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| Back cover |
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| My copy of album |
I first saw a Japanese import of this album in a record store I frequented in Northern New Jersey in 1981 I was very tempted to buy enticed by it's gorgeous cover,and curious as to why they were selling Monkee albums as the resurgence in thier poularity didn't start til 1985.
O.K.,now on with the review.I'm a huge Monkee fan,I once owned everything I could get my hands on including their vinyl picture discs that is everything but this album.I had always heard and read mediocre reviews about TBTBATM so just avoided it,I always backed up Headquarters as being their greatest effort that is until I heard this Gem.
The album features some of the groups best efforts,althoughTork is almost minus with the exception of the opening piano in Daydream Believer where Davy can be heard stating in the songs opening ''What number is this Chip? [Douglas] 7A!,then quotes Davy ''O.K,no need to get excited just because I'm short I know'' [not giving reference to his stature,but meaning short on recording takes,as this song took several]
The Birds The Bees and The Monkees was released in 1968 just after the tv series was cancelled,coined as The Monkee's ''White album'' and appropriately so as this was primarily the boys solo efforts with Peter Tork's departure and final contribution.
The reviews of this album have not been kind,ranging from terrible to abysmal,and I could not disagree more,Davy's contributions have been lambasted by critics as being sappy sentimental slop,again,I beg to differ,on the contrary,I think this is Davy's best who also penned 2 of the songs.
The album starts off with Dream World with Davy on vocals,yea a tad on the sappy side,but still love this.
The second song penned by Nez,Aunties Municipal Court to me was not only one of the best Monkees song,but one of my altime favs with Micky giving his best vocals,this Psychedelic word salad delight is supposed to be about the Vietnam protests,Micky gives us the reverberated Oyeeee,Oyeee,oyeeeee I think is quite brilliant. This ''Byrd-ish'' delight also had Clarence White of The Byrds on guitar.
We were made for each other sung by Davy is another great song.
Tapioca Tundra,here Nez uses his vocals quite interestingly,almost like another instrument.
Magnolia Simms,another Nez masterpiece,written before Paul McCartney's Honey Pie is hauntingly similar to it's style,it was said that Nez went to an antique shop,and purchased $100.00 worth of 78's to achieve the sound of a worn record and a tonearm being sweeped across a record.I love this song,Mike's vocals are incredible.
Daydream Believer,the 5th offering is the only song to make # 1 and was the groups last #1 hit,also the last song Peter Tork would be heard playing on til the lame 1987 album ''Pool It''
Side 2's highlights are another Davy penned song called ''The Poster'',to heck with what the critics said,this song is brilliant,I mean you can almost taste the peanuts and popcorn while Mr. Jones takes you to the circus,the keyboard work in this is shere genious,yea,a bit like The Beatle's For the benefit of Mr. Kite but much better.
Before there was Plenty of Fish,or Match .Com dating,or home computers for that matter ,there was P.O.Box 9847,a Micky ditty about classified dating I think is the albums wittiest song.
In closing,this is almost equal to Headquarters,is available brand new from Sundazed,and nothing against Sundazed vinyl,I just find the 80's Monkee Rhino record releases to be superior in quality and sound.Sundazed offers bonus songs not found on the earlier Rhino releases.
Take it from a Monkee maniac,this is a fantabulous listen!
Below,painting of Davy by me
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