"Last Train to Clarksville" (Boyce–Hart) | |
---|---|
Composers |
Tommy Boyce |
Producers |
Tommy Boyce |
Publisher |
Screen Gems–Columbia Music, Inc. |
Performance rights |
BMI |
Album |
Single by the Monkees | |
---|---|
B-side |
|
Release date |
16 August 1966 |
Label |
|
Country |
United States |
Catalog no. |
66-1001 |
Followed by |
Single by the Monkees | |
---|---|
B-side |
|
Release date |
1973 |
Label |
Flashback Records |
Country |
United States |
Catalog no. |
FLB 70 |
Preceded by |
"Steam Engine" |
Followed by |
Single by the Monkees | |
---|---|
A-side |
|
Release date |
1994 |
Label |
Collectables |
Country |
United States |
Catalog no. |
COL 0386 |
Preceded by |
"Every Step of the Way" |
Followed by |
"Last Train to Clarksville", written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, is The Monkees' first single, first released on 16 August 1966 by Colgems Records as 66-1001 backed with "Take a Giant Step". The song was also featured on the band's debut album The Monkees. The single was the first record released by Colgems and featured a mono mix of the song; a stereo version first appeared on the stereo album.
The single reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week starting 5 November 1966.
Studio Mixes[]
Sessions for "Last Train to Clarksville" were produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart and recorded at RCA Victor Studios in Hollywood on 25 July 1966 and other dates. All four Monkees are said to have recorded lead vocals for "Last Train to Clarksville", but when Micky Dolenz's vocal was selected, the three others were destroyed.
credits[]
lead vocals: Micky Dolenz
guitar: Tommy Boyce, Wayne Erwin, Gerry McGee, Louie Shelton
bass: Larry Taylor
drums: Billy Lewis
tambourine: Gene Estes
percussion: David Walters
mono single master[]
- single b/w "Take a Giant Step" (1966)
- "Monkee See, Monkee Die" —NBC, 19 September 1966
- "Monkee Versus Machine" — NBC, 26 September 1966
- "Your Friendly Neighborhood Kidnappers" — NBC, 3 October 1966
- The Monkees (1966) — Colgems COM-101 (LP)
- "The Monkees at the Movies" — NBC, 17 April 1967
- Then and Now... The Best of the Monkees (1986) — Arista AL9-8432 (CD)
- The Monkees (2006) — Rhino R2 77678 (2 CDs)
stereo album master[]
- The Monkees (1966) — Colgems COS-101 (LP)
- Greatest Hits (1969) — Colgems COS-115 (LP)
- Barrel Full of Monkees (1971) — Colgems SCOS-1001 (2 LPs)
- Re-Focus (1972) — Bell 6801 (LP)
- Greatest Hits (1976) — Arista 4089 (LP)
- The Monkees (1988) — Arista ARCD-8524 (CD)
- Listen to the Band (1991) — Rhino R 70566 (4 CDs)
- The Monkees (1994) — Rhino R2 71790 (CD)
- Greatest Hits (1995) — Rhino R2 72190 (CD)
- The Monkees Anthology (1998) — Rhino R2 75269 (2 CDs)
- Music Box (2001) — Rhino R2 76706 (4 CDs)
- The Best of the Monkees (2003) — Rhino R2 73875 (2 CDs)
- The Monkees (2006) — Rhino R2 77678 (2 CDs)
- The Monkees (2011) — Rhino (CD)
Live Recordings[]
- "The Monkees on Tour" — NBC, 24 April 1967
- Live 1967 (1987)
- Summer 1967: The Complete U.S. Concert Recordings (2001)
Covers[]
- The Four Tops — Reach Out (1967)
- Shoe Suede Blues-Live Performance
- The Grascals-Video Link
- Cassandra Wilson-Video Link
- Serbian "Riblja čorba - Zadnji voz za Čačak" Video-Link
Lyrics[]
Take the last train to Clarksville And I'll meet you at the station You can be here by four-thirty 'Cause I made your reservation Don't be slow Oh, no, no, no Oh, no, no, no 'Cause I'm leaving in the morning And I must see you again We'll have one more night together Till the morning brings my train And I must go Oh, no, no, no Oh, no, no, no And I don't know if I'm ever coming home Take the last train to Clarksville I'll be waiting at the station We'll have time for coffee-flavored kisses And a bit of conversation Oh Oh, no, no, no Oh, no, no, no Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo-doo Take the last train to Clarksville Now, I must hang up the phone I can't hear you in this noisy Railroad station all alone I'm feeling low Oh, no, no, no Oh, no, no, no And I don't know if I'm ever coming home Oh Take the last train to Clarksville And I'll meet you at the station You can be here by four thirty 'Cause I made your reservation Don't be slow Oh, no, no, no Oh, no, no, no And I don't know if I'm ever coming home Take the last train to Clarksville Take the last train to Clarksville Take the last train to Clarksville Take the last train to Clarksville