Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
Studio album by The Monkees
Released	November 6, 1967
Recorded	1967
Length	33:00
Label	Colgems Records (USA) RCA Records (rest of the world) Arista Records (1989 CD reissue) Rhino Records (1986 vinyl reissue, 1995 and 2007 CD reissues) Sundazed Records (2009 vinyl reissue)
Producer	Chip Douglas
The Monkees chronology
Headquarters (1967) Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. (1967) The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees (1968)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Amazon.com	[2]
Artist Direct	[3]
EMusic	[4]
iTunes Store	[5]
MSN Music	[6]
Record Collector	[7]
The Wire	(Favorable Review)

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. was the fourth album by The Monkees, released on November 6, 1967, when the Monkees were exerting more control over their music and actually playing many of the instruments themselves, something their record company had previously forbidden (on their first two LPs). The group did employ studio musicians to a greater extent than their previous album, Headquarters, on which the four musicians played almost entirely on their own. Guitarist Michael Nesmith is heard vocally on this album more than ever before, singing lead on five cuts; conversely, Micky Dolenz sings lead on only three tracks after dominating the group's first three albums. The album's single, "Pleasant Valley Sunday"/"Words", was a double-sided hit.

The album is particularly interesting for the pioneering 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.^[8] Pisces is perhaps the first hit rock or pop album to feature the Moog. In any event, Pisces is one of the first few commercially issued recordings in any musical genre to feature the instrument. Micky Dolenz plays the synthesizer on "Daily Nightly" and "Love Is Only Sleeping" (as seen in season 2) while electronic musician Paul Beaver plays the Moog on "Star Collector."

Two additional songs, which eventually became the single "Daydream Believer"/"Goin' Down", were recorded during the album sessions. Released in October 1967 as a prelude to the Pisces album, it would be the group's last #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). However, since Nesmith and Jones share the same sign (as well as the same birthday, December 30), Davy's last name was placed at the end of the title to avoid confusion. Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. sold over 3 million copies as Colgems #104.

The album's cover features a drawing by Bernard Yezsin of the four Monkees, their facial features blank, standing in a field of flowers with the group's guitar logo half-buried. The drawing was based on a photo of the group Yezsin had taken.

In 2007, Rhino issued a two-disc deluxe edition of the album. The CD set is housed in a digipak with a slipcase and features 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 both the stereo and mono mixes of the album, remastered, as well as alternate mixes and outtakes.

Contents 1 Original album track listing 1.1 Side 1 1.2 Side 2 1.3 1995 Rhino reissue CD bonus tracks 1.4 2007 Rhino Deluxe Edition CD bonus tracks 1.5 iTunes mistakes 2 Aborted track listing 2.1 Side 1 2.2 Side 2 3 Session information 4 Bonus tracks session information 5 Main personnel 6 Chart positions 7 Original single 8 Critical reception 9 References

Original album track listing

Side 1

1. "Salesman" (Craig Smith)
2. "She Hangs Out" (Jeff Barry)
3. "The Door Into Summer" (Chip Douglas, Bill Martin)
4. "Love is Only Sleeping" (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil)
5. "Cuddly Toy" (Harry Nilsson)
6. "Words" (Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart)

Side 2

1. "Hard to Believe" (David Jones, Kim Capli, Eddie Brick, Charlie Rockett)
2. "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" (Michael Martin Murphey, Owen Castleman)
3. "Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky" (Peter Tork)
4. "Pleasant Valley Sunday" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King)
5. "Daily Nightly" (Michael Nesmith)
6. "Don't Call on Me" (Michael Nesmith, John London)
7. "Star Collector" (Gerry Goffin, Carole King)

1995 Rhino reissue CD bonus tracks

14. "Special Announcement" (Previously Unissued)
15. "Goin' Down" (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix) (Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Peter Tork, Diane Hilderbrand, Michael Nesmith)
16. "Salesman" (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)
17. "The Door Into Summer" (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)
18. "Love is Only Sleeping" (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)
19. "Daily Nightly" (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)
20. "Star Collector" (Previously Unissued Alternate Mix)

2007 Rhino Deluxe Edition CD bonus tracks

Disc One

Tracks 1-13: Original Album in Stereo

Tracks 14-19: Bonus Tracks

14. "Goin' Down" (Stereo Mix)
15. "Salesman" (Alternate Stereo Mix)
16. "She Hangs Out" (Alternate Stereo Mix)
17. "Love is Only Sleeping" (Alternate Mix)
18. "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" (Alternate Mix)
19. "Riu Chiu" (TV Version) (Traditional)

Disc Two

Tracks 1-13: Original Album in Mono

Tracks 14-19: Bonus Tracks

14. "Special Announcement"
15. "Salesman" (Alternate Mono Mix)
16. "Cuddly Toy" (Alternate Mix)
17. "Goin' Down" (Mono Single Version)
18. "Daily Nightly" (Alternate Mix)
19. "Star Collector" (Alternate Mix)

iTunes mistakes

"Love is Only Sleeping" and "Cuddly Toy" play "Star Collector" and "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round" when bought from the '95 version of the album on the iTunes Store. The '07 version corrects these mistakes.

