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The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees
Birds, the Bees & the Monkees

Label

Colgems Records

Country

United States

Release date

April 1968

Catalog no.
 

COM-109 (mono)
COS-109 (stereo)

Preceded by

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.

Followed by

Head

The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees is the Monkees' fifth album, originally released by Colgems Records as COM-109 (mono) and COS-109 (stereo). It was the last mono album released by Colgems, though they would continue to issue mono singles. The album was produced by the Monkees, with the exception of "Daydream Believer", which had been produced by Chip Douglas during sessions for Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. With this exception, each of the Monkees actually produced their own songs for the album, with little or no participation from any other member. With none of Peter Tork's songs chosen for the final track lineup, Tork's sole presence on the original album was his piano accompaniment on "Daydream Believer".

Songwriting credits include David Jones, Michael Nesmith, John Stewart, Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Carole Bayer, Sandy Linzer, Denny Randell, Bill Chadwick, Keith Allison, Steve Pitts, and others. A large number of session musicians were used, including Nesmith, Chip Douglas, Harry Nilsson, Bill Martin, Eddie Hoh, Joe Osborn, Keith Allison, Bill Chadwick, Anthony Terran, Hal Blaine, Bill Martin, James Burton, Michael Melvoin, Max Bennett, Earl Palmer, and Milt Holland. Shorty Rogers did many of the arrangements on the album.

The album reached #3 on the Billboard 200 album charts, becoming the first Monkees album not to reach #1.

Track Listing[]

Original album[]

Side 1

  1. "Dream World"
  2. "Auntie's Municipal Court"
  3. "We Were Made for Each Other"
  4. "Tapioca Tundra"
  5. "Daydream Believer"
  6. "Writing Wrongs"

Side 2

  1. "I'll Be Back Up on My Feet"
  2. "The Poster"
  3. "P.O. Box 9847"
  4. "Magnolia Simms"
  5. "Valleri"
  6. "Zor and Zam"

Armed Forces Radio & Television Service version[]

An abridged version of the album was issued by the United States Office of Information for the Armed Forces to military radio stations, taking up one side of an LP. Notably absent are the three Top 40 singles from the album. The flip side featured six Jack Jones songs.

  1. "Dream World"
  2. "We Were Made for Each Other"
  3. "Writing Wrongs"
  4. "I'll Be Back Up on My Feet"
  5. "P.O. Box 9847"
  6. "Magnolia Simms"

1994 CD reissue[]

  1. "Dream World"
  2. "Auntie's Municipal Court"
  3. "We Were Made for Each Other"
  4. "Tapioca Tundra"
  5. "Daydream Believer"
  6. "Writing Wrongs"
  7. "I'll Be Back Up on My Feet"
  8. "The Poster"
  9. "P.O. Box 9847"
  10. "Magnolia Simms"
  11. "Valleri"
  12. "Zor and Zam"
  13. "Alvin" — prev. unissued
  14. "I'm Gonna Try — prev. unissued
  15. "P.O. Box 9847" — prev. unissued alternate mix
  16. "The Girl I Left Behind Me" — prev. unissued early version
  17. "Lady's Baby" — prev. unissued alternate mix

1996 vinyl reissue[]

  1. "Dream World"
  2. "Auntie's Municipal Court"
  3. "We Were Made for Each Other"
  4. "Tapioca Tundra"
  5. "Daydream Believer"
  6. "Writing Wrongs"
  7. "I'll Be Back Up on My Feet"
  8. "The Poster"
  9. "P.O. Box 9847"
  10. "Magnolia Simms"
  11. "Valleri"
  12. "Zor and Zam"
  13. "I'm Gonna Try" — prev. unissued
  14. "P.O. Box 9847" — prev. unissued alternate mix

2010 CD box set[]

Disc 1 — The Original Stereo Album & More

  1. "Dream World"
  2. "Auntie's Municipal Court"
  3. "We Were Made for Each Other"
  4. "Tapioca Tundra"
  5. "Daydream Believer"
  6. "Writing Wrongs"
  7. "I'll Be Back Up on My Feet"
  8. "The Poster"
  9. "P.O. Box 9847"
  10. "Magnolia Simms"
  11. "Valleri"
  12. "Zor and Zam"
  13. "Through the Looking Glass" — 1968 stereo mix
  14. "Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again" — alternate mix
  15. "D. W. Washburn" — 1968 stereo mix
  16. "It's Nice to Be with You" — 1968 stereo mix
  17. "Carlisle Wheeling" — 1967 stereo mix
  18. "Rosemarie" — 1968 stereo mix
  19. "My Share of the Sidewalk" — 1968 stereo mix
  20. "Alvin" — alternate take
  21. "We Were Made for Each Other" — alternate backing track
  22. "The Girl I Left Behind Me" — 1967 stereo mix
  23. "Little Red Rider" — acoustic version
  24. "Lady's Baby" — 1968 stereo mix
  25. "Ceiling in My Room" — 1967 stereo mix
  26. "I'm a Man" — backing track
  27. "Me Without You" — 1968 stereo mix

