The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees - Session Information

Session Information

Dream World

• Lead Vocal: Davy Jones
• Guitar: Michael Deasy, Al Hendrickson, Gerry McGee
• Harpsichord: Don Randi
• Bass: Max Bennett
• Drums: Earl Palmer
• Percussion: Brendan Cahill, Teresa Helfer, Milt Holland, Jerry Williams
• Violin: Sam Freed, Nathan Kaproff, Martin Limonick, Alexander Murray, Erno Neufeld
• Cello: Marie Feram, Edgar Lustgarten, Jacquelyn Lustgarten, Fredrick Seykora
• Trumpet: Buddy Childers, Jack Shelton
• Trombone: George Roberts
• Horns: John Cave, Don Duke, Arthur Maebe
• Arrangement: Shorty Rogers
• Recorded at Western Recorders Studio 2, Hollywood, 6 February 1968 and RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, 8 February 1968

Auntie’s Municipal Court

• Lead Vocals: Micky Dolenz and Mike Nesmith
• Guitar: Mike Nesmith, Keith Allison, Bill Chadwick
• Bass: Richard Dey
• Drums: Eddie Hoh
• Other personnel unknown
• Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, 6 January, 15, and 16, 1968
• The mono mix puts more emphasis on the guitar accompaniment.

We Were Made for Each Other

• Lead Vocal: Davy Jones
• Guitar: James Burton, Michael Deasy, Al Hendrickson, Gerry McGee
• Harpsichord: Michael Melvoin
• Bass: Max Bennett
• Drums: Earl Palmer
• Percussion: Brendan Cahill, Milt Holland, Jerry Williams
• Violin: Sam Freed, Nathan Kaproff, George Kast, Marvin Limonick, Alexander Murray, Erno Neufeld
• Cello: Maria Fera, Jacquelyn Lustgarten, Kurt Reher, Eleanor Slatkin
• Trumpet: Buddy Childers, Jack Shelton
• Trombone: Lewis McCreary
• Horn: Vincent DeRosa, David Duke, Richard Preissi
• Arrangement: Shorty Rogers
• Intended for Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.

Tapioca Tundra

• Lead Vocal, Whistling, Percussion, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar: Mike Nesmith
• Drums: Eddie Hoh
• Other personnel unknown
• Lyrics are from a poem Nesmith wrote prior to composing the music
• Recorded 11 November 1967

Daydream Believer

• Lead and Backing Vocal: Davy Jones
• Harmony Vocal: Micky Dolenz
• Electric Guitar: Mike Nesmith
• Piano: Peter Tork
• Bass, Keyboards, Percussion: Chip Douglas
• Drums: Eddie Hoh
• Percussion: Bill Martin
• Violin: Nathan Kaproff, George Kast, Alex Murray, Erno Neufeld
• Trumpet: Pete Candoli, Al Porcino, Manuel Stevens
• Trombone: Richard Noel
• Bass trombone: Richard Leith, Philip Teele
• Arrangement: Shorty Rogers
• Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, June 14 and August 9, 1967
• Issued as a single on Colgems #1012, 25 October 1967, reaching number one
• Only song on Birds featuring all members of the band, and the only song featuring Tork at all
• Replaced "Love is Only Sleeping" as a single
• Used in the episodes "Art, For Monkees' Sale", "Monkees Marooned", and "Hitting the High Seas"

Writing Wrongs

• Lead Vocal, Piano, Electric guitar, Organ: Mike Nesmith
• Bass: Richard Dey
• Drums, percussion: Eddie Hoh
• Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, 3 December 1967
• Final product is two takes spliced together

I'll Be Back Up On My Feet

• Lead and Backing Vocal: Micky Dolenz
• Guitar: Al Casey, Michael Deasy, Dennis Budimir
• Harpsichord: Michael Melvoin
• Bass: Max Bennett
• Drums: Earl Palmer
• Percussion: Brendan Cahill, Milt Holland, Stan Levy
• Sax: William Hood
• Trumpet: Buddy Childers, Oliver Mitchell
• Trombone: Louis Blackburn, Lew McCreary
• Arrangement: Shorty Rogers
• Intended for More of The Monkees, then again for Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
• Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, 9 March and 14 March 1968
• The original version of this song was used in the episodes "Dance, Monkee, Dance" and "Monkees in the Ring"