Aborted track listing

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

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"

The 1995 CD version of the album can be programmed to play in this order

Session information

"Salesman"

• Written by Craig Vincent Smith
• Lead vocal by Mike Nesmith with backing vocals by Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones and Chip Douglas
• Craig Vincent Smith was a friend of Nesmith's who later appeared in the band Penny Arkade, which Nesmith produced
• Featured on the TV show in the episode "The Devil and Peter Tork" and caused controversy when NBC objected to the episode, citing the song and its veiled drug reference in the third verse. The song refers to the adventure of a travelling salesman.

"She Hangs Out"

• Written by Jeff Barry
• Lead vocal by Davy Jones
• Used on episode #41 ("The Card Carrying Red Shoes"), without the horns (the hornless master remains lost)
• Trumpet: Pete Candoli, Robert Helfer, Al Porcine and Manuel Stevens
• Trombone: Richard Leith, Richard Noel, Philip Teele
• Arrangement: Shorty Rogers
• This was a remake of the January 1967 cut that Don Kirshner released without authorization in Canada; the release helped lead to Kirshner's firing from Colgems records.
• The original mono mix features a longer fade than on the stereo mix.
• Used in the episodes "Card Carrying Red Shoes" and "Some Like it Lukewarm"

"The Door Into Summer"

• Written by Chip Douglas and Bill Martin
• Lead vocal by Mike Nesmith
• Harmony vocal by Micky Dolenz
• The title is from a novel by sci-fi author Robert A. Heinlein
• Eddie Hoh is credited with drumming, but some evidence exists that the first take featured Micky on drums. Close listening to the finished recording reveals that there are two separate drum tracks. The right channel features a restrained drumming which continues through the entire track. At the start of the second verse, another less-restrained drummer begins in the left channel and continues through the rest of the song.
• Used in the episodes "Monkees on the Wheel" and "Some Like it Lukewarm"

"Love is Only Sleeping"

• Written by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil
• Lead vocal by Mike Nesmith
• Not originally intended to be included on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. as the song was to be issued as a single instead
• After a manufacturing error caused some delays, Colgems rethought the strategy and released the more commercial "Daydream Believer" as the single instead, with "Goin' Down" as its B-side
• The song was featured on three episodes of the TV show—"Everywhere A Sheik, Sheik", "I Was A 99-pound Weakling", and "The Monkees In Paris." The Paris episode feature's the song's released mix while the first two episodes feature a more stripped-down version derived from the song's original four-track mix before it was transferred to eight-track magnetic tape for additional mixing.This song was the first song by Nesmith after his surgery in 1967.
• Used in the episodes "Everywhere A Sheik, Sheik", "I Was A 99 lb. Weakling" and "The Monkees in Paris".

"Cuddly Toy"

• Written by Harry Nilsson
• Lead vocal by Davy Jones
• Harmony vocal by Micky Dolenz
• This song and "The Door Into Summer" are the only songs featuring Micky behind the drums on the album
• Demo was under the name "By Any Boy"
• Selected by the band after Nilsson auditioned several songs for the group
• Strings, Horns: unknown
• Some have interpreted the lyrics as being about a gang bang. In the liner notes to the CD's 1995 release it is stated that producer Lester Sill was angered to discover this.
• Used in the episodes "Everywhere A Sheik, Sheik", and "Monkees on the Wheel"

"Words"

• Written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart
• Lead vocals by Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork with backing vocals by Mike Nesmith and Davy Jones.
• Originally recorded for More of The Monkees in August 1966, but re-recorded for this album under the group's direction
• Organ used in the song is a Hammond B-3 (Played by Peter Tork)
• Reached number 11 on the pop charts
• This version used in the episodes "Monkees in Texas" and "Monkees' Paw" while the original version was used in the episode "Monkees in Manhattan"

"Hard To Believe"

• Written by David Jones, Kim Capli, Eddie Brick, and Charlie Rockett
• Lead vocal by Davy Jones
• Recorded at the end of their tour on August 23, 1967
• Trumpet: Oliver Mitchell, Anthony Terran
• Bass Trombone: Robert Knight
• French Horn: Vincent DeRosa
• Baritone Sax: Jim Horn
• Violin: Leonard Aitkins, Arnold Belnick, Nathan Kaproff, Wilbert Nuttycombe, Jerome Reisler and Darrel Terwilliger
• Orchestrator: George Tipton
• Arrangement: Roger Farris
• Kim Capli and Davy Jones recorded this song alone, with multi-instrumentalist Capli laying the basic tracks.
• This the only song on the album not to be used in a Monkees episode.

