The Best of the Monkees is a 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,...

 compilation released by Rhino Entertainment

Rhino Entertainment

Rhino Entertainment Company is an American specialty record label and production company. It is owned by Warner Music Group.-History:Rhino was originally a novelty song and reissue company during the 1970s and 1980s, releasing compilation albums of pop, rock & roll, and rhythm & blues successes...

. It contains 25 songs from The Monkees' repertoire, listed in chronological order by release date. Also included is a Bonus karaoke

Karaoke

is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...

 CD with five tracks. Unlike previous Rhino compilations, this one does not include any material from the 1980s or 1990s reunions, focusing strictly on the band's 1960s output.

The Best of the Monkees replaced The Monkees Greatest Hits, released in 1995 in anticipation of the band’s 30th Anniversary celebration the following year.

The album debuted on the Billboard 200

Billboard 200

The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...

 in the issue dated May 17, 2003, at number 51. It spent six weeks on the chart.

Disc One

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...
   
   " – from The Monkees
   The Monkees (album)
   The Monkees is the first album by the band The Monkees. It was released in October 1966 by Colgems Records in the United States and RCA Records in the rest of the world. It was the first of four consecutive U.S. number one albums for the group, taking the top spot on the Billboard 200 for 13 weeks....
   
   – 2:18
2. "Last Train to Clarksville
   Last 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...
   
   " – from The Monkees – 2:46
3. "I Wanna Be Free" – from The Monkees – 2:24
4. "Papa Gene’s Blues" – from The Monkees – 1:59
5. "I'm a Believer
   I'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,...
   
   " - from More of The Monkees
   More of The Monkees
   More of The Monkees is the second full-length album by The Monkees. It was recorded in late 1966 and released on Colgems label #102 on January 9, 1967. It was number one on the Billboard 200 for 18 weeks—the longest of any Monkees album. It also went to number one in the UK. In the U.S...
   
   – 2:46
6. "(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....
   
   " - from More of the Monkees – 2:24
7. "She" - from More of the Monkees – 2:39
8. "Mary, Mary
   Mary, Mary (song)
   "Mary, Mary" is a song written by Michael Nesmith. It was first recorded by The Butterfield Blues Band for their 1966 album, East-West. The Monkees, featuring Nesmith, would later record the song themselves...
   
   " - from More of the Monkees – 2:17
9. "Your Auntie Grizelda
   Your Auntie Grizelda
   Your Auntie Grizelda is a novelty song written by Diane Hildebrand and Jack Keller, made famous by The Monkees. The song appeared on both the TV series as well as their 1967 album, More of The Monkees. Although never released as a single, it has appeared on several of the band's subsequent...
   
   " – from More of the Monkees – 2:28
10. "Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)" - from More of the Monkees – 2:15
11. "Sometime in the Morning" - from More of the Monkees – 2:28
12. "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You
    A 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...
    
    " – from single – 2:47
13. "The Girl I Knew Somewhere" – from single – 2:34
14. "Shades of Gray
    Shades 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...
    
    " - from 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...
    
    – 3:21
15. "Randy Scouse Git
    Randy Scouse Git
    "Randy Scouse Git" is a song written by Micky Dolenz in 1967, and recorded by The Monkees. It was the first song written by Micky Dolenz to be commercially released, and ended up a top 5 hit in the UK where it was retitled "Alternate Title" after the record company complained that the title was...
    
    " - from Headquarters – 2:33
16. "For Pete's Sake
    For Pete's Sake (song)
    "For Pete's Sake" is a song written by Peter Tork and Joseph Richards, and recorded by The Monkees, with Micky Dolenz on lead vocals. It appeared on The Monkees' third album, Headquarters, and was used as the closing theme for the second season of their TV series.The song is often mistakenly...
    
    " – from Headquarters – 2:10
17. "You Just May Be the One" – from Headquarters – 2:03
18. "Pleasant Valley Sunday
    Pleasant 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...
    
    " – from Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones, Ltd.
    Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones, Ltd.
    Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. was the fourth album by The Monkees, released on November 6, 1967, when the Monkees were exerting more control over their music and actually playing many of the instruments themselves, something their record company had previously forbidden...
    
    – 3:15
19. "Words" - from Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones, Ltd. – 2:51
20. "Daydream Believer
    Daydream 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...
    
    " – from The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees
    The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees
    The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees is the fifth studio album by The Monkees released in April 1968. The first Monkees album not to reach Billboard's number one, instead charting at number three and eventually selling over a million copies.-History:...
    
    – 2:59
21. "Goin' Down" – from single – 4:23
22. "What Am I Doing Hanging 'Round" - from Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, Ltd. – 3:07
23. "Valleri
    Valleri
    "Valleri" is a song written by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart for The Monkees, who had a #3 on Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Cash Box with it in early 1968...
    
    " – from The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees
    The Birds, The Bees & the Monkees
    The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees is the fifth studio album by The Monkees released in April 1968. The first Monkees album not to reach Billboard's number one, instead charting at number three and eventually selling over a million copies.-History:...
    
    – 2:20
24. "Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)
    Porpoise Song (Theme from Head)
    "Porpoise Song " is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King and performed by pop/rock quartet The Monkees on their album Head. The song was released as a single in 1968, and reached #62 on the Billboard Hot 100....
    
    " – from Head (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) – 4:10
25. "Listen to the Band" – from The Monkees Present
    The Monkees Present
    The Monkees Present is The Monkees' eighth album.By the time recording had begun in earnest for this album, the Monkees had passed their popularity peak, and as Screen Gems cared less and less about the Monkees' activities, the members were given more control over the creation of this, the second...
    
    – 2:28

Bonus Karaoke CD+G

1. "(Theme from) The Monkees" – 1:25
2. "I'm a Believer" - 3:13
3. "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone" - 2:49
4. "Pleasant Valley Sunday
   Pleasant 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...
   
   " – 3:39
5. "Daydream Believer" – 3:14