Shades of Gray (song)
Encyclopedia
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 (except a French horn and cello
, both of which were featured in this song). Lead vocals were shared by Davy Jones
and Peter Tork
.
Sons of Champlin
recorded the song at about the same time, but the Headquarters version was released first. The album Fat City, released in 1999 by Big Beat UK, finally featured the Sons of Champlin version of the song, named "Shades of Grey" (whereas the original Monkees release was titled "Shades of Gray").
The Will-O-Bees (Janet Blossom, Steven Porter, Robert Merchanthouse), recorded a mid-tempo, slightly heavier and more focused version, in 1966, on Date 1543.
Another version was recorded in 1970 by P.K. Limited (Screen Gems/Columbia Music songwriters Dan Peyton and Marty Kaniger); it was featured in the film Getting Straight
".
, C. Thomas Howell
's character Mark attempts to wax philosophical to impress a girl, so he says, "Today there is no black or white, only shades of gray," a direct quote from the song.
Barry Mann
Barry Mann is an American songwriter, and part of a successful songwriting partnership with his wife, Cynthia Weil.-Career:...
and Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil
Cynthia Weil is a prominent American songwriter. She is famous for having written many songs together with her husband Barry Mann....
and was recorded 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,...
for their 1967 album Headquarters
Headquarters (album)
HeadquartersThe sleeve and record both render the title as The Monkees' Headquarters. was the third album issued by The Monkees and the first written and recorded primarily by the four members of the group, rather than by session musicians and professional songwriters...
, the first in which the group played all its own instruments (except a French horn and cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
, both of which were featured in this song). Lead vocals were shared by Davy Jones
Davy Jones (actor)
David Thomas "Davy" Jones is an English rock singer-songwriter and actor best known as a member of the Monkees.-Early life:...
and Peter Tork
Peter Tork
Peter Tork is an American musician and actor, best known as a member of The Monkees.-Early life:Tork was born Peter Halsten Thorkelson in Washington, D.C.. Although he was born in 1942, many news articles report him as born in 1944 in New York City as this was the date and place given on early...
.
Sons of Champlin
Sons of Champlin
The Sons of Champlin is an American rock band, formed in the late 1960s and hailing from the San Francisco-Bay area. They are fronted by vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Bill Champlin, who was also a member of the rock band Chicago.-Early years:...
recorded the song at about the same time, but the Headquarters version was released first. The album Fat City, released in 1999 by Big Beat UK, finally featured the Sons of Champlin version of the song, named "Shades of Grey" (whereas the original Monkees release was titled "Shades of Gray").
The Will-O-Bees (Janet Blossom, Steven Porter, Robert Merchanthouse), recorded a mid-tempo, slightly heavier and more focused version, in 1966, on Date 1543.
Another version was recorded in 1970 by P.K. Limited (Screen Gems/Columbia Music songwriters Dan Peyton and Marty Kaniger); it was featured in the film Getting Straight
Getting Straight
Getting Straight is a 1970 American comedy-drama motion picture directed by Richard Rush, released by Columbia Pictures.The story centered upon student politics at a university in the early 1970s, seen through the eyes of non-conformist graduate student Harry Bailey...
".
Cultural references
In the 1986 film Soul ManSoul Man (film)
Soul Man is a comedy film made in 1986 about a man who undergoes racial transformation with pills to qualify for a Black only scholarship at Harvard Law School. It stars C. Thomas Howell, Rae Dawn Chong, Arye Gross, James Earl Jones, Leslie Nielsen, James B...
, C. Thomas Howell
C. Thomas Howell
Christopher Thomas "Tommy" Howell , known by his stage name C. Thomas Howell, is an American actor and film director. He starred in the films The Outsiders as Ponyboy Curtis and in The Hitcher as Jim Halsey. He has appeared in The Da Vinci Treasure,Soul Man, Red Dawn, Secret Admirer, Gettysburg, H. G...
's character Mark attempts to wax philosophical to impress a girl, so he says, "Today there is no black or white, only shades of gray," a direct quote from the song.