Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.

Last updated

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. - The Monkees.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 6, 1967
RecordedApril 26 – October 9, 1967
Studio
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 proceedings, 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 Micky 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 and the Byrds' January 1968 album The Notorious Byrd Brothers , Pisces was one of the first commercial recordings featuring the Moog to reach a wide audience. 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

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead 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 Nesmith, with Micky Dolenz 2:49
4."Love Is Only Sleeping" Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil Nesmith2:31
5."Cuddly Toy" Harry Nilsson Jones2:38
6."Words" Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart Dolenz with Peter Tork 2:52
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Hard to Believe"Jones, Kim Capli, Eddie Brick, Charlie RockettJones2:37
2."What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" Michael Martin Murphey, Owen Castleman Nesmith3:09
3."Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky"TorkTork0:27
4."Pleasant Valley Sunday" Gerry Goffin, Carole King Dolenz3:15
5."Daily Nightly"NesmithDolenz2:33
6."Don't Call on Me"Nesmith, John London Nesmith2:51
7."Star Collector"Goffin, KingJones4:28

Aborted track listing

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

  1. "She Hangs Out"
  2. "Salesman"
  3. "Cuddly Toy"
  4. "Words"
  5. "Don't Call on Me"
  6. "Goin' Down"

Side two

  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"

Personnel

Credits adapted from 2007 Rhino "Deluxe Edition" CD, [8] except where noted.

The Monkees

Additional musicians

Unconfirmed personnel and duties

Technical

Chart positions

Album

Chart (1967)Peak
position
Canadian Albums ( RPM ) [9] 2
French Albums (SNEP) [10] 3
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [11] 18
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [12] 33
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista) [13] 4
UK Albums (OCC) [14] 5
US Billboard 200 [15] 1

Single

YearSingleChartPeak
position
1967"Words" Billboard Hot 100 11 [16]
1967"Pleasant Valley Sunday" Billboard Hot 100 3 [16]

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [17] 2× Platinum2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Monkees</span> American rock and pop band

The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of the television show of the same name, the Monkees were one of the most successful bands of the late 1960s. With international hits, four chart-topping albums and three chart-topping songs, they sold more than 75 million records worldwide.

<i>More of the Monkees</i> 1967 studio album by the Monkees

More of the Monkees is the second studio album by the American pop rock band the Monkees, released in 1967 on Colgems Records. It was recorded in late 1966 and displaced the band's debut album from the top of the Billboard 200 chart, remaining at No. 1 for 18 weeks, the longest run of any Monkees album. Combined, the first two Monkees albums were at the top of the Billboard chart for 31 consecutive weeks. More of the Monkees also went to No. 1 in the UK. In the U.S., it has been certified quintuple platinum by the RIAA, with sales of more than five million copies. More of the Monkees is also notable for being the first pop/rock album to be the best-selling album of the year in the U.S.

<i>The Monkees</i> (album) 1966 studio album by the Monkees

The Monkees is the debut studio album by the American band the Monkees. It was released on October 10, 1966 by Colgems Records in the United States and RCA Victor in the rest of the world. It was the first of four consecutive U.S. number one albums for the group, taking the top spot on the Billboard 200 for 13 weeks, after which it was displaced by the band's second album. It also topped the UK charts in 1967. The Monkees has been certified quintuple platinum by the RIAA, with sales of over five million copies.

<i>The Monkees Present</i> 1969 studio album by the Monkees

The Monkees Present is the eighth studio album by the American pop rock band the Monkees, released in 1969 by Colgems Records. It was the second Monkees album released after the departure of Peter Tork and the last to feature Michael Nesmith until 1996's Justus.

<i>Changes</i> (The Monkees album) 1970 studio album by the Monkees

Changes is the ninth studio album by the American pop rock band the Monkees, released in 1970 by Colgems Records. The album was issued after Michael Nesmith's exit from the band, leaving only Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones to fulfill the recording contract they had signed in the mid-1960s. Changes was their last new album for Colgems Records and the group's last album of all new material until Pool It!, released in 1987.

<i>Pool It!</i> 1987 studio album by the Monkees

Pool It! is the tenth studio album by American pop rock band the Monkees, released in August 1987 by Rhino Records. It was the first Monkees studio album of new material since Changes in 1970 and the first Monkees album to feature Peter Tork since the 1968 Head soundtrack.

<i>The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees</i> 1968 studio album by the Monkees

The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees is the fifth studio album by the American pop rock band the Monkees, released in 1968 by Colgems Records. It was the first album released after the cancellation of their TV show and subsequently was their first not to reach No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200, peaking at No. 3, and their first not to chart in the UK, with their four previous efforts all having reached the top ten. The album has sold over a million copies.

<i>Instant Replay</i> (The Monkees album) 1969 studio album by the Monkees

Instant Replay is the seventh studio album by the American pop rock band the Monkees, released in 1969 by Colgems Records. Issued 11 months after the cancellation of the group's NBC television series, it is also the first album released after Peter Tork left the group and the only album of the original nine studio albums that does not include any songs featured in the TV show.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daydream Believer</span> 1967 single by the Monkees

"Daydream Believer" is a song composed by American songwriter John Stewart shortly before he left the Kingston Trio. It was originally recorded by the Monkees, with Davy Jones singing the lead. The single reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1967, remaining there for four weeks, and peaked at No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart. It was the Monkees' third and last No. 1 hit in the U.S.

