The Monkees occupy the #1 spot on both the Album Chart and the Pop Singles Chart.
Incredibly, all four of their albums are still on the chart … and in The Top 100 no less! ("Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, Ltd." is #1, "Headquarters" is #18, "More Of The Monkees" is at #39 and "The Monkees" is at #96.)
Even MORE incredibly twenty years later, when Rhino Records re-releases all four of these LP's, they will chart together once again, this time peaking at #124, #121, #96 and #92 respectively.
"More Of The Monkees" will chalk up another 26 weeks on the chart (that's half a year, folks!), bringing its lifetime tally to 96 weeks. Their debut album did even better … between the 78 weeks it charted initially when released in 1966 and the 24 additional weeks it charted when it was reissued in 1986, "The Monkees" spent a total of 102 weeks on the chart overall.
1967 was, without question, The Year of The Monkees, as they outsold even The Beatles and The Rolling Stones this year.
Their album tracks were played on the radio as if they were singles ... thanks to the TV show, fans heard nearly everything they recorded for these first four LP's.
Here is one more track from each of those 1967 #1 Albums ...
Singer Jimmie Rodgers is found beaten and near death in his car on The San Diego Freeway. Rodgers had some big hits in the late '50's with songs like "Honeycomb" and "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" and recently saw his comeback single "Child Of Clay" climbing the charts.
The circumstances of this beating have never been widely disclosed but many feel that Roulette Records Mogul Morris Levy had ordered the "hit". (All of Jimmie's previous hits were recorded for the Roulette record label … but his latest release came out on the A&M record label.)
We have covered this incident several times in Forgotten Hits … in fact, we talked with Jimmie's son several years ago when his dad went in for surgery to successfully have the metal plate in his head removed as it had developed some type of toxic leakage going into Jimmie's brain. A tragic, tragic tale of rock and roll.
Talks of a Jimmie Rodgers bio-pic have floated around for years … maybe now that Tommy James has come forward with his tale of the ways and means of Morris Levy and his extended "family" … and Morris has passed on … it's finally time to tell the REAL Jimmie Rodgers story. (And then maybe they can finally tell us what really happened to Bobby Fuller!!!)
The Jimi Hendrix Experience releases their second album, "Axis: Bold As Love".
Great Britain's Monkees Monthly reports that The Monkees will take the month of January off before starting work on their first full-length feature film ("Head"). After the incredible year they had in 1967, they deserve it. But the truth is, 1967 WAS their year … the bubble burst pretty quickly after this, especially once the tv series was cancelled. Incredibly (and much to the surprise ... and great dismay ... of all the doubters at the time who wrote The Monkees off as nothing more than a carefully calculated and created merchandising machine) dozens of reformations since then have kept the band and their music alive for the past 50 years. It's fun, feel good rock and roll … and, thanks to the magic of television, they haven't aged a bit!
Top 100 Movers climbing ten positions or more include "Beautiful People" by Bobby Vee (#54 to #44), "Woman Woman" by The Union Gap (#68 to #45), "Different Drum" by The Stone Poneys (#62 to #49), "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" by Donovan, up thirty places from #82 to #52, "Okolona River Bottom Band" by Bobbie Gentry (#64 to #53), "Since You Showed Me How To Be Happy" by Jackie Wilson (#75 to #54), "And Get Away" by The Esquires (up 33 places from #91 to #58), "What's It Gonna Be" by Dusty Springfield (#78 to #64), "Too Much Of Nothing" by Peter, Paul and Mary (#81 to #66), "Love Power" by The Sandpebbles (#80 to #69), "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow" by The O'Jays (#87 to #71), "Bend Me Shape Me" by The American Breed (#98 to #75) and "Judy In Disguise" by John Fred and His Playboy Band (#95 to #77).
Senator Eugene McCarthy announces his bid to run for the Presidency of the United States.
Presidential Grandson David Eisenhower and Future Presidential Daughter Julie Nixon announce their engagement. They would marry the following year on December 22nd, just prior to her father, Richard Nixon, assuming the office of President of the United States. David, of course, is the Grandson of Former President Dwight "Ike" Eisenhower, under whom Nixon served as Vice President. Both will go on to write several books. Next year they will celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
The Chicago White Sox reacquire shortstop Luis Aparicio from The Baltimore Orioles. Little Louie was one of the most-popular White Sox players ever and was part of The Go-Go Sox when they won The American League pennant in 1959.
Robert McNamara announces his resignation as Secretary of Defense. He will officially step down from this office on February 29th, 1968.
