Headquarters (album)

Headquarters
Studio album by The Monkees
Released May 22, 1967
Recorded February–March 1967
Genre Pop rock
Length 31:10
Label Colgems (original U.S. release)
RCA Victor (original release outside U.S.)
Arista (1980 Japanese LP reissue + 1986 CD reissue)
Rhino (1986 LP reissue + 1995 & 2007 CD reissues)
Sundazed (1996 LP reissue)
Producer Chip Douglas
The Monkees chronology
More of the Monkees
(1967)More of the Monkees1967		 Headquarters
(1967)		 Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
(1967)Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.1967
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
MusicHound[2]
Record Collector[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[4]

Headquarters is the third album issued by the Monkees and the first with substantial songwriting and instrumental performances by members of the group itself, rather than by session musicians and professional songwriters. After a struggle for creative autonomy with their record label, the group had been allowed to record by themselves. Headquarters reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart and was certified double platinum in the United States with sales of more than two million copies within the first two months of release. It peaked at #2 on the UK charts. It is included in the 2006 book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Early history and concept

While the original concept of their third album was to follow the same format and production of the first two albums, after the release of More of the Monkees, the group was becoming increasingly frustrated by the limited creative input they were allowed by Don Kirshner, and continued to fight for more creative control and independence from him. Kirshner had already began supervising recording sessions with studio musicians for their third album, with Davy Jones recording vocal tracks for some of the songs, while the group recorded two songs featuring them both singing and playing ("All of Your Toys" and "The Girl I Knew Somewhere"), for their next single. The hope was to pacify the group, particularly Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork, by gaining some of the input they were asking for, even though the track would feature as the b-side, with the a-side featuring one of the aforementioned Jones-vocal tracks. Tensions came to a head when Kirshner released the third single (in Canada), with Jones tracks on both sides ("A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" and an early version of "She Hangs Out"), completely ignoring the group's request, and without the approval of record executives. This was the last straw and it led to Kirshner's dismissal from the Monkees project and the group was finally given full creative control of their next album. The single was withdrawn from Canada pulled from scheduled release in the US. Since "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" was already announced as the next single, it was retained as the a-side and "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" as the b-side (a publishing error prevented "All of Your Toys" from being used), replacing "She Hangs Out". The remaining Kirshner-supervised tracks that had already been finished were discarded so that the group could finally produce an album where they would decide the songs, the arrangements, etc. More importantly, they would provide all the vocals and instrumentals, using sessions musicians only as an addition to their own.

Release

The album was released on May 22, 1967 and charted at the No. 1 in the U.S. It stayed at that position for only one week, and was then replaced by The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. It then began a run of 11 consecutive weeks at the No. 2 position as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band remained at No. 1.

The album was issued on the compact disc format for the first time by Arista Records in 1987, remixed from the multi-tracks, then later from the original stereo mastertape in 1995 with several bonus tracks on Rhino Entertainment. In 2000, Rhino Entertainment, through its Rhino Handmade division, issued The Headquarters Sessions, a 3-disc box set of outtakes from the session as well as the album's original monophonic mix presented in an alternate running order that was rejected before release.

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

Album cover

The original rear album cover features a collage of photos including one of the band with producer Chip Douglas and engineer Dick Bogert. However the photo was mislabeled: it identifies Hank Cicalo as sitting next to Chip Douglas. This is known as the "Producers Cover". Colgems/RCA corrected the error in 1968 by substituting a different photo rather than revising the caption. Peter, Micky and Mike were sporting light beards while Davy's shoulder-length hair had been cut off; this has come to be known as the "Beard Cover". This is the corrected version because it was standard practice for RCA to add an "RE" to the catalog number when any one side of a record sleeve had a revision. The "Beard Cover" has a catalog number of COS/COM-103 RE.[5]

Track listing

Original 1967 Colgems vinyl issue

Side 1
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."You Told Me" (Michael Nesmith)Michael Nesmith2:25
2."I'll Spend My Life with You" (Tommy Boyce / Bobby Hart)Micky Dolenz2:26
3."Forget That Girl" (Douglas Farthing Hatlelid)Davy Jones2:25
4."Band 6" (Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork)instrumental0:41
5."You Just May Be the One" (Michael Nesmith)Michael Nesmith2:03
6."Shades of Gray" (Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil)Davy Jones, Peter Tork3:22
7."I Can't Get Her Off My Mind" (Boyce / Hart)Davy Jones2:27
Side 2
No.TitleLead vocalsLength
1."For Pete's Sake" (Peter Tork, Joey Richards)Micky Dolenz2:11
2."Mr. Webster" (Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart)Micky Dolenz2:05
3."Sunny Girlfriend" (Michael Nesmith)Michael Nesmith2:33
4."Zilch" (Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork)Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork1:06
5."No Time" (Hank Cicalo)Micky Dolenz2:08
6."Early Morning Blues and Greens" (Diane Hildebrand, Jack Keller)Davy Jones2:35
7."Randy Scouse Git" (Micky Dolenz)Micky Dolenz2:40