"What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?"

• Written under the pseudonyms Travis Lewis and Boomer Clark, but actually the work of Michael Martin Murphey and Owens Castleman
• Lead vocal by Mike Nesmith
• Chosen by Mike for the country feel it gave off; Murphy was an old friend of Nesmith's
• The released mix features group vocals, but an early mix featured only a double-tracked vocal by Mike.
• Used in the episodes "It's a Nice Place To Visit...", "Monkees Marooned", and "The Monkees Race Again". The version included in "Monkees Marooned" had a slightly longer run time, owing to the song's chorus being repeated four times after the last verse, instead of three times.

"Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky"

• Written by Peter Tork
• Spoken words by Peter Tork
• Taught to Peter by Judy Mayhan, whom he was managing at the time
• Peter admits that it was public domain, but when Screen Gems asked who wrote it he gave his name (which he could do, as 'arranger' of the piece)

"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

• Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King
• Lead vocal by Micky Dolenz
• Harmony vocal by Mike Nesmith
• Backing vocals by Peter Tork and Davy Jones
• Released as a single before the album on July 10, 1967
• Recorded on June 10 and 11, 1967 after their Hollywood Bowl performance
• Reached number 3 on the pop charts
• The stereo and mono mixes feature slightly different vocals by Micky on the opening verse.
• The fade on both released mixes is deliberately drowned in reverb and noise, but a karaoke mix released in 2004 features a conventional fade.
• Used in the episodes "The Picture Frame" and "Monkee Mayor".

"Daily Nightly"

• Written by Michael Nesmith
• Lead vocal by Micky Dolenz
• Nesmith's inspiration for this song stemmed from the infamous Sunset Strip riots and the misinformation that the media reported about the event.
• First use ever of a Moog Synthesizer on a pop record, which was played by Dolenz.
• The mono and stereo versions have slightly different Moog parts.
• Used in the episodes "Fairy Tale" and "The Monkees Blow Their Minds"

"Don't Call on Me"

• Written by Michael Nesmith and John London
• Lead vocal by Mike Nesmith
• A reworked version of a pre-Monkees Nesmith song
• Recorded during two Hollywood sessions, not from "the elegant Pump Room of the magnificent Palmer House, high over Chicago", which could not be possible anyway. The Pump Room Restuaurant and Palmer House Hotel are two separate businesses located in two different areas of Chicago. The song begins with the sounds of a live audience in a lounge, working into a jazzy, slow tune.
• Show producer Robert Rafelson played piano heard in the song's intro.
• Used in the episode "The Monkees in Paris"

"Star Collector"

• Written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King
• Lead vocal by Davy Jones
• Moog used on the album for a second time, this time played by Paul Beaver
• Song was about the growing phenomenon of groupies
• An alternate mix without Paul Beaver's Moog riffing was used on the TV show in the biker-themed episode "The Wild Monkees." A different version of this Moog-less mix is featured on Rhino Records' 2007 two-disc re-release of the album.
• Used in the episodes "The Wild Monkees", "Hitting the High Seas", "Monkees Watch Their Feet", "The Monkees in Paris", and "Monkees Mind Their Manor".

Bonus tracks session information

"Special Announcement"

• Originally intended to be the kick-off to the album, it is a parody of the tape-alignment instructions for RCA studios.
• Spoken words by Peter Tork

"Goin' Down"

• Written by Diane Hilderbrand, Peter Tork, Michael Nesmith, Micky Dolenz and David Jones
• Lead vocal by Micky Dolenz
• Electric guitars: Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork
• Bass: Chip Douglas
• Drums: Eddie Hoh
• Trumpets: Bud Brisbois, Virgil Evans, Uan Rasey and Thomas Scott
• Trombones: Louis Blackburn, Richard Leith, Richard Nash and Philip Teele
• Sax: William Collette, William Hood, Plas Johnson and John Lowe
• Arrangement by Shorty Rogers
• Produced by Chip Douglas
• B-side of "Daydream Believer"
• Intended to be on the album, but deleted after including "Love Is Only Sleeping" on the album
• Inspired by Mose Allison and his song Parchman Farm. It began as a free-form jam and then Mike decided it should be recorded as an original track.
• The version presented here does not have a fade-out, while appearances on compilations, and the 07' release do.
• Used in the series episodes "The Wild Monkees" "A Coffin Too Frequent" "The Monkees In Texas" "The Monstrous Monkee Mash" "The Monkees Paw" and "The Monkees In Paris". "The Wild Monkees" and "The Monkees In Texas" feature Micky singing live over the instrumental, while "The Monkees Paw" uses clips of just the instrumental track."