He had been encouraging President Lyndon Johnson to stop the bombing and pull out of Viet Nam but Johnson ignored his advice. In April of next year he will become President of The World Bank with Johnson's full support.
The Beatles have a new record on the chart this week as "Hello Goodbye" premiers at #50. Also making their chart debuts this week are "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You", another duet by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell (#67), "The Other Man's Grass Is Always Greener", new for Petula Clark at #70 and a couple of recent remakes, "Come See About Me" by Jr. Walker and the All-Stars (#72) and "Windy" by Wes Montgomery (#73).
We've got a couple of flip-side debuts this week, too, as "I Am The Walrus" by The Beatles (B-Side to "Hello Goodbye") premiers at #94. (This track will be featured as part of the soundtrack to their new television special "Magical Mystery Tour".) And "I'm In Love", the flip-side of Wilson Pickett's #18 Hit "Stag-O-Lee" premiers at #99. The Hollies debut at #96 with "Dear Eloise" and there's a brand new Doors single coming in at #100 ("Love Me Two Times").
The Beatles record their fifth Fan Club Christmas Single at EMI Studio Three in London. It is the last one they will record together as a group. (1968 and 1969 Christmas singles were issued but all of the tracks were recorded separately by each Beatle and then edited together for final distribution.)
Actress / Model Anna Nicole Smith was born (as Vickie Lynn Hogan) in Houston, Texas. She died in 2007.
The Monkees leap into the #1 position on this week's Pop Singles Chart as "Daydream Believer" climbs from #5 to #1 in its fourth week on the chart. (A pretty impressive chart run: #68 to #31 to #5 to #1).
Eight of last week's Top Ten Hits remain in The Top Ten this week … the only new entries are "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Gladys Knight and the Pips, which jumps from #20 to #9 and "An Open Letter To My Teenage Son" by Victor Lundberg, which climbs 16 places from #26 to #10, also in its fourth week on the chart.
Earning Top 40 Bullets this week are "Keep The Ball Rollin'" by Jay and the Techniques (#15 to #11), "In And Out Of Love" by Diana Ross and the Supremes (#18 to #13), "I Second That Emotion" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (also up 16 places from #31 to #15), "You Better Sit Down Kids" by Cher (#27 to #16), "Boogaloo Down Broadway" by The Fantastic Johnny C (#25 to #17), "Stag-O-Lee" by Wilson Pickett (#22 to #18), "She's My Girl" by The Turtles (#35 to #24), "Skinny Legs And All" by Joe Tex (#33 to #25), "Massachusetts" by The Bee Gees (#36 to #26), "Beg, Borrow And Steal" by The Ohio Express (#34 to #28), "Yesterday" by Ray Charles (#40 to #29), "Neon Rainbow" by The Box Tops (#39 to #32), "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" by Glen Campbell (which moves from #47 to #34), "Summer Rain" by Johnny Rivers (another 16 place mover, from #52 to #36), "Honey Chile" by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (#51 to #37) and "Paper Cup" by The Fifth Dimension (#48 to #39).
The Monkees also take over the #1 spot on The National Album Chart with their latest, "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, Ltd." (The title is a direct reference to their astrological signs … Pisces is Micky Dolenz (born March 8th), Aquarius is Peter Tork (born February 13th), Capricorn refers to Michael Nesmith (born December 30th) and Jones, of course, is Davy Jones … who was ALSO born on December 30th but three years after Michael Nesmith made his first appearance here on earth. Ironically, their brand new #1 Single does not appear on their new LP.
It is by far the most sophisticated album The Monkees have ever made … and still holds up today as a production gem. Yes, they were still exerting their control in the studio but, after the long rigors of "Headquarters" and going thru take after take after painful retake of nearly every track, finally came to realize that they could still achieve what they were shooting for in the studio with a little bit of talented, professional help there to guide them. "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, Ltd." is not only a '60's gem, but a timeless one … which has never reaped the true recognition and appreciation it deserves. Once again, many of the tracks became familiar mainstays thanks to usage on their television series and repeated airplay on the radio. Even AFTER "Sgt. Pepper", The Monkees seem to be the band of choice for the young and preteens out there buying music.
Also on this date, Capitol Records released the new Beatles album "Magical Mystery Tour". It would eventually top the charts, sell over a million copies and be nominated for a Grammy for Album of the Year. (It lost to Glen Campbell's "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" LP!)
This album was never officially released in Great Britain, where the soundtrack songs used in the television film were issued on a special EP with a colorful booklet. It did become one of the most popular imports of its time, however. Twenty years later, the album officially became a part of The Beatles' catalog on both sides of the pond.
