Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.

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Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. - The Monkees.jpg
Studio album by
The Monkees
ReleasedNovember 6, 1967
RecordedApril 26 – October 9, 1967
Genre
Length35:44
Label Colgems
Producer Chip Douglas
The Monkees chronology
Headquarters
(1967)		Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
(1967)		 The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees
(1968)
Singles from Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
  1. "Pleasant Valley Sunday" / "Words"
    Released: July 10, 1967
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
MusicHound Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]
Record Collector Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [5]
The Wire (favorable)[ citation needed ]

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. is the fourth album by the Monkees. It was released on November 6, 1967, during a period when the band exerted more control over their music and performed many of the instruments themselves (previously forbidden by Colgems). However, although the group had complete artistic control over the procceedings, they invited more outside contributions than on their previous album, Headquarters , and used session musicians to complement their sound. The album also featured one of the first uses of the Moog synthesizer in popular music. Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. sold over three million copies. It was the band's fourth consecutive album to reach No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Contents

History

The group employed studio musicians to a greater extent than their previous album, Headquarters . The greater reliance on studio musicians resulted from the band's busy filming schedule for their popular sitcom. The album's single, "Pleasant Valley Sunday" b/w "Words", was a hit, peaking at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The album was among the earliest to make use of the Moog synthesizer, which Dolenz introduced to the group and played in the studio; he owned one of the first twenty ever sold. [6] Along with the Doors' September 1967 album Strange Days , Their Satanic Majesties Request by the Rolling Stones in December, and the Byrds' January 1968 album The Notorious Byrd Brothers , Pisces was one of the first commercial recordings to reach a wide audience featuring the Moog. Dolenz played the synthesizer on "Daily Nightly", while electronic musician Paul Beaver played it on "Star Collector".

Two additional songs, "Daydream Believer" and "Goin' Down", were recorded during the album sessions. Released on 7-inch vinyl in October 1967, it was the group's last No. 1 single.

The album's title stems from each band member's respective astrological sign: Dolenz is Pisces, Peter Tork is Aquarius, and both Nesmith and Davy Jones are Capricorn.

The album's cover features a drawing of the four Monkees by Bernard Yeszin, their facial features blank, standing in a field of flowers, with the group's guitar logo half-buried.

In 2007, Rhino issued a two-disc deluxe edition of the album. The CD set featured original album artwork, including replicas of the original Colgems vinyl labels on each disc, as well as a booklet of essays and session information by Monkees historian Andrew Sandoval. The discs contain remastered mixes of the album's stereo and mono releases, as well as alternate mixes and outtakes.

Track listing

Original 1967 Colgems vinyl issue

Side 1
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."Salesman" (Craig Vincent Smith) Michael Nesmith 2:37
2."She Hangs Out" (Jeff Barry/Ellie Greenwich/Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller) Davy Jones 2:57
3."The Door into Summer" (Chip Douglas / Bill Martin)Michael Nesmith, with Micky Dolenz near the end2:49
4."Love Is Only Sleeping" (Barry Mann / Cynthia Weil)Michael Nesmith2:31
5."Cuddly Toy" (Harry Nilsson)Davy Jones2:38
6."Words" (Tommy Boyce / Bobby Hart)Micky Dolenz with Peter Tork 2:52
Side 2
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."Hard to Believe" (David Jones / Kim Capli / Eddie Brick / Charlie Rockett)Davy Jones2:37
2."What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" (Michael Martin Murphey / Owen Castleman)Michael Nesmith3:09
3."Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky" (Peter Tork)Peter Tork0:27
4."Pleasant Valley Sunday" (Gerry Goffin / Carole King)Micky Dolenz3:15
5."Daily Nightly" (Michael Nesmith)Micky Dolenz2:33
6."Don't Call on Me" (Nesmith / John London)Michael Nesmith2:51
7."Star Collector" (Goffin / King)Davy Jones4:28

Aborted track listing

The original track lineup for the album, compiled on October 9, 1967, included the following songs: [7]

Side 1
  1. "Special Announcement"
  2. "She Hangs Out"
  3. "Salesman"
  4. "Cuddly Toy"
  5. "Words"
  6. "Don't Call on Me"
  7. "Goin' Down"
Side 2
  1. "The Door Into Summer"
  2. "Hard to Believe"
  3. "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?"
  4. "Daily Nightly"
  5. "Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky"
  6. "Pleasant Valley Sunday"
  7. "Star Collector"

1995 Rhino CD reissue

Tracks 1–13: Original album in stereo

Bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Special Announcement (Previously Unissued)" (Unknown)0:36
15."Goin' Down (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)" (Diane Hildebrand / Tork / Nesmith / Micky Dolenz / Jones)4:46
16."Salesman (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)" (Smith)2:37
17."The Door into Summer (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)" (Douglas / Martin)2:52
18."Love Is Only Sleeping (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)" (Mann / Weil)2:32
19."Daily Nightly (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)" (Nesmith)2:31
20."Star Collector (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)" (Goffin / King)4:52

