The Monkees - The Monkees
THE MONKEES - The Monkees (60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
3CD/LP Set Arriving October 30th Includes Debut Album in Stereo And Mono, Plus Rare Outtakes, TV Mixes, And Backing Tracks
The Monkees—the 1966 debut that launched a global pop culture phenomenon—turns 60 with a new anniversary collection arriving October 30 from Rhino.
The Monkees (60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) is available to pre-order now at Rhino.com. Produced by Monkees historian Andrew Sandoval, the LP/3CD set pairs the original album’s stereo mix on vinyl with a trio of CDs packed with the album’s mono mix, alternate takes, backing tracks, and broadcast-exclusive mixes from the Emmy-winning series.
Released in October 1966, The Monkees reshaped the pop landscape and helped make Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork superstars overnight. Driven by the runaway success of the band’s #1 debut single, “Last Train To Clarksville,” the album skyrocketed to the top of the Billboard album chart, where it remained for 13 consecutive weeks on its way to quintuple-platinum certification. The album is loaded with classic tunes by legendary songwriting teams like Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, as well as Gerry Goffin and Carole King.
The anniversary collection delivers a rich behind-the-scenes look at this historic album with dozens of rare recordings. Highlights include the TV mix of “Take A Giant Step,” an alternate take of Nesmith’s “Papa Gene’s Blues,” a rehearsal for “I Wanna Be Free,” plus backing tracks for album favorites like “(Theme From) The Monkees.” The set also gathers vintage promos and the group’s rare Kellogg’s jingle.
Reflecting on the album six decades later in the set’s new liner notes, Dolenz—who is currently celebrating the milestone on his 60 Years of the Monkees tour—recalls the magic behind the whirlwind era.
“For all the madness of that time, there was joy in it. We were part of something that none of us could fully understand while it was happening. The show was unlike anything else on television, and the music was reaching people in a way that was immediate and powerful. Fans weren’t analyzing the machinery behind it. They were listening. They were singing along. They were making the songs part of their lives. That is the greatest gift of it all.”
The Monkees (60th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
LP/3CD Track Listing
LP
Side One
“(Theme From) The Monkees”
“Saturday’s Child”
“I Wanna Be Free”
“Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day”
“Papa Gene’s Blues”
“Take A Giant Step”
Side Two
“Last Train To Clarksville”
“This Just Doesn’t Seem To Be My Day”
“Let’s Dance On”
“I’ll Be True To You”
“Sweet Young Thing”
“Gonna Buy Me A Dog”
CD One: Original Mono Mix
“(Theme From) The Monkees”
“Saturday’s Child”
“I Wanna Be Free”
“Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day”
“Papa Gene’s Blues”
“Take A Giant Step”
“Last Train To Clarksville”
“This Just Doesn’t Seem To Be My Day”
“Let’s Dance On”
“I’ll Be True To You”
“Sweet Young Thing”
“Gonna Buy Me A Dog”
Bonus Material: Rehearsals & Demos
“I Wanna Be Free” (Rehearsal)
“I Wanna Be Free” (Demo – Take 2)
“I Wanna Be Free” (Overdub Demo – Take 2)
“Propinquity (I’ve Just Begun To Care)” (Demo)
CD Two: TV Versions, Alternate Takes & Radio Spots
Monkees NBC Promo Spot
“(Theme From) The Monkees” (TV Version)
“You Just May Be The One” (Mono TV Version)
“This Just Doesn’t Seem To Be My Day” (Mono TV Version)
“Take A Giant Step” (Mono TV Version)
“All The King’s Horses” (Mono TV Version)
“I Wanna Be Free” (Fast Version – Mono TV Mix)
“The Kind Of Girl I Could Love” (Alternate Mono Mix)
“Saturday’s Child” (Mono TV Version)
“(Theme From) The Monkees” (Second Version)
“All The King’s Horses” (Alternate Vocal Take)
“The Kind Of Girl I Could Love” (Alternate Vocal Take)
“I Don’t Think You Know Me” (Stereo Remix – Micky’s Vocal)
“So Goes Love” (Take 1)
“So Goes Love” (Alternate Vocal Take)
“Papa Gene’s Blues” (Alternate Vocal Take)
Kellogg’s Jingle
Monkees Radio Spot
CD Three: Backing Tracks
“(Theme From) The Monkees” (Version 1)
“Let’s Dance On”
“This Just Doesn’t Seem To Be My Day”
“Gonna Buy Me A Dog” (Version 1 – Take 5)
“Papa Gene’s Blues” (Take 1)
“I Won’t Be The Same Without Her” (Take 6)
“Sweet Young Thing” (Take 1)
“I Wanna Be Free” (Version 2 – Take 6)
“I Wanna Be Free” (Version 3 – Take 3)
“Jokes”
“Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day”
“Gonna Buy Me A Dog” (Version 2 – Take 2)
“Mary, Mary” (Take 1)
“Of You” (Take 1)
“You Just May Be The One” (Rehearsal – Take 19)