The Association received a gold record for their recent hit record "Never My Love".
The Beatles' promotional video for their latest single, "Hello Goodbye" is shown on "The Hollywood Palace" on ABC-Television.
Jimi Hendrix turns 25. Incredibly, he will be dead in less than three years.
August 18, 1967 Afternoon rehearsals,
Hollywood Bowl
The Beatles promotional film for "Hello Goodbye" is shown on The Ed Sullivan Show. Although I've never particularly liked this song, it IS a great video … yet was never shown on British television because of their musicians union ban on "miming" to a record on TV!
16 year old Janis Ian appears on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour to sing "Society's Child".
"The Jungle Book" holds on to the top spot at the box office again this week, giving it a total of FIVE weeks on top over the past six weeks.
Major floods hit Lisbon, Portugal, killing 462 people.
Some of the big movers falling between positions #41 and #100 this week include "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" by Glen Campbell (#55 to #47), "Paper Cup" by The Fifth Dimension (#56 to #48), "Honey Chile" by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (#61 to #51), "Summer Rain" by Johnny Rivers (#73 to #52), "Peace Of Mind" by Paul Revere and the Raiders (#71 to #53), "Beautiful People" by Bobby Vee (#70 to #54), "Next Plane To London" by The Rose Garden (#66 to #56), "Beautiful People" by Kenny O'Dell (#80 to #57), "Different Drum" by The Stone Poneys (up 26 places from #88 to #62), "O-o, I Love You" by The Dells (#76 to #63), "Chattanooga Choo Choo" by Harpers Bizarre (#82 to #65), "Woman Woman" by The Union Gap (#86 to #68) and "What's It Gonna Be" by Dusty Springfield (#100 to #78).
Actor / Television Host Gary Collins marries former Miss America (1959) Mary Ann Mobley. They remained together until 2011.
Ed Ames records “Who Will Answer” at RCA’s Hollywood studios
The latest edition of "Rolling Stone Magazine" quotes popular "underground" San Francisco Disc Jockey Tom Donahue as saying "Top Forty Radio, as we know it today and have known it for the last ten years, is dead, and its rotting corpse is stinking up the airwaves." Meanwhile, here in Chicago, I am still listening to … and loving ... our AM powerhouse radio stations WLS and WCFL!
Rod Carew of The Minnesota Twins wins The Rookie Of The Year Award. He will remain with The Twins until 1978 at which time he will request a trade due to several policy disagreements with Twins owner Cal Griffith. (These include racist comments, The Twins' inability to keep young players and Griffith's penny-pinching negotiating style.) His major league career lasted from 1967 - 1985, during which time he won seven American League batting titles (including 1972 where he never hit a single home run … in fact, he won four batting titles in a row between 1972 and 1975!) and was named to The All-Star Team eighteen times (every season but his last) In 1969 he stole home SEVEN TIMES, one shy of Ty Cobb's major league record. He retired as a player in 1985 with a career batting average of .328. He was inducted into The Baseball Hall Of Fame in 1991 on his very first ballot.
(Man, what a year for rookies!!!)
The Monkees complete the filming of their Christmas episode starring Eddie Munster actor Butch Patrick. At the end they bring out the entire crew to wish them and their families a very happy holiday season.
Otis Redding begins recording what will become his biggest hit, “Dock Of The Bay” at Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee. Eighteen days later he will die in a plane crash. “Dock Of The Bay” will hit the #1 Spot on The Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart on March 16th of 1968, and remain there for the next four weeks.
Wimbledon Tennis Pro Boris Becker is born in West Germany.
The BBC bans "I Am The Walrus". (Was it because of the secret meaning behind Goo-Goo-GaJoob???)
As Elvis completes filming on "Stay Away, Joe", "Clambake" opens in theaters at #15 on Variety's National Box Office Chart.
Bobbie Gentry's got the top debut on the chart this week with her follow-up to her #1 smash "Ode To Billie Joe" as "Okolona River Bottom Band" premiers at #64. (She'll never match the success of her first hit.)
In a Battle Of The Bands, The Okolona River Bottom Band would have NO chance against Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ... although Bobbie Gentry's first LP DID make it all the way to #1.
Also new on the chart this week … "Baby You Got It" by Brenton Wood, which bows at #72, "Too Much Of Nothing" by Peter, Paul and Mary, debuting at #81, "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" by Donovan (#82), the perfectly-titled "And Get Away" by The Esquires, the follow up to their last hit "Get On Up", which comes in at #91, "Tell Mama" by Etta James (#92) and two records that will prove to be VERY big hits as 1967 turns into 1968, "Judy In Disguise" by John Fred and his Playboy Band (#95) and "Bend Me, Shape Me" by The American Breed" (#98).