Aborted track listing

The album's preliminary track lineup was compiled shortly after the sessions had ended. It would have included the following songs:[6]

Side 1

  1. "For Pete's Sake"
  2. "I'll Spend My Life With You"
  3. "Forget That Girl"
  4. "You Just May Be The One"
  5. "Shades Of Gray"
  6. "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You"
  7. "Band 6"

Side 2

  1. "Sunny Girlfriend"
  2. "Mr. Webster"
  3. "You Told Me"
  4. "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (second version)
  5. "Zilch"
  6. "Early Morning Blues And Greens"
  7. "Randy Scouse Git"

1995 Rhino CD reissue

Tracks 1-14: Original album in stereo

  1. "All of Your Toys" (Early Mono Mix) (Bill Martin) - 3:02
  2. "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (Second Recorded Version + Mono Mix) (Nesmith) - 2:38
  3. "Peter Gunn's Gun" (Jam Session) (Henry Mancini) - 3:38
  4. "Jericho" (Studio Dialogue + Mono) (Traditional, arr. Tork) - 2:02
  5. "Nine Times Blue" (Demo Version + Mono) (Nesmith) - 2:07
  6. "Pillow Time" (Demo Version + Mono) (Janelle Scott/Matt Willis) - 4:00

1996 Sundazed vinyl reissue

Bonus track at the end of Side 1: "All of Your Toys" (Early Mono Mix) (Martin)
Bonus track at the end of Side 2: "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (Second Recorded Version + Mono Mix) (Nesmith)

2007 Rhino deluxe CD reissue

Disc 1

Tracks 1-14: Original Album in Stereo

  1. "All of Your Toys" (Stereo Remix) (Martin) - 3:10
  2. "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (Second Recorded Version, Stereo Remix) (Nesmith) - 2:52
  3. "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (Stereo Remix) (Neil Diamond) - 3:02
  4. "She Hangs Out" (Stereo Remix) (Jeff Barry) - 2:45
  5. "Love to Love" (Stereo Remix) (Diamond) - 2:36
  6. "You Can't Tie a Mustang Down" (Stereo Remix) (Barry) - 2:58
  7. "If I Learned to Play the Violin" (Stereo Remix) (Joey Levine, Artie Resnick) - 2:47
  8. "99 Pounds" (Stereo Remix) (Barry) - 2:29
  9. "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (Single Version, Stereo Remix) (Nesmith) - 3:02
  10. "Randy Scouse Git" (Alternate Version) (Dolenz) - 2:30
  11. "Tema Dei Monkees" (Stereo Remix) (Boyce, Hart) - 0:59

Disc 2

Tracks 1-14: Original Album in Mono

  1. "All of Your Toys" (Early Mono Mix) (Martin) - 3:03
  2. "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (Second Recorded Version, Alternate Mono Mix) (Nesmith) - 2:38
  3. "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (Mono Single Remix) (Diamond) - 2:48
  4. "She Hangs Out" (Mono Single Mix) (Barry, Ellie Greenwich) - 2:36
  5. "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (Mono Single Mix) (Nesmith) - 2:39
  6. "Nine Times Blue" (Demo Version) (Nesmith) - 2:08
  7. "She'll Be There" (Acoustic Duet) (Sharon Sheeley) - 2:33
  8. "Midnight Train" (Demo Version) (Dolenz) - 2:28
  9. "Peter Gunn's Gun" (Jam Session) (Mancini) - 3:41
  10. "Jericho" (Studio Dialogue) (Traditional, Arr. Tork) - 2:02
  11. "Pillow Time" (Demo Version) (Janelle Scott, Matt Willis) - 7:22

Session information

During the early months of 1967, the four Monkees sequestered themselves in the RCA Music Center of the World Studios, on Sunset Boulevard near Vine Street in Hollywood. Many of the songs were written by the four group members, or came together organically in jam sessions. A few of the songs were also written by songwriters Boyce and Hart. Michael Nesmith recruited fellow folk musician Chip Douglas, a member of The Modern Folk Quartet and The Turtles, to produce the album. Douglas, credited under his birth name, Douglas Farthing Hatlelid, also contributed bass guitar and a song.