Disc 2 — The Original Mono Album & More

  1. "Dream World"
  2. "Auntie's Municipal Court"
  3. "We Were Made for Each Other"
  4. "Tapioca Tundra"
  5. "Daydream Believer"
  6. "Writing Wrongs"
  7. "I'll Be Back Up on My Feet"
  8. "The Poster"
  9. "P.O. Box 9847"
  10. "Magnolia Simms"
  11. "Valleri"
  12. "Zor and Zam"
  13. "Alvin" — 1968 mono mix
  14. "While I Cry" — 1968 mono mix
  15. "D. W. Washburn" — mono single mix
  16. "It's Nice to Be with You" — mono single mix
  17. "Come On In" — 1968 mono mix
  18. "Carlisle Wheeling" — 1968 mono mix
  19. "Rosemarie" — 1968 mono mix
  20. "The Girl I Left Behind Me" — 1967 mono mix
  21. "Seeger's Theme" — alternate version
  22. "Tear the Top Right off My Head" — Micky's vocal
  23. "My Share of the Sidewalk" — 1968 mono mix
  24. "Lady's Baby" — 1968 mono mix
  25. "Ceiling in My Room" — 1967 mono mix
  26. "Merry Go Round" — 1968 mono mix
  27. "Don't Listen to Linda" — 1968 mono mix
  28. "Me Without You" — 1968 mono mix
  29. "Zor and Zam" — TV version
  30. "The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees Teen Radio Spot"

Disc 3 — The Birds, the Bees & the Raritees

  1. "Monkees Adult Stereo 8 Spot"
  2. "Tear the Top Right off My Head" — Peter's vocal
  3. "Auntie's Municipal Court" — Mike's vocal
  4. "P.O. Box 9847" — 1968 alternate stereo mix
  5. "War Games" — version one
  6. "Lady's Baby"
  7. "Tapioca Tundra" — 1967 alternate stereo mix
  8. "D. W. Washburn" — alternate mix with bass vocal
  9. "Nine Times Blue" — version two; Davy's vocal
  10. "Lady's Baby" — acoustic version
  11. "While I Cry" — alternate mono mix
  12. "Shorty Blackwell" — rehearsal
  13. "Laurel and Hardy"
  14. "Seeger's Theme" — acoustic version
  15. "Tapioca Tundra" — acoustic version
  16. "Don't Say Nothin' Bad (About My Baby)"
  17. "War Games" — version two
  18. "(I Prithee) Do Not Ask for Love" — second recorded version
  19. "My Share of the Sidewalk" — Mike's vocal version
  20. "Shake 'Em Up and Let 'Em Roll" — alternate vocal version
  21. "Changes" — 2009 mix
  22. "Merry Go Round" — version one
  23. "Magnolia Simms" — stereo remix
  24. "The Girl I Left Behind Me" — third recorded version
  25. "Merry Go Round" — third recorded version
  26. "Nine Times Blue" — version two; Mike's vocal
  27. "The Party" — 2009 mix
  28. "I Wasn't Born to Follow" — backing track

Bonus single

  1. "St. Matthew" — acoustic version
  2. "Lady's Baby" — acoustic version

Release History[]

United States[]

  • 1966: Colgems COM-109 — LP (mono)
  • 1966: Colgems COS-109 — LP (stereo)
  • 196?: Colgems P8CG-1007 — 8-track
  • 1985: Rhino RNC 144 — cassette
  • 1985: Rhino RNLP 144 — LP
  • 1994: Rhino R2 71794 — CD (bonus tracks)
  • 1996: Sundazed LP 5049 — LP (yellow vinyl; bonus tracks)
  • 2001: Sundazed LP 5049 — LP (180-gram black vinyl; bonus tracks)
  • 2010: Rhino Handmade RHM2 522248 — 3 CDs (bonus tracks; limited edition)

See Also[]

Around the Web[]

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