| length = 35:44

| label = Colgems

| producer = Chip Douglas

| prev_title = Headquarters

| prev_year = 1967

| next_title = The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees

| next_year = 1968

| misc =

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. is the fourth album by the Monkees. It was released on November 14, 1967, during a period when the band exerted more control over their music and performed many of the instruments themselves (previously forbidden by Colgems Records). However, although the group had complete artistic control over the proceedings, they invited more outside contributions than on their previous album, Headquarters, and used session musicians to complement their sound. The album also featured one of the first uses of the Moog synthesizer in popular music. Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. sold over three million copies, becoming the band's fourth consecutive album to reach No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Background

By early 1967, The Monkees had become one of the most commercially successful pop acts in the United States, with several hit singles and albums promoted through their television series, The Monkees. Their popularity, however, was tempered by criticism from the emerging rock press and the counterculture audience after it was revealed that the group had not played the instruments on their first two albums.

The Monkees subsequently moved toward psychedelic and experimental sounds for their next album. Elements of psychedelia had already appeared in earlier recordings such as "Take a Giant Step" and "Words," the latter of which was re-recorded for the new project.

After experiencing difficulty during the recording of Headquarters, Dolenz chose to step away from drumming duties, leading producer Chip Douglas to bring in session musician Eddie Hoh for percussion. Douglas himself played bass on many tracks. While the song was presented as a lighthearted music hall number, it drew attention from Screen Gems executives when they discovered its lyrics were suggestive of a Hell's Angels gang-bang.

On May 29, the basic track for Bill Martin's folky anti-war statement On the same day, the band recorded backing tracks for Craig Smith's "Salesman" and John Stewart's "Daydream Believer". While "Daydream Believer" was held, according to Douglas, as an "ace in the hole" for the group's next album, "Salesman" was included on Pisces despite concerns from NBC executives that its lyrics referenced drug use.

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. was released on November 14, 1967. After entering the Billboard 200 at No. 29, it rose to No. 1 the following week, remaining in that position for five consecutive weeks and eventually selling more than three million copies. Producer Chip Douglas later remarked that sales might have been even greater if "Daydream Believer" had been included on the album as originally intended.

In 2007, Rhino Entertainment issued a two-disc deluxe edition of the album. The release reproduced the original Colgems artwork and labels, and included a booklet with essays and detailed recording notes by historian Andrew Sandoval. The set contained remastered mono and stereo mixes, as well as alternate versions and outtakes.

| rev2 = MusicHound

| rev2Score =

| rev3 = Record Collector

| rev3Score =

| rev4 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

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| rev5 = The Wire

| rev5Score = (favorable)

At the time of release, trade publications reviewed the album favorably. Billboard highlighted "Salesman" and "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round?" as "topnotch" selections, while Cashbox described the record as a "sure to please powerhouse," with both predicting chart success. In the United Kingdom, Allen Evans of NME gave a track-by-track review, noting "Cuddly Toy" and "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round?" as standout tracks.

The emerging counterculture press did not cover the album, and it was not reviewed by Rolling Stone or Crawdaddy.

Legacy and influence

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. has been noted for its innovations in both instrumentation and style. The album is among the earliest pop records to feature the Moog synthesizer, which Dolenz introduced to the group; he owned one of the first twenty ever sold. The instrument was played by Dolenz on "Daily Nightly" and by Beaver on "Star Collector."

The album is also regarded as a precursor to country rock, particularly through Michael Nesmith's "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?", which featured electric banjo by Doug Dillard.

Within the Monkees' catalog, Pisces is often cited as a creative high point, balancing commercial success with greater artistic control compared to their earlier releases.

Track listing

Aborted track listing

The original track lineup for the album, compiled on October 9, 1967, included the following songs:

  1. "Special Announcement"
  2. "She Hangs Out"
  3. "Salesman"
  4. "Cuddly Toy"
  5. "Words"
  6. "Don't Call on Me"
  7. "Goin' Down"

Side two

  1. "The Door Into Summer"
  2. "Hard to Believe"
  3. "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?"
  4. "Daily Nightly"
  5. "Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky"
  6. "Pleasant Valley Sunday"
  7. "Star Collector"

Personnel

Credits adapted from 2007 Rhino "Deluxe Edition" CD, except where noted.

The Monkees

  • Michael Nesmith – lead vocals (1, 3–4, 8, 12), guitar (1, 4, 8, 11–13), shaker (1), electric guitar (2, 10), acoustic guitar (5), tremolo electric guitar (6), percussion (6), backing vocals (6, 10)
  • Micky Dolenz – percussion (1), backing vocals (1–2, 4–5, 8, 13), harmony vocals (3, 5, 13), drums (5), lead vocals (6, 10–11), Moog synthesizer (11), intro chatter (12)
  • Davy Jones – percussion (1, 6), backing vocals (1–2, 4–5, 8, 10–11, 13), lead vocals (2, 5, 7, 13), tambourine (4–5), intro chatter (12)
  • Peter Tork – organ (2, 4–6, 11–13), keyboards (3, 5), backing vocals (5, 10), lead vocals (6), spoken word (9), piano (10)

Additional musicians

  • Chip Douglas – nylon-string guitar (1), bass guitar (1–6, 8, 10–13), backing vocals (2, 4–6, 8, 13), guitar (3), acoustic guitar (12)
  • Eddie Hoh – drums (1–4, 6, 8, 10–13), percussion (10), claves (12)
  • Pete Candoli – trumpet (2)
  • Al Porcino – trumpet (2)
  • Manny Stevens – trumpet (2)
  • Dick Noel – trombone (2)
  • Dick Leith – bass trombone (2)
  • Philip Teele – bass trombone (2)
  • Ted Nash – reeds (5), winds (5)
  • Tom Scott – reeds (5), winds (5)
  • Bud Shank – reeds (5), winds (5)
  • Edgar Lustgarten – cello (5)
  • Kim Capli – guitar (7), piano (7), bass guitar (7), drums (7), shaker (7), cowbell (7), claves (7), other percussion (7)
  • Vincent DeRosa – French horn (7)
  • Ollie Mitchell – flugelhorn (7)
  • Anthony Terran – flugelhorn (7)
  • Bobby Knight – bass trombone (7)
  • Jim Horn – baritone sax (7)
  • Leonard Atkins – violin (7)
  • Arnold Belnick – violin (7)
  • Nathan Kaproff – violin (7)
  • Wilbert Nuttycombe – violin (7)
  • Jerome Reisler – violin (7)
  • Darrel Terwilliger – violin (7)
  • Doug Dillard – banjo (8)
  • Bill Chadwick – acoustic guitar (10)
  • Bob Rafelson – piano intro (12)
  • Bill Martin – intro chatter (12)
  • Charlie Rockett – intro chatter (12)
  • Paul Beaver – Moog synthesizer (13)

Technical

  • Chip Douglas – producer
  • Lester Sill – music supervisor
  • Hank Cicalo – recording engineer
  • Pete Abbott – recording engineer
  • Richie Schmitt – recording engineer
  • Bernard Yeszin – cover design
  • Roger Farris – arranger (7)

| 2

|-

!scope="row"|French Albums (SNEP)

| 3

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|UK Albums (OCC)

| 5

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard 200

| 1

|}

Single

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!Year

!Single

!Chart

!Peak<br />position

|-

|1967

|"Words"

|Billboard Hot 100

| style="text-align:center;"|11

|-

|1967

|"Pleasant Valley Sunday"

|Billboard Hot 100

| style="text-align:center;"|3