Salesman (alt. version)

• Features a goofy sales pitch by Nesmith over the fade.

"The Door Into Summer" (alt. version)

• Features a different background vocal arrangement (with a more prominent vocal by Micky) and an altered lead vocal by Mike

"Love is Only Sleeping" (alt. version)

• This is the original four-track mix before the song was transferred to eight-track tape for further overdubs; the four-track mix lacks the released version's extensive echo effects and also features alternate organ parts, particularly on the ending.

"Daily Nightly" (alt. mix)

• Lacks Dolenz's synthesizer part

"Star Collector" (alt. longer version)

• Features a longer Moog solo and an altered beginning and ending.
• Is featured on Rhino Records' 2007 re-release of the album in both the longer Moog mix and also a Moog-less mix that features extensive backing vocals during the prolonged outro and fade.

Main personnel

• Drums: Eddie Hoh, Micky Dolenz (Cuddly Toy), Kim Capli (Hard to Believe)
• Guitars: Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz, Bill Chadwick
• Piano, Organ and Clavinet: Peter Tork, Chip Douglas, Bill Martin, Harry Nilsson, Bob Rafelson
• Bass: Chip Douglas, Larry Taylor
• Percussion: Davy Jones, Bill Martin
• Banjo: Douglas Dillard, Peter Tork
• Moog Synthesizer: Micky Dolenz, Paul Beaver
• Vocals, Backing vocals: Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith & Peter Tork

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1967	Billboard Pop Albums (Billboard 200)	1

Original single

"Love is Only Sleeping" / "Daydream Believer"
The original single to precede the album was canceled due to fears that the title of the A-side might be too risqué. "Daydream Believer" was chosen instead as the A side with "Goin' Down" placed on the B side.

Critical reception

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Jones Ltd. is considered to be one of the greatest albums by The Monkees and has received numerous critical praise, along with being at the number one spot in the Billboard Hot 100 for many weeks.

References

• All information can be found in Rhino Records' reissues (1995 and 2007) of Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
• The Monkees: The Day-By-Day Story of the 60s TV Pop Sensation by Andrew Sandoval

Preceded by Diana Ross and The Supremes Greatest Hits by The Supremes

Billboard 200 number-one album December 2, 1967 - January 5, 1968

Succeeded by Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles

The Monkees Micky Dolenz · Davy Jones · Michael Nesmith · Peter Tork Production/Management Don Kirshner · Bob Rafelson · Bert Schneider · Ward Sylvester · Lester Sill · Raybert Productions · Chip Douglas · Hank Cicalo Studio albums The Monkees · More of the Monkees · Headquarters · Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. · The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees · Head · Instant Replay · The Monkees Present · Changes · Pool It! · Justus Other albums Greatest Hits (Colgems) · Barrel Full of Monkees · Re-Focus · Greatest Hits (Arista) · More Greatest Hits of The Monkees · Monkee Business · Monkee Flips · Hit Factory · Then & Now... The Best of The Monkees ·  · Missing Links · Missing Links Volume Two · Listen to the Band (box set) · Greatest Hits (Rhino) · Barrelful of Monkees: Monkees Songs for Kids! · Missing Links Volume Three · The Monkees Anthology · Music Box (box set) ·  · The Best of The Monkees · The Headquarters Sessions Live albums Live 1967  · Summer 1967: The Complete U.S. Concert Recordings · Live! · 2001: Live in Las Vegas Singles "Last Train to Clarksville"/"Take a Giant Step" · "I'm a Believer"/"(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" · "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You"/"The Girl I Knew Somewhere" · "Pleasant Valley Sunday"/"Words"  · "Daydream Believer"/"Goin' Down" · "Valleri"/"Tapioca Tundra" · "D. W. Washburn"/"It's Nice to Be With You" · "Porpoise Song"/"As We Go Along" · "Tear Drop City"/"A Man Without a Dream" · "Someday Man"/"Listen To The Band" · "Good Clean Fun"/"Mommy and Daddy" · "Oh My My"/"I Love You Better" · "Do It In The Name Of Love"/"Lady Jane" · "That Was Then, This Is Now" · "Heart and Soul"/"MGBGT" · "Every Step of the Way"/"(I'll) Love You Forever" Film/Television The Monkees (Episode list) · Head · 33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee · Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees Related articles Discography · Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart · The Monkees (book)  · New Monkees · The Monkeemobile · An Evening with The Monkees: The 45th Anniversary Tour