Re-Focus (album)
Encyclopedia
Re-Focus was a 1972 compilation album
of songs by The Monkees
, released on Bell Records, the successor to Colgems Records
, which had been the Monkees's original record label
.
The band had quit, one by one, over 1969 and 1970, but their television series continued to air on CBS-TV on Saturday mornings (moving to ABC
in 1972). Two earlier best-ofs collections from Colgems were hard to find, and neither had included a photo of the band. While Re-Focus used an early photo of the Monkees on its front cover (as the subject of a camera lens, hence the title), this collection also soon headed for obscurity.
The same song lineup was reused in 1976, after Bell Records evolved into Arista Records
(with music mogul Clive Davis
in charge), for a far more successful compilation, The Monkees Greatest Hits
.
Side 2
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of songs by The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
, released on Bell Records, the successor to Colgems Records
Colgems Records
Colgems Records was a record label which existed from 1966 to 1971. It was a joint venture between Screen Gems, the television division of Columbia Pictures, and RCA Records, to issue records by The Monkees and other artists affiliated with Screen Gems. The label would also issue soundtrack...
, which had been the Monkees's original record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
.
The band had quit, one by one, over 1969 and 1970, but their television series continued to air on CBS-TV on Saturday mornings (moving to ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
in 1972). Two earlier best-ofs collections from Colgems were hard to find, and neither had included a photo of the band. While Re-Focus used an early photo of the Monkees on its front cover (as the subject of a camera lens, hence the title), this collection also soon headed for obscurity.
The same song lineup was reused in 1976, after Bell Records evolved into Arista Records
Arista Records
Arista was an American record label. It was a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operated under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
(with music mogul Clive Davis
Clive Davis
Clive Davis is an American record producer and music industry executive. He has won five Grammy Awards and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. From 1967 to 1973 he was the President of Columbia Records. He was the founder and president of Arista Records from 1975...
in charge), for a far more successful compilation, The Monkees Greatest Hits
The Monkees Greatest Hits (album)
The Monkees Greatest Hits was a 1976 greatest hits compilation album of songs by the Monkees released by Arista Records, and a reissue of an earlier Bell Records compilation, Re-Focus....
.
Track listing
Side 1- "(Theme from) The Monkees(Theme from) The Monkees" The Monkees" is a 1966 popular song, written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart as the theme song for the TV series The Monkees. It later appeared on their album The Monkees. Originally intended as an album track, it was later released as a single in Australia, where it became a hit. It is still...
" (Boyce & Hart) - "Last Train to ClarksvilleLast Train to Clarksville"Last Train to Clarksville" was the debut single by The Monkees, released August 16, 1966, and later included on the group's 1966 self-titled album, that was released on October 10, 1966. The song was recorded at RCA Victor Studio B in Hollywood, on July 25, 1966...
" (Boyce & Hart) - "She" (Boyce & Hart)
- "Daydream BelieverDaydream Believer"Daydream Believer" is a song composed by John Stewart shortly before he left the Kingston Trio. The song was originally recorded by The Monkees, with Davy Jones singing lead vocals. The single hit the number one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1967, remaining there for four...
" (Stewart) - "Listen to the Band" (NesmithMichael NesmithRobert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name...
) - "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit YouA Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You"A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" is a song by Neil Diamond that was released by The Monkees in 1967 . Davy Jones sang the lead vocal . It went to #1 in the US Cashbox charts and #2 on the Billboard charts...
" (DiamondNeil DiamondNeil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
)
Side 2
- "I'm a BelieverI'm a Believer"I'm a Believer" is a song composed by Neil Diamond and recorded by The Monkees in 1966 with the lead vocals by Micky Dolenz. The single, produced by Jeff Barry, hit the number one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending December 31, 1966 and remained there for seven weeks,...
" (Diamond) - "I Wanna Be Free" (Boyce & Hart)
- "Pleasant Valley SundayPleasant Valley Sunday"Pleasant Valley Sunday" is a song by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, most famous for the version recorded by The Monkees in 1967. Goffin's and King's inspiration for the name was a street named , in West Orange, New Jersey where they were living at the time. The road follows a valley through several...
" (KingCarole KingCarole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
& GoffinGerry GoffinGerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
) - "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" Steppin' Stone" is a rock song by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. It was first recorded by Paul Revere & the Raiders and appeared on their 1966 album Midnight Ride....
" (Boyce & Hart) - "Shades of GrayShades of Gray (song)Shades of Gray was written in 1965 by Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and was recorded by The Monkees for their 1967 album Headquarters, the first in which the group played all its own instruments...
" (MannBarry MannBarry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
& WeilCynthia WeilCynthia Weil is a prominent American songwriter. She is famous for having written many songs together with her husband Barry Mann....
)