Circle Sky

"Circle Sky" is a song written by Michael Nesmith of The Monkees, which appeared on their sixth album, the Head soundtrack, and also in the film Head as a live concert performance.

"Circle Sky"
Song by The Monkees
from the album Head
ReleasedDecember 1, 1968
GenreRock
LabelColgems
Songwriter(s)Michael Nesmith

Background and inspiration

The song is written and performed in style reminiscent to the work of musician Bo Diddley, staying mostly on a single chord (A Major), while strumming barre chords (from B Major to E Major) down the guitar neck for the intro, outro, and breaks, and from B minor to D minor for the bridge. The lyrics are impressions of sights and sounds on a Monkees tour, while "Hamilton's smiling down" refers to a Hamilton music stand, used for rehearsals and recording.

Release

While the movie included the song performed live by the Monkees in Salt Lake City, Utah on May 17, 1968, during a free show at the Valley Auditorium, the original soundtrack album instead substituted a studio recording, made by Nesmith and session musicians (an unexplained decision that became a major source of tension in the group). The film version intercut Vietnam War footage with concert footage, and featured several mirrored shots of the band onstage.

A lo-fi transcription of the concert version was included on an Australian Monkees compilation in the early 1980s, Monkeemania (40 Timeless Hits),[1] while an alternate studio take appeared on a Rhino Records album, Monkee Flips, in 1984. A stereo recording of the concert version finally appeared on Missing Links Volume Two, in 1990. This version on the Apple iTunes Store is incorrect, but Amazon's MP3 is correct.

A reworked version of the song opened the Monkees's 1996 reunion album, Justus, featuring a rare Davy Jones guitar performance. This version is harder rocking than the original but is otherwise identical musically. The lyrics, however, have been changed in several spots.

Personnel

Studio version:

  • Michael Nesmith - lead vocal, guitar, organ, percussion
  • Keith Allison - guitar
  • Bill Chadwick - guitar
  • Eddie Hoh - drums, percussion

Live version (May 17, 1968):

  • Michael Nesmith - lead vocal, guitar
  • Davy Jones - percussion, organ
  • Peter Tork - bass
  • Micky Dolenz - drums, percussion

Justus version:

  • Michael Nesmith - lead vocal, guitar
  • Davy Jones - guitar
  • Peter Tork - bass
  • Micky Dolenz - drums
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References
  1. "'Monkeemania: 40 Timeless Hits From The Monkees' LP". The Monkee Live Almanac. 2014-02-01. Retrieved 2015-01-14.
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