winter, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "Daydream Believer" and "Star Collector."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "When the group take jobs on a shady ship, thoughts of mutiny are bountiful."

"A Coffin Too Frequent"

According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "A Coffin Too Frequent" - the forty-third episode of The Monkees series (and the eleventh of the second season) - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (20 November 1967).  It was written by Stella Linden Ross, directed by David Winters, and featured the songs "Daydream Believer" and "Goin' Down."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "The group's pad becomes the scene of a spooky séance."

"Daydream Believer" b/w "Goin' Down"

According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Daydream Believer" b/w "Goin' Down" - the Monkees' fifth single (Colgems 1012) - was released in the U.S. fifty years ago this month (November 1967).  The U.K. release (RCA 1645) was released the same month.

The catalogue number that Sandoval lists for the U.K. release is the same as what he has for the "Pleasant Valley Sunday" b/w "Words" single.  I'm not sure if that's a mistake or not, or - if it is - which number is erroneous.

"Monkees Marooned"

According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Monkees Marooned" - the fortieth episode of The Monkees series (and the eighth of the second season) - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (30 October 1967).  It was written by Stanley Ralph Ross, directed by James Frawley, and featured the songs "Daydream Believer" and "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "When Peter trades his guitar for a treasure map the group goes in search of buried booty."

"Art for Monkees Sake"

According to Andrew Sandoval's The Monkees: The Day-by-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation, "Art for Monkees Sake" - the thirty-seventh episode of The Monkees series (and the fifth of the second season) - was broadcast fifty years ago to-day (9 October 1967).  It was written by Coslough Johnson, directed by Alex Singer, and featured the songs "Randy Scouse Git" and "Daydream Believer."  Sandoval describes the plot as: "Peter gets caught in a plot to counterfeit and steal a priceless Rembrandt."