Customer Reviews

Essentials

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4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Rhino Records has apparently seen the success of MCA's 20th Century Masters series and decided to get into the act. How else do you explain taking their existing excellent single-disc compilation (1995's 20-track Greatest Hits) and reducing it to twelve tracks and then having the chutzpah to call it "essential"? First of all, it's missing three of their hits ("The Girl I Knew Somewhere," "Tapioca Tundra" and "D.W. Washburn"). Then they include a song by Peter Tork ("For Pete's Sake") and ignore the band's best songwriter, Michael Nesmith ("Papa Gene's Blues," "You Told Me," "You May Just Be the One," "Circle Sky," etc.). [Also, amazon.com incorrectly lists "Randy Scouse Git" as one of the twelve tracks; it is the Goffin/King "Porpoise Song" from the movie Head, instead.] This condensed version of Greatest Hits may save you a few bucks, but with a playing time under 33 minutes it also gives you a myopic view of one of the most successful bands of the mid-Sixties.

If something is Essential it is a MUST HAVE like something you have to have and this cd is definatly not a must have. While it stands in my collection the most untouched cd unless i want to play "For petes sake" and amazon says that "randy scouse git" is on this cd but its not don't be fooled. And for some strange reason Rhino put this totally freaky version of "pleasant valley sunday" in which Micky sounds as if he has a terrible cold. And shoot they might as well cut the pictures of Mike off the whole thing i have yet to come accross a song in which Mike sings a single line exept for backing vocals! I strngly suggest you to buy another cd like " Greatest Hits"

The Monkees are arguably the second greatest band from the sixties, behind the Beatles of course. This CD has a wonderful selection of good Monkees songs. I am only twelve, but I love old music. Elvis, Bobby Darin, the Beatles, the Monkees, Jackson 5, James Brown, the Beach Boys, Little Richard, I love 'em all. This is a great Monkees CD so get it.

This is a good collection. However, Headquaters and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones Ltd. are the real essentials. Many popular hits are here to make it a good collection. The one thing that really keeps it from being essential is that while all the Monkees wrote songs for the group it is Nesmith who wrote the most. Yet there is no Nesmith penned tune on the CD. They should have had "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" on the CD as Nesmith wrote it and it was the first song release that was written by and produced by the Monkees. As well as the first song released with all four preforming as a group. Peter Tork has a song he wrote on the CD "For Pete's Sake" which was the closing theme for the tv show. Perhaps this is where I should consider a Nesmith contribution as in an interview Mr. Tork said he didn't have a name for the tune and Mr. Nesmith said it should be called "For Pete's Sake". Anyway if you are a Monkees fan then buy the CD. However if you are new to the Monkees and want to hear them at their best get the 2 I mentioned above.

Essentials? While Rhino's 20-track "Greatest Hits" is available at about the same price, along with a myriad of other recommended compilations, this is hardly essential. Or necessary. Five stars for material, zero stars for raison d'etre.

If you are here you either are looking for alternate versions, or don't have any Monkees on CD yet. Most should pass this over for something else.

This release is much better in terms of the amount of songs for your money - The Monkees - Greatest Hits.

While there are hits on here, and it's an enjoyable listen, only one of them are among the more unique of The Monkees catalog of songs. Just because something was a hit, doesn't mean it's their best stuff. I wonder if a human or a machine picked these out.

I noticed Pleasant Valley Sunday is the album version and not the single.

Words however, is the single version. Why on earth they picked that off Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.? Personally, Star Collector is more of an "essential" in my mind. (Though Words is still an awesome song.)

The fact that The Porpoise Song is the long, single version is nice. This version isn't even on the Head soundtrack.

(Yes, that's the reason I got this one.)

I agree with the insult of no Mike songs on this, and I think the only reason For Pete's Sake made it on is because they opened the album with the theme song.

I suppose if you had never heard of The Monkees, this would be an alright introduction, but if you're here, you have. Get something else. Unless you, like me, haven't found the long version of The Porpoise Song on anything else reasonable.

TBH, The List on The Monkees Greatest Hits, is to me a much better "Essential" collection. Too bad it's out of print.

Twelve songs on this greatest hits compilation. It seems as if there are other compilations with more songs.

Nonetheless, there are some good tunes here. Day Dream Believer is my favorite on here but I appreciate several others(I'm Not Your Stepping Stone, I'm A Believer, Last Train To Clarksville). Somehow knowing that the Monkees were a TV band and that the music was recorded by session musicians make me not think too highly of these guys as compared to say the Beatles, Stones, or Who. Nonetheless, some of these songs are quite memorable.

Don't be fooled by the title. Hey Rhino, don't blow your reputation.

Start with the "Greatest Hits" CD. If you want more, pick up "Headquarters" and "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones."