Instant Replay is the seventh studio album by The Monkees. Issued six months after the cancellation of the group’s NBC television series, it is also the first album released after Peter Tork left the group and the only album of the original nine studio albums that does not include any songs featured in the TV show from the original NBC run nor the CBS/ABC reruns.
Although the Monkees had recorded dozens of tracks between the time of their last studio album, spring 1968’s The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees (a soundtrack LP from their film Head had been released between the two studio LPs), several of the songs on Instant Replay actually dated from sessions up to two and a half years earlier. The band’s new music supervisor, Brendan Cahill, believed that releasing previously unused tracks recorded in 1966—prior to the group’s seizing control of their own recording process—was the way for the group to get back to the top. The album’s lead single, “Tear Drop City,” was one of the songs taken from the vault. The song was sped up around 9 percent from the original recording, changing the song’s key from G to A-flat. The single, notably similar to the group’s first hit “Last Train to Clarksville”, was identified by Michael Nesmith as their intended first single in 1966. The track was not a major hit, only managing to reach No. 56 on the U.S. charts, while reaching No. 34 in Australia. Despite the single’s poor chart performance, the album charted on the Billboard Top 40 Albums chart at 32.
Micky Dolenz’s “Just a Game” had originally been written during the sessions of the Headquarters album, while Nesmith’s “Don’t Wait for Me” was the first released product of his 1968 sessions with Nashville studio musicians. Davy Jones’ “You and I,” with its lyrics bemoaning the fickle pace of teen stardom, featured guitar work from Neil Young.
Original tracks
1 Through The Looking Glass (Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart, Red Baldwin) 2:43 2 Don’t Listen To Linda (Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart) 2:47 3 I Won’t Be The Same Without Her (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) 2:41 4 You And I (Bill Chadwick, Davy Jones) 2:13 5 Just A Game (Micky Dolenz) 1:49 6 Me Without You (Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart) 2:09 7 Don’t Wait For Me (Michael Nesmith) 2:34 8 Teardrop City (Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart) 2:02 9 While I Cry (Michael Nesmith) 2:59 10 The Girl I Left Behind Me (Carole Bayer Sager, Neil Sedaka) 2:43 11 A Man Without A Dream (Gerry Goffin, Carole King) 2:59 12 Shorty Blackwell (Micky Dolenz) 5:42
Musicians
1 Through The Looking Glass
Bass - Joe Osborn Drums - Billy Lewis Guitar - Jerry McGee Guitar - Keith Allison Guitar - Louie Shelton Guitar - Wayne Erwin Percussion - Alan Estes Vocals - Micky Dolenz
2 Don’t Listen To Linda
Bass - Joe Osborn Drums - Billy Lewis Guitar - Jerry McGee Guitar - Louie Shelton Guitar - Tommy Boyce Vocals - Davy Jones
3 I Won’t Be The Same Without Her
Bass - Bob West Drums - Hal Blaine Guitar - Al Casey Guitar - Glen Campbell Guitar - James Burton Guitar - Mike Deasy Guitar - Peter Tork Percussion - Frank Devito Percussion - Gary Coleman Vocals - Michael Nesmith
4 You And I
Bass - Joe Osborn Drums - Hal Blaine Guitar - Jerry McGee Guitar - Neil Young Guitar - Bill Chadwick Guitar - Louie Shelton Keyboards - Larry Knechtel Vocals - Davy Jones
5 Just A Game
Bass - Max Bennett Drums - Jim Gordon Acoustic Guitar - Tommy Tedesco Acoustic Guitar - Micky Dolenz Harpsichord - Michel Rubini Flute - Bud Shank Flute - Ronnie Lang Flute - Ted Nash French Horn - David Duke French Horn - Richard Perissi French Horn - Vince DeRosa Trombone - George Roberts Trumpet - Bud Brisbois Trumpet - Buddy Childers Trumpet - Ollie Mitchell Trumpet - Ray Triscari Percussion - Joe Porcaro Background Vocals - Coco Dolenz Vocals - Micky Dolenz
6 Me Without You
Bass - Joe Osborn Drums - Billy Lewis Guitar - Jerry McGee Guitar - Louie Shelton Keyboards - Bobby Hart Vocals - Davy Jones
7 Don’t Wait For Me
Bass - Bobby Dyson Drums - Jerry Carrigan Acoustic Guitar - Harold Bradley Steel Guitar - Lloyd Green Banjo - Sonny Osborne Piano - David Briggs Vocals - Michael Nesmith
8 Teardrop City
Bass - Larry Taylor Drums - Billy Lewis Guitar - Jerry McGee Guitar - Louie Shelton Guitar - Wayne Erwin Percussion - Gene Estes Background Vocals - Tommy Boyce Background Vocals - Bobby Hart Background Vocals - Ron Hicklin Vocals - Micky Dolenz
9 While I Cry
Bass - Richard Dey Drums - Eddie Hoh Guitar - Michael Nesmith Guitar - Bill Chadwick Guitar - Keith Allison Background Vocals - Harry Nilsson Vocals - Michael Nesmith
10 The Girl I Left Behind Me
