Pool It!

Pool It!
Studio album by The Monkees
Released August 1987
Recorded May-July 1987, Cherokee Studios, Hollywood [1]
Genre Rock, pop rock
Length 41:44
Label Rhino
Producer Roger Bechirian
The Monkees chronology

Live 1967
(1987)		 Pool It!
(1987)		 Missing Links
(1988)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic [2]

Pool It!, issued in 1987 by Rhino Records, is the tenth studio release by The Monkees. It was the first "reunion album" by the band after their 1986 rebirth, and it marked the return of Peter Tork along with Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones. Michael Nesmith did not participate in this reunion.

Much like the group's early work, the playing and writing of the album was handled in large part by session musicians, with the Monkees themselves contributing lead vocals and some instrumentation, namely Peter Tork on his own song "Gettin' In".

The album was not a particular commercial or critical success; it only reached #72 on the Billboard 200. Only one single from the album, "Heart and Soul," managed to make Billboard's Hot 100 chart, peaking at #87. The follow-up single, a remixed version of "Every Step of the Way", failed to chart.

The book "The Monkees Tale" by Eric Lefcowitz claims this album and the two singles relating to it were recorded by "Dolenz, Tork & Jones" and not "the Monkees".[3] However, the billing on the LP itself is "Peter, Micky, Davy - The Monkees".

A deluxe version of this album was released on April 24, 2012 by Friday Music. Along with the original tracks, this version included a live cut of Peter Tork's "MGBGT" and the remixed single track of "Every Step of the Way". On a separate disk, Friday Music included a DVD of the "Heart & Soul" Videography, featuring the videos for "Heart & Soul" and "Every Step of the Way", along with interviews and more.

The album cover was featured in Pitchfork Media's list of "The Worst Record Covers of All Time".[4]

Music videos

Two promotional music videos were produced for Pool It! The first was for "Heart and Soul". The video begins in an ice factory in 1967 with the song "Last Train to Clarksville" playing in the background. Inside the ice factory, Davy, Micky and Peter are found frozen in blocks of ice and wearing their outfits from the Monkees television show. The video quickly fast-forwards to 1987 where the three Monkees are thawed and learn how much has changed since the late 1960s. They try to land work as musicians, but end up washing dishes.

The second video produced was for "Every Step of the Way".

Track listing

  1. "Heart and Soul" (Simon Byrne, Andrew Howell)
  2. "(I'd Go The) Whole Wide World" (Eric Goulden)
  3. "Long Way Home" (Dick Eastman, Bobby Hart)
  4. "Secret Heart" (Brian Fairweather, Martin Page)
  5. "Gettin' In" (Peter Tork)
  6. "(I'll) Love You Forever" (David Jones)
  7. "Every Step of the Way" (Mark Clarke, Ian Hunter)
  8. "Don't Bring Me Down" (Bill Teeley, Glenn Wyka)
  9. "Midnight" (David)
  10. "She's Movin' in with Rico" (Andrew Howell)
  11. "Since You Went Away" (Michael Levine)
  12. "Counting on You" (Alan Green)

Session information

"Heart And Soul"

"(I'd Go The) Whole Wide World"

"Long Way Home"

"Secret Heart"

"Gettin' In"

"(I'll) Love You Forever"

"Every Step Of The Way"

"Don't Bring Me Down"

"Midnight"

"She's Movin' In With Rico"

"Since You Went Away"

"Counting On You"

Musicians

References

  1. ↑ http://monkeessessionography.tripod.com/86_89.html
  2. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/r74931
  3. ↑ Lefcowitz, Eric. The Monkees Tale - Revised Edition. Last Gasp, 1989, p. 103.
  4. ↑ http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/6194-the-worst-record-covers-of-all-time/