The Poster

• Lead and Backing Vocal: Davy Jones
• Guitar: Al Casey, Michael Deasy, Howard Roberts
• Organ: Don Randi
• Bass: Max Bennett, Lyle Ritz
• Drums: Hal Blaine
• Percussion: Gary Coleman, Gene Estes
• Trumpet: Buddy Childers, Clyde Reasinger, Jack Shelton, Anthony Terran
• Trombone: Milt Bernhart, Richard Leith, Lew McCreary, Frank Rosolino
• Sax: John Lowe
• Violin: Nathan Kaproff, George Kast, Alex Murray, Erno Neufeld, Ambrose Russo
• Arrangement: Shorty Rogers
• Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, 15 and 17 February 1968

P.O. Box 9847

• Lead Vocal: Micky Dolenz
• Guitar: Gerry McGee, Louie Shelton
• Bass: Joe Osborn
• Tack Piano: Bobby Hart
• Drums, Percussion: Billy Lewis
• Violin: Victor Arno, Jack Pepper
• Viola: Philip Goldberg
• Cello: Raymond Kelley
• Arrangement: Don McGinnis
• Inspired by an idea by Bob Rafelson

Magnolia Simms

• Lead Vocal, Guitar: Mike Nesmith
• Tack Piano: Paul T. Smith
• Bass: Max Bennett
• Drums: Earl Palmer
• Trumpet: Oliver Mitchell
• Trombone: Lew McCreary
• Woodwinds: Jim Horn and Jack Nimitz
• Recorded at RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood, 2 December 1967
• Recorded as a low-fi song with deliberate surface noise and skipping as if it came from a 78 RPM record. On the stereo mix, this track is heard only on the left channel.

Valleri

• Lead Vocal: Davy Jones
• Guitar: Gerry McGee, Louie Shelton
• Bass: Joe Osborne
• Drums, Tambourine: Billy Lewis
• Sax: Jim Horn, Jay Migliori
• Trumpets: Ollie Mitchell, Roy Caton
• Trombone: Lew McCreary
• Arrangement: Don McGinnis
• Recorded at United Recorders, Hollywood, 26 December and 28, 1967
• Issued as a single as Colgems #1019, March 2, 1968, reaching number three.
• Second time the band recorded it, with the same personnel; the remake was so the Monkees could take production credit
• Colgems chief Lester Sill rejected the first mix, saying it needed "more punch", and had a brass section overdubbed
• This version was used for the episode "Monkee's Blow Their Minds" with the fade-out dropped (a factor which would later be used on compilations).
• The original version of the song was used in the episodes "Captain Crocodile" and "Monkees in Manhattan".

Zor and Zam

• Lead Vocal, Percussion: Micky Dolenz
• Backing Vocals: Davy Jones and Mike Nesmith
• Guitars: Keith Allison and Bill Chadwick
• Piano: Michael Melvoin
• Bass: Chip Douglas, Richard Dey and Max Bennett
• Drums: Eddie Hoh
• Additional Drums and percussion: Hal Blaine, Henry Diltz, Milt Holland and Stanley Levey
• Additional Personnel on horns, strings, etc.
• Arrangement: Shorty Rogers
• A different version of the song was used on the episode "Mijacogeo (The Frodis Caper)".

Bonus tracks

Lady's Baby

• Lead Vocal, Guitar: Peter Tork
• Backing Vocal: Karen Harvey Hammer
• Electric Guitar: Stephen Stills
• Bass: Lance Wakely
• Drums: Dewey Martin
• Sound Effects: Justin Hammer
• Recorded at various California studios between January and March 1968
• originally intended for the album but constant production changes and re-recordings by Tork caused the song to not be finished in time for release

Other personnel

• Produced by The Monkees (except "Daydream Believer" produced by Chip Douglas)
• Recording Engineers: Pete Abbot and Hank Cicalo
• Music Supervision: Lester Sill
• Original Cover Design: Allan Wolsky and Friends