Circle Sky
{{More citations needed|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Circle Sky
| cover =
| alt =
| caption = album cover
| type =
| artist = The Monkees
| album = Head
| released = December 1, 1968
| format =
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre =
- Rock{{cite book|title=33 1/3 Revolutions Per Minute - A Critical Trip Through the Rock LP Era, 1955–1999|first=Mike|last=Segretto|date=2022|chapter= 1968|pages= 183–186|publisher=Backbeat|isbn=9781493064601|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jtNtEAAAQBAJ}}
- garage rock{{cite web|last= Rolling Stone Staff|title= The 101 Greatest Soundtracks of All Time|website= Rolling Stone|date= September 24, 2024|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-movie-soundtracks-1235083518/|accessdate= October 5, 2024}}
| length =
| label = Colgems
| writer = Michael Nesmith
| producer =
}}
"Circle Sky" is a song written by Michael Nesmith which appeared on The Monkees' sixth album, the Head soundtrack, and also in the film Head as a live concert performance.
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 Music Hall, 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 Monkeemania (40 Timeless Hits), a compilation from the early 1980s,{{cite web |url=http://www.monkeesconcerts.com/blog/monkeemania-40-timeless-hits-from-the-monkees-lp |title= 'Monkeemania: 40 Timeless Hits From The Monkees' LP |work=The Monkee Live Almanac |date=2014-02-01 |accessdate=2015-01-14 }} and an alternate studio take appeared on Monkee Flips in 1984. A stereo recording of the concert version appeared on Missing Links Volume Two in 1990.
A reworked version of the song opened the Monkees's 1996 reunion album Justus, featuring a rare performance by Davy Jones on guitar.
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
References
{{reflist}}
{{The Monkees}}
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