The Monkees Greatest Hits (album)
Encyclopedia
The Monkees Greatest Hits was a 1976 greatest hits
compilation album
of songs by the Monkees released by Arista Records
, and a reissue of an earlier Bell Records compilation, Re-Focus
.
While the Monkees were among the top-selling bands of the mid-1960s, their decline was sharp and their last new albums and singles sold poorly. Earlier best-of collections (the first two from their original label, Colgems Records
) had seen only limited release, and were hard to find in stores. Several of the Monkees' hits had become radio staples, though, and with the sale of their television series into syndication
in 1975, they found a new audience on daytime TV. Popular demand from old and new Monkees fans prompted the album's release, and until the issue of More Greatest Hits
in 1982, it was the only Monkees record in print in the United States.
The cover included a first-rate photo of the group on the front, a still from the show on the back, and basic track information, with the audio quality about par for reissues of the time. The songs were an all-stereo mix of both hit single
s and album tracks featured in the series. The album became a best-seller, and remained available through the 1980s, with cassette
and compact disc
editions also appearing.
When Rhino Records reissued the entire Monkees catalog during 1995, this and all previous Monkees compilations were deleted. The song selection was largely repeated on Rhino's own Monkees Greatest Hits
collection, though not all the versions presented were the same.
Greatest hits
A greatest hits album is a music compilation album of successful, previously released songs by a particular artist or band...
compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of songs by the Monkees released by Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
, and a reissue of an earlier Bell Records compilation, Re-Focus
Re-Focus (album)
Re-Focus was a 1972 compilation album of songs by The Monkees, released on Bell Records, the successor to Colgems Records, which had been the Monkees's original record label....
.
While the Monkees were among the top-selling bands of the mid-1960s, their decline was sharp and their last new albums and singles sold poorly. Earlier best-of collections (the first two from their original label, Colgems Records
Colgems Records
Colgems Records was a record label which existed from 1966 to 1971. It was a joint venture between Screen Gems, the television division of Columbia Pictures, and RCA Records, to issue records by The Monkees and other artists affiliated with Screen Gems. The label would also issue soundtrack...
) had seen only limited release, and were hard to find in stores. Several of the Monkees' hits had become radio staples, though, and with the sale of their television series into syndication
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
in 1975, they found a new audience on daytime TV. Popular demand from old and new Monkees fans prompted the album's release, and until the issue of More Greatest Hits
More Greatest Hits of the Monkees
More Greatest Hits of the Monkees was a 1982 greatest hits compilation album of songs by the Monkees, assembled and released by Arista Records...
in 1982, it was the only Monkees record in print in the United States.
The cover included a first-rate photo of the group on the front, a still from the show on the back, and basic track information, with the audio quality about par for reissues of the time. The songs were an all-stereo mix of both hit single
Hit single
A hit single is a recorded song or instrumental released as a single that has become very popular. Although it is sometimes used to describe any widely-played or big-selling song, the term "hit" is usually reserved for a single that has appeared in an official music chart through repeated radio...
s and album tracks featured in the series. The album became a best-seller, and remained available through the 1980s, with cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
and compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
editions also appearing.
When Rhino Records reissued the entire Monkees catalog during 1995, this and all previous Monkees compilations were deleted. The song selection was largely repeated on Rhino's own Monkees Greatest Hits
The Best of The Monkees
The Best of the Monkees is a Monkees compilation released by Rhino Entertainment. It contains 25 songs from The Monkees' repertoire, listed in chronological order by release date. Also included is a Bonus karaoke CD with five tracks...
collection, though not all the versions presented were the same.
Track listing
- "(Theme from) The Monkees(Theme from) The Monkees" The Monkees" is a 1966 popular song, written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart as the theme song for the TV series The Monkees. It later appeared on their album The Monkees. Originally intended as an album track, it was later released as a single in Australia, where it became a hit. It is still...
" (Boyce & Hart) - "Last Train to ClarksvilleLast Train to Clarksville"Last Train to Clarksville" was the debut single by The Monkees, released August 16, 1966, and later included on the group's 1966 self-titled album, that was released on October 10, 1966. The song was recorded at RCA Victor Studio B in Hollywood, on July 25, 1966...
" (Boyce & Hart) - "She" (Boyce & Hart)
- "Daydream BelieverDaydream Believer"Daydream Believer" is a song composed by John Stewart shortly before he left the Kingston Trio. The song was originally recorded by The Monkees, with Davy Jones singing lead vocals. The single hit the number one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1967, remaining there for four...
" (Stewart) - "Listen to the Band" (NesmithMichael NesmithRobert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name...
) - "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit YouA Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You"A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" is a song by Neil Diamond that was released by The Monkees in 1967 . Davy Jones sang the lead vocal . It went to #1 in the US Cashbox charts and #2 on the Billboard charts...
" (DiamondNeil DiamondNeil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
) - "I'm a BelieverI'm a Believer"I'm a Believer" is a song composed by Neil Diamond and recorded by The Monkees in 1966 with the lead vocals by Micky Dolenz. The single, produced by Jeff Barry, hit the number one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending December 31, 1966 and remained there for seven weeks,...
" (Diamond) - "I Wanna Be Free" (Boyce & Hart)
- "Pleasant Valley SundayPleasant Valley Sunday"Pleasant Valley Sunday" is a song by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, most famous for the version recorded by The Monkees in 1967. Goffin's and King's inspiration for the name was a street named , in West Orange, New Jersey where they were living at the time. The road follows a valley through several...
" (KingCarole KingCarole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
& GoffinGerry GoffinGerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
) - "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" Steppin' Stone" is a rock song by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. It was first recorded by Paul Revere & the Raiders and appeared on their 1966 album Midnight Ride....
" (Boyce & Hart) - "Shades of GrayShades of Gray (song)Shades of Gray was written in 1965 by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and was recorded by The Monkees for their 1967 album Headquarters, the first in which the group played all its own instruments...
" (MannBarry MannBarry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
& WeilCynthia WeilCynthia Weil is a prominent American songwriter. She is famous for having written many songs together with her husband Barry Mann....
)