1996 Sundazed vinyl reissue

Side one bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
7."The Door into Summer (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)" (Douglas / Martin)2:52
8."Love Is Only Sleeping (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)" (Mann / Weil)2:32
Side two bonus tracks [8]
No.TitleLength
8."Daily Nightly (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)" (Nesmith)2:31
9."Goin' Down (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)" (Hildebrand / Tork / Nesmith / Dolenz / Jones)4:46

2007 Rhino deluxe CD reissue

Disc one

Tracks 1–13: Original album in stereo

Bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Goin' Down (Stereo Mix)" (Hildebrand / Tork / Nesmith / Dolenz / Jones)4:28
15."Salesman (Alternate Stereo Mix)" (Smith)3:08
16."She Hangs Out (Alternate Stereo Mix)" (Barry)3:36
17."Love Is Only Sleeping (Alternate Mix)" (Mann / Weil)2:31
18."What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round? (Alternate Mix)" (Murphey / Castleman)3:21
19."Star Collector (Alternate Stereo Mix)" (Goffin / King)5:03
20."Riu Chiu" (TV Version)" (Traditional)1:32
Disc two

Tracks 1–13: Original album in mono

Bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
14."Special Announcement" (Unknown)0:39
15."Salesman (Alternate Mono Mix)" (Smith)2:35
16."Cuddly Toy (Alternate Mix)" (Nilsson)3:02
17."Goin' Down (Mono Single Version)" (Hildebrand / Tork / Nesmith / Dolenz / Jones)4:25
18."The Door Into Summer (Alternate Mix)" (Douglas / Martin)2:54
19."Daily Nightly (Alternate Mix)" (Nesmith)2:31
20."Star Collector (Alternate Mono Mix)" (Goffin / King)4:51

Personnel

According to Andrew Sandoval (excluding bonus tracks). [10]

The Monkees

Additional personnel

Arrangers

Brass and strings

Session information

"Salesman"

"She Hangs Out"

"The Door into Summer"

"Love Is Only Sleeping"

"Cuddly Toy"

"Words"

"Hard To Believe"

"What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?"

"Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky"

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

"Daily Nightly"

"Don't Call on Me"

"Star Collector"

1995 bonus tracks

"Special Announcement"

"Goin' Down" (Extended Mono Mix)

Salesman (Alternate Mono Mix)

"The Door Into Summer" (Alternate Mono Mix)

"Love Is Only Sleeping" (Early Mix)

"Daily Nightly" (Early Mix)

"Star Collector" (Extended Mix)

Chart positions

Album

Chart (1967)Peak
position
Canadian Albums ( RPM ) [15] 2
French Albums (SNEP) [16] 3
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [17] 18
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [18] 33
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [19] 4
UK Albums (OCC) [20] 5
US Billboard 200 [21] 1

Single

YearSingleChartPeak
position
1967"Words" Billboard Hot 100 11 [22]
1967"Pleasant Valley Sunday" Billboard Hot 100 3 [22]

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [23] 2× Platinum2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

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References

  1. 1 2 "The Monkees Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.". AllMusic . Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  2. ↑ "The 50 best psychedelic rock albums of the Summer of Love". BrooklynVegan. June 17, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2023.
  3. ↑ Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide (2nd ed.). Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press. p.  774. ISBN   1-57859-061-2.
  4. ↑ "Record Collector | The Monkees – Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd | Album Review". Recordcollectormag.com. May 19, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2012.
  5. ↑ Brackett, Nathan; with Hoard, Christian (eds) (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York, NY: Fireside/Simon & Schuster. p. 553. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  6. ↑ "Moog Modular Systems". moogarchives.com. Retrieved September 30, 2014.
  7. ↑ Monkees, The, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd., Rhino Records, 1995, liner notes
  8. ↑ "Monkees on Sundazed". Forums.stevehoffman.tv. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  9. ↑ Physical copy of LP UPC code 90771-5048-1
  10. ↑ "Monkees Rhino Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. R2 77767". monkee45s.net. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
  11. ↑ "popsike.com - THE MONKEES-"SHE HANGS OUT"-RARE WITHDRAWN CANADIAN 45 - auction details". Popsike.com. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  12. ↑ Some sites like The Monkees Music Vault, say that Michael Nesmith played guitar on this track, but others like the Sunshine Factory do not.
  13. ↑ Some sites like the Sunshine Factory, say that Chip Douglas played guitar on this track, but others like The Monkees Music Vault do not.
  14. ↑ ""The Door Into Summer"". Monkeeslivealmanac.com. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  15. ↑ "RPM: The Monkees (albums)". RPM Magazine. Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  16. ↑ "Tous les Albums de l'Artiste choisi". InfoDisc. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Oricon Archive - The Monkees". Oricon. February 2, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Monkees – Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  20. ↑ "The Monkees Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  21. ↑ "The Monkees US Chart History". Billboard . Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  22. 1 2 "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.- Charts and Awards". AllMusic . Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  23. ↑ "American album certifications – The Monkees – Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 24, 2014.

Works cited

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