Due to the recent British ban on miming, The Beatles' new single is played on "Top Of The Pops" over three year old footage from "A Hard Day's Night". The Beatles are justifiably furious.
President Lyndon Johnson signs the Air Quality Act, allocating $428 million toward the fight against pollution.
The Strawberry Alarm Clock hold on to the #1 Spot on the Pop Charts this week as "Incense and Peppermints" tops the chart for the second consecutive week. In hindsight it's the perfect record to wind up the year of psychedelic sights and sounds … The Summer of Love … The Year of Sgt. Pepper … hippies, love-ins, peace, love and make love not war.
Up a couple of notches to #2 is "The Rain, The Park And Other Things" by The Cowsills, which moves from #4 to #2 this week. "To Sir With Love" by Lulu holds at #3. The Monkees continue to make major strides with their latest, "Daydream Believer", which moves from #31 to #5 (after debuting at #68 the week before that!) Also entering The Top Ten for the first time this week is "I Say A Little Prayer" by Dionne Warwick.
Other big Top 40 movers this week include "Pata Pata" by Miriam Makeba (#18 to #13), "Keep The Ball Rollin'" by Jay and the Techniques (#21 to #15), "In And Out Of Love" by Diana Ross and the Supremes (which makes a big leap from #37 to #18), "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Gladys Knight and the Pips (#27 to #20), "Stag-O-Lee" by Wilson Pickett (#28 to #22), "An Open Letter To My Teenage Son" by Victor Lundberg (up 31 places from #57 to #26), "You Better Sit Down Kids" by Cher (#40 to #27), "Wild Honey" by The Beach Boys (#35 to #30), "I Second That Emotion" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles (up ten spots from #41 to #31), "She's My Girl" by The Turtles (#42 to #35), "Massachusetts" by The Bee Gees (#54 to #36), "Out Of The Blue" by Tommy James and the Shondells (#43 to #37), "Neon Rainbow" by The Box Tops (#49 to #39) and "Yesterday" by Ray Charles (#52 to #40).
The #1 Album in the Country is once again "Diana Ross and the Supremes" Greatest Hits. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" stands right behind it in the #2 position, which means that out of the 23 weeks this Beatles album has spent on the chart, six weeks have been spent at #2 and fifteen weeks were spent at #1.
Arlo Guthrie's landmark album "Alice's Restaurant" is released. It has become a staple of Thanksgiving broadcasting for the past fifty years. Arlo first premiered the eighteen minute song at The Newport Folk Festival earlier that year … and two years later would star in a (pretty horrible) movie adaptation.
(This is a "MUST PLAY" every year on Thanksgiving!!!)
Albert Grossman, Janis Joplin’s Manager, approached Nick Gravenites and Mike Bloomfield, former members of The Paul Butterfield Blues Band but now both members of The Electric Flag, about creating a new back-up group for Janis. This group later became known as The Kozmic Blues Band.
*****
In hindsight (although I will admit to also being confused by it at the time), I never really understood how Cher got away with her gender-bending performance of "You Better Sit Down Kids".
First of all, it was pretty line-toeing subject matter to tackle in song at the time ... this was, after all, a song about a couple getting divorced ... but it was clearly written from the Dad's point of view. (Sonny Bono wrote the tune ... but evidently felt his wife Cher could do a far better job of singing it than he could ... which is probably true ... but as such, the lyrics as written really don't make any sense!) And honestly, I think it may have been even more heartfelt had Sonny tackled the vocal instead.
From start to finish, the storyline is ass-backwards ... yet we loved it enough to propel it all the way to the #8 spot on The National Charts.
After being the Poster Couple for the Beat Hippie Movement of the '60's, Sonny and Cher reinvented themselves in the '70's as a Vegas show act ... Sonny cut his hair, hung up his bear-skin vest and wore a tuxedo while Cher constantly raised eyebrows in her breath-taking Bob Mackie dresses. This new persona earned them their own highly-rated television series ... and Cher's career was rejuvenated along the way with three more #1 Hits between 1971 and 1973.
The couple divorced for real in 1975. (Incredibly, they tried to keep the show going despite the well-publicized end of their marriage!) Each ultimately hosted their own variety show but it just wasn't the same.
Sonny died in 1998 in a skiing accident ... and Cher has had quite a bit of acting success (including a couple of Oscar nominations, with a win for her role in "Moonstruck") as well as done about thirty "farewell tours" over the past few decades.