"Daily Nightly" is a song by Michael Nesmith of the Monkees, which appeared on their fourth album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd., in 1967, and was featured in two second-season episodes of their television series, "A Fairy Tale" and "Monkees Blow Their Minds".

<i>Live 1967</i> (The Monkees album) 1987 live album by the Monkees

Live 1967 is a live album by the American pop rock band the Monkees, released in 1987 by Rhino Records. The album was compiled from show dates in Seattle, Portland and Spokane on their 1967 United States tour. The songs mostly feature the Monkees themselves singing and playing, although the "solo spots" for each member feature music by opening act the Sundowners.

<i>Missing Links Volume Three</i> 1996 compilation album by The Monkees

Missing Links Volume Three is a compilation album of rare and previously unreleased songs by the American pop rock band the Monkees, issued by Rhino Records in 1996. It is the third and final volume of a three-volume set, preceded by Missing Links in 1987 and Missing Links Volume Two in 1990.

"Star Collector" is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King in 1967 and recorded by The Monkees. The song is included on their fourth album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. It was featured in five second-season episodes of their television series: "The Wild Monkees", "Hitting the High Seas", "Monkees Watch Their Feet", "Monkees in Paris" and "Monkees Mind Their Manor". "The Wild Monkees" uses an early mix of the song, and the other episodes use the released mix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pleasant Valley Sunday</span> 1967 single by the Monkees

"Pleasant Valley Sunday" is a song by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, recorded and released by the Monkees in the summer of 1967. Inspired by their move to West Orange, New Jersey, and named for a street there, Goffin and King wrote the song about their dissatisfaction with life in the suburbs.

Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart was a supergroup, consisting of songwriting/performing duo Boyce and Hart and two members of the Monkees, Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones. Boyce and Hart had written many of the Monkees' biggest hits, such as "Last Train to Clarksville" and "(Theme From) The Monkees". The group existed only for a short time in 1976, recording one eponymous album.

<i>20th Anniversary Tour 1986</i> 1987 live album by The Monkees

20th Anniversary Tour 1986 is a live album by the Monkees recorded during their 20th anniversary tour in 1986. To date, it is the only known complete concert recorded during this era. The recording was available at 1987 tour stops in double-LP and cassette formats, though a planned 1988 retail release by Rhino Records was ultimately scrapped. The record credited the artists as Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork to avoid paying royalties to Arista Records who owned the Monkees trademark at the time, though the band's logo is visible on the sleeve. A limited-edition CD was released in 1994 under the title Live! by the group's fan club in Nashville, and was sold at concerts during their 1996 tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Goin' Down (The Monkees song)</span> 1967 single by The Monkees

"Goin' Down" is a song by the American pop rock band the Monkees, written by all four members of the group along with Diane Hildebrand. It was first released as the B-side to the "Daydream Believer" single on Colgems Records on October 25, 1967, in support of the band's fourth album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. The song managed to bubble under the Billboard Hot 100 upon its release.

<i>Good Times!</i> 2016 studio album by the Monkees

Good Times! is the twelfth studio album by the American pop rock band the Monkees, released in 2016 by Rhino Records. Produced primarily by Adam Schlesinger, the album was recorded to commemorate the band's 50th anniversary. It was the first Monkees studio album since Justus (1996), marking the longest gap between releases to date, and the first since the death of band member Davy Jones. The album features surviving Monkees Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork, as well as a posthumous contribution from Jones.

<i>Christmas Party</i> (The Monkees album) 2018 studio album by The Monkees

Christmas Party is the 13th and final studio album by the American pop rock band the Monkees, released on October 12, 2018, by Rhino Records. Produced mainly by Adam Schlesinger, the album is the Monkees' first to focus on Christmas themes. It follows on the success of their 2016 album Good Times! The album features surviving Monkees Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork, as well as two posthumous contributions from Davy Jones. It is the final Monkees studio album to be released prior to Tork and Nesmith's deaths in 2019 and 2021, respectively.

"Words" is a song written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart and released by the Monkees. An early version by the Leaves appeared on their 1966 album Hey Joe. The Monkees first recorded the song for their second album, More of The Monkees, in August 1966 under the supervision of Boyce and Hart. While this version went unreleased until the 1990 compilation Missing Links Volume Two, it was featured in the 10 April 1967 episode of The Monkees "Monkees, Manhattan Style". A new version of the song was made to be the B-side of "Pleasant Valley Sunday" in 1967, now produced by Chip Douglas.

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. 1 2 3 Sandoval, Andrew (1995). Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd (CD liner notes). The Monkees. Los Angeles, California: Rhino Records. R2 71793.
  8. Sandoval, Andrew (2007). Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (Deluxe Edition) (CD liner notes). The Monkees. Rhino Records. R2 77767.
  9. "RPM: The Monkees (albums)". RPM Magazine. Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  10. "Tous les Albums de l'Artiste choisi". InfoDisc. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  11. "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  12. "Oricon Archive - The Monkees". Oricon. February 2, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  13. "Norwegiancharts.com – The Monkees – Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  14. "The Monkees Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  15. "The Monkees US Chart History". Billboard . Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  16. 1 2 "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.- Charts and Awards". AllMusic . Retrieved June 23, 2014.
  17. "American album certifications – The Monkees – Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved June 24, 2014.

Works cited