STUCK IN THE VINYL AGAIN - MORE OF THE MONKEES - THE MONKEES

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Good Monday morning gang and welcome back to Stuck In The Vinyl Again. Today we remember Tommy Boyce, one half of the songwriting duo, Boyce and Hart (with Bobby Hart) on this, the 26th anniversary of his death. He committed suicide in 1994, age 55, due to declining health. To honor his legacy, we spotlight the second studio album by television band The Monkees.  More Of The Monkees was released January 9, 1967 on the Colgems label and produced by  Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Neil Sedaka, Carole Bayer Sager, Michael Nesmith, Jeff Barry, Jack Keller, Gerry Goffin, and Carole King. It was an international number one, clenching the top spot in Finland, Canada, Norway, the UK, and America. The disc saw the birth of two singles, "I'm a Believer" (#1 Hot 100) and "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" (#20 Hot 100). It has been certified 5X Platinum in the US.

1. "She" Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart Micky Dolenz 2:40

2. "When Love Comes Knockin' (At Your Door)" Carole Bayer Sager, Neil Sedaka Davy Jones 1:49

3. "Mary, Mary" Michael Nesmith Micky Dolenz 2:16

4. "Hold on Girl" Billy Carr, Jack Keller, Ben Raleigh Davy Jones 2:29

5. "Your Auntie Grizelda" Diane Hildebrand, Jack Keller Peter Tork 2:30

6. "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart Micky Dolenz 2:25

Side two

1. "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" Neil Diamond Davy Jones 2:16

2. "The Kind of Girl I Could Love" Michael Nesmith, Roger Atkins Michael Nesmith 1:53

3. "The Day We Fall in Love" Sandy Linzer, Denny Randell Davy Jones 2:26

4. "Sometime in the Morning" Gerry Goffin, Carole King Micky Dolenz 2:30

5. "Laugh" Phil Margo, Mitch Margo, Hank Medress, Jay Siegel Davy Jones 2:30

6. "I'm a Believer" Neil Diamond Micky Dolenz 2:50

"She"

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead vocal: Micky Dolenz
Backing vocals: Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Peter Tork, Tommy Boyce, Wayne Erwin, Bobby Hart, Ron Hicklin
Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee, Louie Shelton
Organ: Bobby Hart
Bass: Larry Taylor
Drums: Billy Lewis
Percussion: Norm Jefferies, Unknown
Recorded at RCA Victor Studio A, Hollywood, August 15, 1966
Produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Covered by The Dickies in 1978 on their debut LP The Incredible Shrinking Dickies.
While Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart are the writers of the song, several sources claim Jeff Barry, Angelo Badalamenti and Marianne Faithfull to have co-written the track[7], which is incorrect. Badalamenti and Faithfull did not begin collaborating until the mid-1990s,[8] when they wrote a completely different song called "She". Jeff Barry's work with the band on this and later albums is well-documented (including writing the song "She Hangs Out"').

"When Love Comes Knockin' (at Your Door)"

Written by Neil Sedaka and Carole Bayer Sager
Lead vocal (double tracked): Davy Jones
Guitar: Al Gafa, Willard Suyker, Donald Thomas
Piano: Neil Sedaka
Bass: Russell Savakus
Drums: Herbert Lovell
Percussion: Unknown
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, November 23, 1966
Produced by Neil Sedaka and Carole Bayer Sager
Engineered by Ernie Olerich

"Mary, Mary"

Written by Michael Nesmith
Lead/backing vocals: Micky Dolenz
Guitar: Peter Tork, James Burton, Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Michael Deasy
Piano: Michael Cohen, Larry Knechtel
Bass: Bob West
Drums: Hal Blaine
Percussion: Gary Coleman, Jim Gordon
Recorded at Western Recorders, Hollywood, July 25, 1966
Arrangement: Don Peake
Produced by Michael Nesmith
The 1987 Arista CD version features the extended stereo mix, which also appears on the More Greatest Hits CD.
"Mary Mary" appeared on the Paul Butterfield Band's East-West release a year before the Monkees' version was released
Despite being the songwriter and producer of the track, as well as being a member of the group, Michael Nesmith did not contribute vocally or musically to this track.
The song was covered by Run-DMC in 1988

"Hold on Girl"