Bass - Russ Savakus Drums - Herbie Lovelle Guitar - Al Gafa Guitar - Bill Suyker Guitar - Don Thomas Keyboards - Neil Sedaka Vocals - Davy Jones
11 A Man Without A Dream
Bass - Joe Osborn Drums - Hal Blaine Acoustic Guitar - Mike Deasy Acoustic Guitar - Tommy Tedesco Piano - Jimmy Rowles Piano - Larry Knechtel French Horn - James Decker French Horn - Richard Perissi French Horn - Vince DeRosa French Horn - William Hinshaw Trombone - Bob Edmondson Trombone - Lew McCreary Trumpet - Buddy Childers Trumpet - Conte Candoli Background Vocals - Don Addrisi Vocals - Davy Jones
12 Shorty Blackwell
Bass - Max Bennett Drums - Jim Gordon Guitar - Tommy Tedesco Piano - Michel Rubini Piano - Micky Dolenz Vocals - Micky Dolenz
Other Musicians
Violin – Anatol Kaminsky, Bernard Kundell, Erno Neufeld, George Berres, Joseph Stepansky, Nathan Ross (Track 5) Violin – Julius Schacter, Leo Kahn (Track 10)
Liner Notes
Producer – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart (Tracks 1, 2, 8) Producer – Michael Nesmith (Tracks 3, 7, 9) Producer – Davy Jones (Track 4) Producer – Micky Dolenz (Track 5) Producer – Bones Howe (Track 11) Arranged By – Don McGinnis (Tracks 1, 2, 6) Arranged By – Michael Nesmith (Track 3, 7, 9) Arranged By – Shorty Rogers (Track 4, 5, 12) Arranged By – Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart (Track 8) Arranged By – Neil Sedaka (Track 10) Arranged By – Bill Holman, Bob Alcivar, Bones Howe (Track 11)Recorded At United Recorders Recorded At RCA Victor Studios, Hollywood Recorded At Western Recorders Recorded At RCA Victor Studios, Nashville Recorded At Wally Heider Recording Studio, Los Angeles Recorded At Sunset Sound Recorders Recorded At RCA Victor Studios, New York Recorded At T.T.G. Studios Recorded At Amigo Studios Phonographic Copyright Rhino Entertainment Company Copyright Rhino Entertainment Company
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Micky Dolenz – lead vocals (1, 4, 9, 12), acoustic guitar (4), backing vocals (12), piano (12) Davy Jones – lead vocals (2, 5, 7, 10–11), backing vocals (7, 11) Michael Nesmith – lead vocals (3, 6, 8), backing vocals (3), guitar (8)
Keith Allison – guitar (1) Wayne Erwin – guitar (1, 9) Gerry McGee – guitar (1–2, 5, 7, 9) Louie Shelton – guitar (1–2, 5, 9), additional guitar (7) Bobby Hart – tack piano (1), keyboards (5), backing vocals (9) Joe Osborn – bass guitar (1–2, 5, 7, 11) Billy Lewis – drums (1–2, 5, 9) Alan Estes – percussion (1), tambourine (9) Tommy Boyce – guitar (2), backing vocals (9) James Burton – guitar (3) Glen Campbell – guitar (3) Al Casey – guitar (3) Mike Deasy – guitar (3), acoustic guitar (track 11) Peter Tork – guitar (3), Danelectro bass (3) Larry Knechtel – piano (3, 11), organ (7) Bob West – bass guitar (3) Hal Blaine – drums (3, 7, 11), tambourine (11) Gary Coleman – percussion (3) Frank DeVito – percussion (3) Tommy Tedesco – acoustic guitar (4, 11), electric 12-string guitar (12) Michel Rubini – harpsichord (4), piano (12) Max Bennett – bass guitar (4, 12) Jim Gordon – drums (4, 12), percussion (12) Joe Porcaro – percussion (4, 12) Bud Brisbois – trumpet (4, 12) Buddy Childers – trumpet (4, 11–12) Oliver Mitchell – trumpet (4, 12) Ray Triscari – trumpet (4, 12) George Roberts – trombone (4, 12) Vincent DeRosa – French horn (4, 11–12) David Duke – French horn (4, 12) Dick Perissi – French horn (4, 11–12) Ronnie Lang – flute (4, 12) Ted Nash – flute (4, 12) Bud Shank – flute (4, 12) George Berres – violin (4, 12) Anatol Kaminsky – violin (4, 12) Bernard Kundell – violin (4, 12) Erno Neufeld – violin (4, 12) Nathan Ross – violin (4, 12) Joseph Stepansky – violin (4, 12) Justin DiTullio – cello (4, 12) Armand Kaproff – cello (4, 12) Edgar Lustgarten – cello (4, 12) Coco Dolenz – backing vocals (4, 12), lead harmony vocals (12) Harold Bradley – acoustic guitar (6) Lloyd Green – steel guitar (6) Sonny Osborne – banjo (6) David Briggs – piano (6) Bobby Dyson – bass guitar (6) Jerry Carrigan – drums (6) Neil Young – guitar (7) Bill Chadwick – additional guitar (7), backing vocals (8), unspecified (8) Rick Dey – bass guitar (8) Eddie Hoh – drums (8) Larry Taylor – bass guitar (9) Ron Hicklin – backing vocals (9) Al Gafa – guitar (10) Willard Suyker – guitar (10) Don Thomas – guitar (10) Neil Sedaka – keyboards (10) Russ Savakus – bass guitar (10) Herbie Lovelle – drums (10) Leo Kahn – violin (10) Julius Schachter – violin (10) Maurice Bialkin – cello (10) Jimmy Rowles – piano (11) Conte Candoli – trumpet (11) Bob Edmondson – trombone (11) Lew McCreary – trombone (11) Jim Decker – French horn (11) Bill Hinshaw – French horn (11) Don Addrisi – backing vocals (11) Victor Feldman – percussion (12) Emil Richards – percussion (12) Kenny Shroyer – trombone (12)
