The Monkees - The Monkees (Deluxe Edition 2LP Gatefold Sleeve)

The Monkees, one of the most recognizable names in the annals of pop music history, are an American rock and pop band originally active between 1966 and 1971, with reunion albums and tours in the decades that followed. The original line up was Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Davy Jones. The group was conceived in 1965 by TV producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider specifically for the sitcom series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968. The music was originally supervised by record producer Don Kirschner, backed by the songwriting duo of Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. The Monkees self-titled debut and second albums were meant to be a soundtrack to the first season of the TV show, to cash in on the audience.

Their first single, “Last Train To Clarksville” b/w “Take A Giant Step,” was released in August 1966, just weeks prior to the TV broadcast debut. In conjunction with the first broadcast of the TV show on September 12, 1966, NBC and Columbia had a major hit. The first long-playing album, The Monkees, was released a month later; it spent 13 weeks at #1 and stayed on the Billboard charts for 78 weeks. The Monkees have sold more than 75 million records worldwide making them one of the biggest selling groups of all time with international hits, including “Last Train to Clarksville,” “Pleasant Valley Sunday,” “Daydream Believer,” and “I’m A Believer.” ROG is reissuing their iconic debut album as a deluxe 2LP set with bonus tracks (several of which are unreleased mixes) and are having lacquers cut from the analog tapes for the first time since 1966—creating THE DEFINITIVE version of this album since original release!

LP1 (Stereo Mix)

Side A:

1. (Theme From) The Monkees
2. Saturday’s Child
3. I Wanna Be Free
4. Tomorrow’s Gonna Be Another Day
5. Papa Gene’s Blues
6. Take a Giant’s Step

Side B:

1. Last Train to Clarksville
2. This Just Doesn’t Seem to Be My Day
3. Let’s Dance On
4. Sweet Young Thing
5. Gonna Buy Me a Do

LP2

Side A:

1. The Monkees (Radio Spot)
2. (Theme From) The Monkees (TV Version)
3. This Just Doesn’t Seem to Be My Day (TV Version) [Mono]
4. All The King’s Horses (Mono TV Version)
5. I Wanna Be Free (Fast Version) [Mono TV Mix]
6. You Just May Be The One [Mono TV Version]
7. Take A Giant Step (Mono TV Version)

Side B:

1. (Theme From) The Monkees (Second Version)
2. Saturday’s Child (Mono TV Version)
3. I Don’t Think You Know Me (2014 Remix)
4. So Goes Love (2020 Remix)
5. I Can’t Get Her off My Mind (2014 Remix)
6. (I Prithee) Do Not Ask For Love [2020 Remix]
7. I Wanna Be Free (Demo – Take 5)