"You Told Me"

"I'll Spend My Life with You"

"Forget That Girl"

"Band 6"

"You Just May Be the One"

"Shades of Gray"

"I Can't Get Her Off My Mind"

"For Pete's Sake"

"Mr. Webster"

"Sunny Girlfriend"

"Zilch"

"No Time"

"Early Morning Blues and Greens"

"Randy Scouse Git"

Several instrumental jams (available on The Headquarters Sessions) were taped by Chip Douglas which The Monkees apparently intended for inclusion on the album. The group (with bassist John London) jammed an instrumental cover of the song "Memphis Tennessee" in which Peter's guitar grooving (and some of London's bass work and Davy's tambourine) overshoots the ending; after Micky good-naturedly curses out Peter ("Aw, Peter! You had to screw it up!") and bashes his drums for effect, he decides, "We'll cut him off, just cut off the track (for the ending)," to which Mike replies, "No, don't cut off the track, it was groovy until [the ending]." Following this jam the group broke into a ferocious three-minute improvisation (dubbed "Twelve-String Improvisation" on The Headquarters Sessions) led by Mike's take-off of the guitar riff from The Beatles' "Day Tripper" and quickly joined by Peter's riffing, Micky's drums, London's bass and Davy's tambourine. Following the jam Micky is heard laughing and says, "Whoa! I gotta hear this!" and Peter asks Douglas, "Can we hear that back?" while a surprised Mike says, "Oh, they didn't tape that, did they?"

Another instrumental track intended for the album was a rock number, "Masking Tape" (credited to Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil but authorship has also been listed as unknown) which the group recorded with bassist Jerry Yester. One take was recorded: before the take Micky and Chip Douglas run through one of the song's verses. At the end of the performance Micky exclaims, "Whoa! That was it!" but producer Douglas protests, "No, that wasn't it, it slowed down in the middle, but it's getting close." For some reason the song was never finished.

Peter, Mike, Micky and his sister Coco recorded demos early in the sessions. Peter's demo of "Seeger's Theme" was instrumental, while Mike's and the Dolenzes' demos ("Nine Times Blue" and the Buffy Saint Marie composition "Until It's Time for You to Go" by Mike (who had first released it as a single in 1965); "She'll Be There" and "Midnight Train" by Micky and Coco) featured full vocals over acoustic guitar. Mike and the Dolenzes' demos took place in one session, as before Mike's demo of "Until It's Time" Chip Douglas is heard teasing that Mike is demoing under his old pseudonym 'Michael Blessing' to the laughter of Micky and Coco.

Bonus tracks session information

"All of Your Toys" (Early Mono Mix)

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (Second Recorded Version + Mono Mix)

"Peter Gunn's Gun" (Jam Session)

"Jericho" (Studio Dialogue + Mono)

"Nine Times Blue" (Demo Version + Mono)

"She'll Be There" (Acoustic Duet + Mono)

"Midnight Train" (Demo Version + Mono)

"Pillow Time" (Studio Dialogue + Mono)

2007 deluxe CD reissue bonus tracks session information

all tracks produced by Chip Douglas unless otherwise specified.

"A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" (Stereo Remix)

"She Hangs Out" (Single Version + Stereo Remix)

"Love to Love" (Alternate Stereo Remix)

"You Can't Tie a Mustang Down" (Stereo Remix)

"If I Learned to Play the Violin" (Stereo Remix)

"99 Pounds" (Stereo Remix)

"The Girl I Knew Somewhere" (Single Version + Stereo Remix)

"Tema Dei Monkees" (Stereo Remix)

Personnel

Charts

Album

Chart (1967) Peak
position
Canadian Albums (RPM)[9] 1
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] 3
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[11] 29
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[12] 32
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[13] 2
UK Albums (OCC)[14] 2
US Billboard 200[15] 1

Single

Year Single Chart Peak
position
1967 "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" Billboard Hot 100 39[16]

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[17] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

References

  1. ↑ Headquarters at AllMusic
  2. ↑ 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.
  3. ↑ "Record Collector | The Monkees - Headquarters | Album Review". Recordcollectormag.com. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
  4. ↑ 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.
  5. ↑ "Albums Hq". Monkee45s.net. Retrieved 2012-02-20.
  6. ↑ Monkees, The, The Headquarters Sessions., Rhino Records, 2000, liner notes
  7. ↑ Kovalchik, Kara (16 December 2008). "Hey, Hey, They're the Monkees: What John Lennon had to say about the band (and much, much more)". Mental Floss. Archived from the original on 2015-01-10. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  8. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/song/midnight-train-mt0007398585
  9. ↑ "RPM: The Monkees (albums)". RPM Magazine. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  10. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. p. 263. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  11. ↑ "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH. Retrieved April 8, 2017.
  12. ↑ "Oricon Archive - The Monkees". Oricon. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Monkees – Headquarters". 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. ↑ "Headquarters - Charts and Awards". Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  17. ↑ "American album certifications – The Monkees – Headquarters". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 24 June 2014. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH

Bibliography

Preceded by
Sounds Like... by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass		 Billboard 200 number-one album
June 24–30, 1967 		Succeeded by
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles
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