Written by Jack Keller, Ben Raleigh and Billy Carr
Lead vocal: Davy Jones
Backing vocals: Micky Dolenz
Other personnel unknown
Produced by Jeff Barry and Jack Keller
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, September 10, 1966 and American Studios, Studio City, October 23, 1966
Early version can be found on Missing Links Volume Two (1990)

"Your Auntie Grizelda"

Written by Jack Keller and Diane Hildebrand
Lead vocal: Peter Tork
Other personnel unknown
Produced by Jeff Barry and Jack Keller
Engineered by Richard Podolor
Recorded at American Studios, Studio City, October 23, 1966

"(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone"

Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Lead vocal: Micky Dolenz
Backing vocals: Tommy Boyce
Guitar: Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee, Louis Shelton
Organ: Bobby Hart
Bass: Larry Taylor
Drums: Billy Lewis
Percussion: Henry Lewy
Produced and Arranged by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
Recorded at Western Recorders, Studio #1, Hollywood, July 26, 1966
Appeared on the flip side of "I'm a Believer"
Reached No. 20 on the pop charts, making it the first Monkees b-side to chart
The original mono and stereo mixes differ slightly. On the stereo mix, Micky's vocal is dubbed in at the end of the instrumental bridge just before the second verse; this vocal bridge does not appear on the mono mix. During the fade, Micky's repeated, "Not your steppin' stone" begins sooner on the stereo mix than on the mono mix. The mono single fades out earlier than the track from the mono album, despite both mixes listed with a running time of 2:25.

"Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)"

Written by Neil Diamond
Lead vocal: Davy Jones
Backing vocals: Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork
Acoustic guitar: Neil Diamond
Drums: Buddy Salzman
Organ: Maurgan Cheff
Percussion: Kauren Seguer
Other personnel unknown
Produced by Jeff Barry
Recorded in New York City, October 15 and 23, 1966 (studio unknown)
First of two Neil Diamond songs performed by The Monkees on this album

"The Kind of Girl I Could Love"

Written by Michael Nesmith and Roger Atkins
Lead vocal: Michael Nesmith
Backing vocals: Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Peter Tork
Guitar: James Burton, Glen Campbell, Al Casey, Michael Deasy
Bass: Larry Knetchtel, Bob West
Drums: Hal Blaine
Percussion: Gary Coleman, Jim Gordon
Steel Guitar: Michael Nesmith [9]
Arrangement: Don Peake
Produced by Michael Nesmith
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, June 25, 1966 (7:30 PM – 12:15 AM)

"The Day We Fall in Love"

Written by Sandy Linzer and Denny Randell
Lead vocal: Davy Jones
Guitar: Al Casey
Harpsichord and Organ: Don Randi, Michel Rubini
Bass: Carol Kaye, Ray Pohlman
Drums: Hal Blaine
Percussion: Frank Capp, Julius Wechter
Violin: Louis Haber, Irving Spice, Lousi Stone
Viola: David Sackson, Murray Sandry
Cello: Seymour Barab
Conductor: Arthur Butler
Arranged and Produced by Jeff Barry
Engineered by Ray Hall
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios Hollywood, October 28, 1966 and RCA Victor Studio B, New York, November 23, 1966

"Sometime in the Morning"

Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King
Lead vocal: Micky Dolenz
Backing vocals: Micky Dolenz and Carole King
Other personnel unknown
Produced by Gerry Goffin, Carole King and Jeff Barry
Recorded at New York City, October 13 and 25, 1966 (studio unknown)
"Laugh"

Written by Hank Medress, Phil Margo, Mitchell Margo and Jay Siegal
Lead vocal: Davy Jones
Backing vocals: Davy Jones, Jeff Barry and Unknown
Guitar: Al Casey and Carol Kaye
Harpsichord and Organ: Don Randi, Michel Rubini
Bass: Ray Pohlman
Drums: Hal Blaine
Percussion: Frank Capp, Julius Wechter
Produced and Arranged by Jeff Barry
Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, October 28, 1966

"I'm a Believer"

Written by Neil Diamond
Lead vocal: Micky Dolenz
Backing vocals: Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Peter Tork
Guitar: Al Gorgoni, Sal DiTroia
Acoustic Guitar: Neil Diamond
Organ: Stan Free
Piano: George Butcher
Tambourine: George Devens
Bass: Russ Savakus
Drums: Buddy Saltzman
Produced by Jeff Barry
Recorded in New York City, October 15 and 23, 1966
Reached No. 1 on the pop charts