The Monkees -- "Headquarters" and "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd."

The Monkees' two best albums are arguably the two they released in 1967: Headquarters and Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. So it's interesting, I think, that neither one was released with its original tracklist. Someone, somewhere for some reason rearranged the songs on both albums, cutting some tracks and leaving the public with two albums that would have been better left alone. Thankfully, in this day of digital music we can recreate the original album running orders.

SIDE A
1. For Pete's Sake
2. I'll Spend My Life with You
3. Forget That Girl
4. You Just May be the One
5. Shades of Gray
6. A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You
7. Band 6
8. Sunny Girlfriend

SIDE B
1. Mr. Webster
2. You Told Me
3. The Girl I Knew Somewhere
4. Zilch
5. Early Morning Blues and Greens
6. Randy Scouse Git
7. I Can't Get Her Off of My Mind
8. No Time

Headquarters was the first of the band's albums, in which the band was actually in control and played most of the instruments. Previously, session musicians were used extensively and the Monkees themselves would do the vocals. Eventually, the band members rebelled and got creative control. The result was an album that was more than just a collection of pop tunes, although there are those as well.

In its original tracklist, the album opens with Peter Tork's "For Pete's Sake" which would later become the closing song of the TV show. And the album closes with rollicking "No Time." If eight songs per side seems like the album would be a bit long, guess again. Only "Shades of Gray" goes over three minutes, and each side clocks in less than 19 minutes.

All tracks are available on the deluxe version of the album.

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

SIDE B
1. The Door into Summer
2. Hard to Believe
3. What am I Doin' Hangin' 'Round?
4. Daily Nightly
5. Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky
6. Pleasant Valley Sunday
7. Star Collector

I have a special soft spot for this album as it was the first one I ever owned. I think my mom bought it for me around 1969 when I was four or five. I've no idea why she selected this one over any of their other albums, but I know I played it constantly and drove my grandmother crazy one summer.

Headquarters tends to get the most attention these days, but for my money, PAC&J is the better album. And in its original configuration, it's even better in my opinion. You've got the faux sound frequency test ("Special Announcement"); some of the first use of a Moog synthesizer on two songs ("Daily Nightly," "Star Collector"); psychedelic rock ("Words"); mixed with twangy country ("What am I Doin' Hangin' 'Round") and pop rock ("She Hangs Out"), a song about drugs ("Salesman"), a song about a gang bang ("Cuddly Toy), a spoken word tongue twister ("Peter Percival..."), etc. etc. It's a crazy album.

All tracks are available on the deluxe version of PAC&J.