- Audio CD (26 Feb 2001)
- Number of Discs: 2
- Format: Limited Edition
- Label: WEA International
- ASIN: B000059QC0
- Other Editions: Audio CD | MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 25,480 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Product details |
Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The Monkees | |||
| 2. Last Train To Clarksville | |||
| 3. Take A Giant Step | |||
| 4. Saturdays Child | |||
| 5. I'm A Believer | |||
| 6. I Wanna Be Free | |||
| 7. (Im Not Your) Steping Stone | |||
| 8. She | |||
| 9. A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You | |||
| 10. Mary Mary | |||
See all 29 tracks on this disc
| |||
| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Tema Dei Monkees | |||
| 2. So Goes Love | |||
| 3. Teeny Tiny Gnome | |||
| 4. Mr Webster | |||
| 5. Hold On Girl | |||
| 6. Apples, Peaches, Bananas and Pears | |||
| 7. Love To Love | |||
| 8. Midnight Train | |||
| 9. She'll Be There | |||
| 10. Riu Chiu | |||
|
See all 31 tracks on this disc
| |||
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Recruited through a trade advertisement placed in a Hollywood showbiz paper asking for "four insane boys" to make that call, the Monkees are now widely acknowledged as being the first wholly manufactured pop band to really make an impact. Seen as a direct, home-grown response to the English Beat invasion that that had so transformed the US charts in the 1960s, the tidal wave of publicity that their tie-in TV show invaluably afforded them meant that Mickey Dolenz, Peter Nesmith, Davy Jones and Peter Tork were immediate stars. Indeed, for a few crazy months the Monkees were easily as big as the Beatles had ever been when they themselves had made their own shrill-screamed, mop-topped breakthrough and started the whole thing off. This new Definitive collection contains everything that even the worryingly obsessive fan might need. From the recognised karaoke classics like "Daydream Believer" and "Last Train to Clarkesville" to the quirkier, less well-known material like "Mary, Mary" and "For Pete's Sake", there are 70 tracks here to confirm that The Monkees were far more than just a soulless exercise in hype and hope. The gently frazzled psychedelia of "Porpoise Song" and "Randy Scouse Git"s rinky-dink racket also included go some way to proving in fact that they are worthy of comparison with any other pop group of the period. --Sean Price
Product Description
CD-1:1-(Theme from) "The Monkees" 2-Last Train To Clarksville 3-Take A Giant Step 4-Saturday's Child 5-I'm A Believer 6-I Wanna Be Free 7-(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone 8-She 9-A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You 10-Mary Mary 11-The Girl I Knew Somewhere 12-Look Out Here Comes Tomorrow 13-Shades Of Gray 14-Sometime In The Morning 15-For Pete's Sake 16-Forget That Girl 17-Randy Scouse Git 18-You Just May Be The One 19-Pleasant Valley Sunday 20-Words 21-Daydream Believer 22-Goin' Down 23-What Am I Doing Hangin' 'round 24-Cuddly Toy 25-Valleri 26-Porpoise Song ("Theme From Head") 27-Listen To The Band 28-That Was Then, This Is Now 29-Heart And Soul CD-2:1-Tema Dei Monkees 2-So Goes Love 3-Teeny Tiny Gnome 4-Mr. Webster (alt. version) 5-Hold On Girl (alt. version) 6-Apples, Peaches, Bananas And Pears 7-Love To Love (alt. mix) 8-Midnight Train (demo version) 9-She'll Be There 10-Riu Chiu 11-Circle Sky (alt. mix) 12-Merry Go Round 13-War Games 14-Seeger's Theme 15-Party 16-Shake 'em Up 17-Rosemarie 18-Propinquity (I've Just Begun To Care) 19-Look Down 20-The Crippled lion 21-Hollywood 22-How Insensitive 23-Michigan Blackhawk 24-My Share Of The Sidewalk 25-If You Have The Time 26-Time And Time Again 27-Storybook Of You 28-You're So Good 29-Steam Engine (alt. mix) 30-Angel Band 31-Little Red Rider 60 Tracks on 2 CDs! Includes bonus disk with rarities, mixes and unreleased tracks!
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
46 of 48 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This compilation of Monkees recordings was released in Britain for the price as a single CD so most people who bought this did so just for the main CD, which contains all the hits and the best album tracks and B-sides. Among the classics to be found here are Monkees theme, Last train to Clarksville, I'm a believer (written by Neil Diamond, and a bigger hit than any of his own singles), I'm not your stepping stone, A little bit me a little bit you (another Neil Diamond song), Randy Scouse git, Pleasant valley Sunday, Daydream believer, Valleri and Listen to the band. The CD, presented in chronological order, concludes with two tracks from their eighties comeback – That was then this is now and Heart and soul. The other tracks on this CD are of a high quality though lacking the instant appeal of the hits – but if you play them often enough, they will grow on you. As a hits collection, this (on its own) is as good as I've seen by the Monkees.
