THE MONKEES’ HEAD SWELLS
Rhino Handmade Expands The Cult Classic’s Soundtrack Into A Three-Disc
Boxed Set With 21 Unreleased Tracks, Outtakes, Rarities, And Live Performances
Pre-Order Beginning September 20 Exclusively At Rhino.com
And Receive A Bonus 7" With Two Previously Unreleased Instrumentals
Boxed Set Arrives October 26
LOS ANGELES – Ahead of its time when it was released in 1968, Head has emerged over the years as a cult classic from the psychedelic era. Produced by Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson, the surreal odyssey stars The Monkees—Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. While the film did not achieve commercial success, its soundtrack contains some of the quartet’s finest and most daring work.
Rhino Handmade expands the superbly strange soundtrack, originally compiled by Jack Nicholson, as a three-disc boxed set that features 21 previously unreleased tracks, outtakes, rarities, and live performances, plus an entire disc containing a rare interview with Jones recorded in 1968 for radio broadcast. All those who pre-order, will receive a bonus 7" that includes unreleased instrumental versions of “Porpoise Song” and “As We Go Along.” The collection comes in a 7" x 7" deluxe box with a mirrored finish like the original vinyl release. Due out October 26, HEAD (DELUXE EDITION) will be available for pre-order beginning September 20 exclusively at www.rhino.com for a suggested list price of $59.98.
Later this year, the Criterion Collection will release Head as part of America Lost And Found: The BBS Story, a compilation of innovative films produced between 1968 and 1972 by Rafelson and Bert Schneider (cocreators of The Monkees) and Steve Blauner. The BBS Story boxed set will be available on Blu-ray November 23 and DVD December 14. Head features a new, restored high-definition digital transfer (with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and uncompressed monaural soundtracks on the Blu-ray edition). The extras include new audio commentaries by Dolenz, Tork, and Jones, and an interview with Rafelson.
HEAD (DELUXE EDITION) begins with the original soundtrack remastered, including “Porpoise Song” the film’s theme written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, Nesmith’s rocker “Circle Sky,” Tork’s “Can You Dig It,” Jones singing Harry Nilsson’s “Daddy’s Song,” and Dolenz singing “As We Go Along,” a track penned by Carole King and Toni Stern (who later composed the chart topper “You’ve Got A Friend”). Also included from the original soundtrack are bits of dialogue from the film and incidental music conducted by Ken Thorne, who composed music for The Beatles’ film Help!
The first disc’s bonus tracks present alternate stereo mixes for nearly every song, except “Can You Dig It” which is featured as a rough stereo mix with Tork singing instead of Dolenz, and “Daddy’s Song” which is remixed with a section that was never originally used in the film or soundtrack album. The disc also features an unreleased stereo mix of the album’s closing audio collage: “Swami – Plus Strings.”
Disc two is dedicated to outtakes and rarities, including mono mixes for every track along with unreleased mono movie mixes for “Can You Dig It” and “Daddy’s Song.” The unreleased gems include an alternate version of “Ditty Diego – War Chant,” a satirical send-up of the theme to The Monkees television series written by Nicholson and Rafelson, plus “California, Here It Comes,” a song heard briefly in 1969 playing over the credits of The Monkees’ television special 33⅓ Revolutions Per Monkee. The disc also includes a rare live set from the Valley Music Hall in Salt Lake City from the spring of 1968. The performances were recorded for the film, but ultimately only one track (“Circle Sky”) was used. The unreleased live tracks from this set include the Headquarters-era gems “You Just May Be The One,” “Sunny Girlfriend,” and “You Told Me.”
The final disc contains a radio interview with Jones about the album that was issued in 1968 by Colgems as a promotional LP. The disc also includes full tracks and excerpts from the Head soundtrack that were interspersed throughout the interview. Deluxe booklet features new liner notes by Andrew Sandoval and Rachel Lichtman highlighted by brand-new interviews with Michael Nesmith and director Bob Rafelson about Head, in addition to dozens of unpublished color photos.
HEAD (DELUXE EDITION)
Track Listing
Disc 1 – Original LP...Plus
1. Opening Ceremony
2. “Porpoise Song” (Theme From Head) – The Monkees
3. “Ditty Diego – War Chant” – The Monkees
4. “Circle Sky” – The Monkees
5. “Supplicio”
6. “Can You Dig It” – The Monkees
7. “Gravy”
8. “Superstitious”
9. “As We Go Along” – The Monkees
10. “Dandruff?”
11. “Daddy’s Song” – The Monkees
12. “Poll”
13. “Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again” – The Monkees
14. “Swami – Plus Strings (Ken Thorne), Etc.”
Bonus Material
15. “Porpoise Song” (Theme From Head) (Alternate Stereo Mix) – The Monkees
16. “Ditty Diego –War Chant” (Alternate Stereo Mix) – The Monkees
17. “Circle Sky” (Alternate Stereo Mix) – The Monkees
18. “Can You Dig It” (Peter’s Vocal – Stereo Rough Mix) – The Monkees *
19. “As We Go Along” (Alternate Stereo Mix) – The Monkees
20. “Daddy’s Song” (Remix with slow verse) – The Monkees *
21. “Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again” (Alternate Stereo Mix) – The Monkees
22. “Swami – Plus Strings (Ken Thorne), Etc.” (Alternate Stereo Mix) *
23. “Happy Birthday To You” (Alternate Stereo Mix) – The Monkees *
24. “Ditty Diego” (Session) – The Monkees *
Disc 2 – Outtakes And Rarities
1. Head Promo “Coming Soon”
2. “Porpoise Song” (Theme From Head) (Mono Single Mix) – The Monkees
3. “Ditty Diego – War Chant” (Mono Mix) – The Monkees *
4. “Circle Sky” (Mono Mix) – The Monkees *
5. “Can You Dig It” (Mono Mix) – The Monkees *
6. “As We Go Along” (Mono Single Mix) – The Monkees
7. “Daddy’s Song” (Mono Mix) – The Monkees *
8. “Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again” (Mono Mix) – The Monkees *
9. “Porpoise Song” (Theme From Head) (Rough Mono Mix) – The Monkees *
10. “Ditty Diego” (Alternate Version) – The Monkees *
11. “Circle Sky” (Alternate Mono Mix) – The Monkees *
12. “Can You Dig It” (Peter’s Vocal) – The Monkees
13. “Daddy’s Song” (Mike’s Vocal) – The Monkees
14. “Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again” (Rough Mix Acetate) – The Monkees *
15. “Can You Dig It” (Mono Movie Mix) – The Monkees *
16. “Daddy’s Song” (Mono Movie Mix) – The Monkees *
17. Head Promo “Now Playing”
18. Introduction To Live Show – The Monkees *
19. “You Just May Be The One” (Live) – The Monkees *
20. “Sunny Girlfriend” (Live) – The Monkees *
21. “You Told Me” (Live) – The Monkees *
22. “Circle Sky” (Live) – The Monkees
23. “California, Here It Comes” – The Monkees *
Disc 3 – Head Open-End Radio Special Interview Platter With Davy Jones
1. “Circle Sky” (Excerpt) – The Monkees
2. Davy Jones Interview, Pt. 1
3. “Can You Dig It” (Excerpt) – The Monkees
4. Davy Jones Interview, Pt. 2
5. “Daddy’s Song” – The Monkees
6. Davy Jones Interview, Pt. 3
7. “Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again” – The Monkees
8. Davy Jones Interview, Pt. 4
9. “Porpoise Song” (Theme From Head) – The Monkees
10. Davy Jones Interview, Pt. 5
11. “Can You Dig It” (Excerpt) – The Monkees
* Previously Unissued