The Monkees (The Birds, The Bees, and The Monkees) – Review

The Monkees (The Birds, The Bees, and The Monkees)

        Original Tracks
                Dream World (Jones & Pitts)
                Auntie's Municipal Court (Nesmith & Allison)
                We Were Made For Each Other (Bayer & Fischoff)
                Tapioca Tundra (Nesmith)
                Daydream Believer (Stewart)
                Writing Wrongs (Nesmith)
                I'll Be Back Up On My Feet (Linzer & Randell)
                The Poster (Jones & Pitts)
                P.O. Box 9847 (Boyce & Hart)
                Magnolia Simms (Nesmith)
                Valleri (Boyce & Hart)
                Zor and Zam (Chadwick & Chadwick)
        Bonus Selections
                Alvin (Thorkelson)
                I'm Gonna Try (Jones & Pitts)
                P.O. Box 9847 (Boyce & Hart)
                The Girl I Left Behind Me (Sedaka & Bayer)
                Lady's Baby (Tork)

The Monkees' fifth album was more or less the result of individual efforts
of Nesmith, Dolenz, Jones, and Tork being combined into one record and
released under the Monkees label.  This becomes somewhat obvious as the
transition from song to song is rough, though the singles remain excellent.

One pro to this haphazard attachment is its allowance for Davy's
songwriting efforts to gain more acceptance.  Whereas his broadway-styled
"Hard To Believe" stuck out like a sore thumb on Pisces, "Dream World"
opens this album with a bang, and arguably remains his second-best song
behind "I'll Love You Forever."  With Nesmith also reaching a
self-indulgent and experimental period, The Birds, The Bees, and the
Monkees is an interesting collection of songs, most of which-- except for
"Daydream Believer" and "Valleri"-- have unfortunately been forgotten.

The Birds, The Bees, and the Monkees was originally to be a two-record set.
However, when it was determined that one record would be more economic,
half of the intended songs got cut.  Somehow, this included all of Peter's
efforts.  The bonus selections, fortunately, show off one of his greatest
songs, "Lady's Baby."  Two of the others, "Long Title" and "Can You Dig
It," would later be included on Head.

Questions, comments, arguments, compliments, or general Monkee Talk
welcome at landsberg@alltel.net
                                                        - Mike Landsberg