The bonus CD is culled from three compilations of rarities previously released in America as Missing links volumes 1 2 and 3. These tracks have never been made available previously in Britain, though I suspect that diehard Monkees fans in Britain will prefer to import the other compilations anyway. Actually, more than half those Missing links tracks have been included here and that will be enough for most people. The standard is surprisingly high.
The packaging is lavish, with a booklet printed on high quality paper and including extensive liner notes that tell the truth about the band (not as jolly as their image suggests) and pictures of all their original LP covers. The main CD is in a standard single CD jewel case, with the bonus CD comes in a separate cardboard case and the whole is housed in a cardboard slipcase.
What this collection shows is that there was a lot more to the Monkees than most of us think. Perhaps that is why their records still sell well all these years later. If you just want a Monkees greatest hits package, the main CD is as good as you are likely to find on a single CD, especially given the quality of the booklet. When you buy it, regard the bonus CD as just that. If you end up liking it, great, otherwise you've got your money's worth anyway.
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
If you ever watched 'The Monkees' tv show or sang along to 'Day Dream Believer', then this CD collection is a must have. You may be astounded by just how many tracks the Monkees recorded in their short shelf life. The CD also contains a comprehensive booklet which gives the entire low-down on the Monkees from their conception to their death and recent rebirth. Some of the information in that will probably surprise you too. The extra CD so proudly boasted about is somewhat odd compared with the main one. It contains some truly weird tracks that will probably take some getting used to - but as a whole these two CD's are a fascinating tribute to an unique band.
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Like I suspect many people did, I bought the limited edition release of the Definitive Monkees simply because I saw it reduced in a shop, and it contained all of the universally loved songs like Daydream Believer, Pleasant Valley Sunday, Last Train...blah blah blah.
Once I'd listened to these most famous of pop songs, I turned my attention to the rest of the collection, firmly expecting it to be awful. To my surprise, I found some of the best songs I've heard in years. Alright, there are some real stinkers on there which sound like template for every manufactured group since, but for the most part, the "manufactured" music is OK, while some of the group's "own" songs are superb. Amazingly, Dolenz manages to make jazz sound good on songs like "Goin' Down" or "Midnight Train", while Nesmith pulls off the equally tough task of making me enjoy country singing on "What Am I Doing Hanging Round", "Listen to the Band", and "Circle Sky".
Again, not all of the tracks from this era are classics, and the odd one or two come across as unsuccessful experiments. If this is the price we have to pay for great songs like "Porpoise Song" or "Merry Go Round", I'm happy to pay it.
This collection is such a treasure trove that I actually started to feel ashamed that I, like most people, only thought of the Monkees as a cheesy pop band, a label which is well wide of the mark. It might not be fashionable to say so, but the Monkees are a great band!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
monkees cd
most of these songs are the ones i wanted and at a cheap pric too took some time to download as i am on a dongle at the moment while i am away all very good songs cant be beaten on... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Cr Starkey
A WORTHY CD LEGACY
After being disappointed in three now-middle-aged Monkees desperately trying to pretend on DVD that they are still teenagers, I felt glad I had also ordered these CD tracks,... Read more
Published 19 months ago by Malcolm Everett
The Definitive Monkees - Too much Monkee business!
In this impressive two disc set we finally have a release that does justice to the Monkees, a great band - no matter what the critics say! Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2010 by Victor
Monkee Business
Classic tunes from the crazy lads who burst into our teenage lives all these years ago !!!!
Published on 17 Mar 2010 by J. Allan
A blast from the past
The Monkees were a made for television group intended to be the American answer to the Beetles. Although band were only laterly allowed to write some of their own music, the... Read more
Published on 14 Mar 2010 by Dr. A. D. Dutch
monkees
I loved the cd it had all the hits on it and some of the lesser known songs were great too.
Published on 6 July 2009 by Mr. Anthony Dunsmore
All you need really
The idea behind the Monkees was as everyone knows by now was to make a TV series but when the actors realised the records were being made by session players they rebelled. Read more
Published on 24 Sep 2008 by Richard
not definitive though!
Really great tunes here! For a contemporary comparison I recommend Nick Worrall. His album is FREE to download as well.
Published on 3 Sep 2008 by No longer here
Amazing, better than the Beetles by far!
I remember the TV series of the Monkees from when I was a child and have always liked tracks such Daydream Believer, Hey Hey We're the Monkees and so on. Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2007 by Mr. Andrew Moore
Good album
This album contains the most well-known Monkees classics:
The Monkees theme tune
Last train to Clarksville
I'm a believer
and many others
I... Read more
The Monkees theme tune
Last train to Clarksville
I'm a believer
and many others
I... Read more
Published on 15 Sep 2006 by Catherine
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