Greatest Hits
Greatest hits album by The Monkees
Released June 9, 1969
Recorded 1966-1969
Genre Rock
Length mm:ss
Label Colgems (USA), RCA (rest of the world)
Producer various
The first greatest hits album of The Monkees was issued by Colgems in June 1969.
Appearing in record stores a year after the cancellation of the Monkees's TV series, the black-and-orange-covered package remains one of the rarest pieces of vinyl in the band’s discography. After an unsuccessful movie, Head, from the previous winter, the record company tried to revive waning interest in the Monkees, but to no avail. The band was now down to a trio with the departure of Peter Tork, and The Monkees Greatest Hits climbed to a mediocre number 89 on the Billboard album charts before disappearing. With subsequent Greatest Hits releases, the album has been almost forgotten by the Monkee faithful.
True Monkees fans may find the track selection a bit curious. All six of the band’s first singles were chosen. The Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. stereo mix of "Pleasant Valley Sunday" was included instead of the single mono mix. This first compilation also featured the LP debut, as well as stereo debut, of "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You". As for the seven other tracks, only "Randy Scouse Git" made sense since it was issued as a single in England and reached #2 on the UK charts (as "Alternate Title").
Many Monkee songs were released as singles in different countries, such as "She" in Mexico and "Shades Of Gray" in the Philippines, however, they did not do as well as Mexico’s number one, "(Look Out) Here Comes Tomorrow" or Australia’s chart topper, "(Theme From) The Monkees," tracks that were left out of this package. Also missing were three B-sides that charted in the Billboard Hot 100: "The Girl I Knew Somewhere", "Words", and "Tapioca Tundra." Instead, "Cuddly Toy" and "Zor And Zam" were included without any explanation. All the tracks would reappear on Barrel Full of Monkees except for "Zor And Zam."
Track listing
Side 1
1. "Daydream Believer" (Stewart)
2. "Pleasant Valley Sunday" (Goffin & King)
3. "Cuddly Toy" (Nilsson)
4. "Shades of Gray" (Mann & Weil)
5. "Zor and Zam" (Chadwick & Chadwick)
6. "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (Diamond)
7. "She" (Boyce & Hart)
Side 2
8. "Randy Scouse Git" (Dolenz)
9. "I Wanna Be Free" (Boyce & Hart)
10. "I'm a Believer" (Diamond)
11. "Valleri" (Boyce & Hart)
12. "Mary Mary" (Nesmith)
13. "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" (Boyce & Hart)
14. "Last Train to Clarksville" (Boyce & Hart)
Unreleased follow-up compilation
Prior to the eventual closing of the Colgems record label in 1971, the company made a test-pressing of yet another Monkees hits LP. A recent discovery of this record reveals that the title of this album was to be called "Greatest Hits, No. 2". Like its predecessor, it contained 14 songs. 4 of these songs were key album tracks; 5 songs were issued on both singles and albums; the remaining 5 selections were previously released only as singles and would have made their album debut on this collection, had it actually been released. Again, the Top 40 hits "Words" and "Tapioca Tundra" were, for some reason, overlooked for this compilation. While no official catalog number was ever assigned, the track listing was in place right from the start. Further documentation reveals that all 14 songs were in true
Side 1
1. "(Theme From) The Monkees"
2. "Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)"
3. "Someday Man"
4. "Good Clean Fun"
5. "Oh My My"
6. "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?"
7. "D.W. Washburn"
Side 2
8. "For Pete's Sake"
9. "Listen To The Band"
10. "It's Nice To Be With You"
11. "The Girl I Knew Somewhere"
12. "Tear Drop City"
13. "Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again"
14. "Goin' Down"