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When Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart made their long-playing debut as a recording duo with the 1967 release on A&M Records of Test Patterns, it was clear that the duo had the goods. They were singers, writers, producers, and musicians, and showcased all of those talents on the album. It was the culmination of a relatively short but prolific period of time that saw them - individually and collectively - behind some of the most enduring hits of that era or any other: "Last Train to Clarksville," "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone," "Come a Little Bit Closer," "Hurt So Bad," "I Wanna Be Free," "Valleri," "Pretty Little Angel Eyes," and of course, "Theme from The Monkees."
While their first single on A&M, Test Patterns' "Out and About," made the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, Tommy and Bobby scored their biggest hit as a duo with the lead single and title track of their second LP, 1968's I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite?. Crackling with youthful abandon, energy, and a killer AM radio-ready hook, the pop nugget kicked off the strongest of their three A&M sets. Tomorrow, July 21, 7a Records will return I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite? to print with a new 55th anniversary deluxe edition on CD and limited edition LP. This title follows 7a's recent collection dedicated to the 1970s studio and live recordings of supergroup Dolenz, Jones, Boyce, and Hart.
Released in March 1968, I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite? had the same high level of pop craftsmanship that had manifested itself in Boyce and Hart's recordings for The Monkees and countless others. The album melded Boyce's knack for bubblegum-sweet melodies with Hart's blue-eyed soul inclinations, while their easy rapport and camaraderie shone through in the delivery of each tune. Artie Butler and Don McGinnis contributed arrangements, and the Wrecking Crew A-list including guitarist Louie Shelton and bassist Joe Osborn showed up to play on it.
A couple of songs on the album will be familiar to Monkees fans. The touching "I Wanna Be Free" appeared on The Monkees' debut album in 1966 while the rocking "Tear Drop City" would show up on 1969's Instant Replay, the first LP from the Peter Tork-less lineup of Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Micky Dolenz. ("I Wanna Be Free," in particular, stands out here in a lovely new arrangement.) The album's original songs are of the same caliber. "Pretty Flower" is in the baroque pop mold (with a dash of experimentation at the song's end) while "I'm Digging You Digging Me" is the kind of effortlessly catchy pop tune that Boyce and Hart seemingly could crank out at will. "Love Every Day" is a gentle, billowy ballad. On the other end of the spectrum, "Population" reflects Tommy and Bobby's protest leanings. (Active participants in the sixties' political revolution, Boyce and Hart would conclude their A&M singles discography with "L.U.V. (Let Us Vote)," advocating for the right of teenagers to vote and the voting age to be reduced to eighteen.)
Boyce and Hart were very much ubiquitous around the time of the album's release; the team wrote music for such motion pictures as The Ambushers and Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows. On the small screen, the duo also had a high profile. Not only were they The Monkees' favorite and most recorded songwriters, but the telegenic tunesmiths made appearances on I Dream of Jeannie (opposite Phil Spector!), The Flying Nun, and Bewitched. On the latter sitcom, Tommy and Bobby played what was arguably their grooviest concert ever - at The Cosmos Cotillion, the otherworldly affair for the elite "in crowd" of witches and warlocks. Elizabeth Montgomery even joined them during the episode to perform their 1969 single "A Kiss in the Wind" as good witch Samantha's deliciously scheming cousin Serena. Samantha hoped to send those "howling hippies" back to Earth, but even she couldn't help dancing along.
Now's the time to revisit I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite?, one of the sixties' most underrated pop gems. 7a's CD reissue features a 28-page booklet with liner notes by Monkees historian Andrew Sandoval as well as full lyrics and previously unpublished photos by Henry Diltz. The vinyl edition is pressed on 180-gram red vinyl and is limited to just 500 units. It's housed in a gatefold sleeve with Diltz's photos and song lyrics.
The CD version of I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite? is due from 7a Records on July 21. Amazon U.K. is currently showing the LP as available on July 28. North American dates are one week later. The CD and LP releases are available for pre-order now at the links below.
Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite? (A&M LP SP-4143, reissued 7a Records 7A045/7A046LP, 2023)
CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Deep Discount (U.S.)
LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada / Deep Discount (U.S.)
- I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite?
- Pretty Flower
- Teardrop City
- Love Every Day
- Two for the Price of One
- Goodbye, Baby (I Don't Want to See You Cry)
- I'm Digging You, Digging Me
- Leaving Again
- The Countess
- Population
- I Wanna Be Free
Release Round-Up: Week of July 21
Release Round-Up: Week of July 15
"The First Bobby Hart Solo Album" OUT TODAY From 7a Records!
Talk about coincidence. I was just inputting the details of the CD into my online CD database when this email popped up. I received an email earlier today saying my copy of the CD will arrive tomorrow.
I don't know about "I wonder what she's doin' tonight" but I know what I will be doing tomorrow night. Listening to this.
Checked out the CD on Amazon, which is charging $33.99. Why the steep price?
Get it on importcds.com, it’s about $7 cheaper
I bought my fist copy of this album at a Estate sale along with a bunch of Monkees albums in the early 2000's. All the albums were in great shape and when I put this one on the turntable I had to listen to the whole album. I sadly realized I missed a great album for 30 some years that was just as polished and well recorded as the early Monkees albums I was replacing from my childhood. This is truly a missed gem if you never heard it and a great sunshine pop memory if you have.
Very expensive for one CD
Right. The CD is as over priced at the vinyl.
It's not just a CD though, is it? Looks more like a box set to me.
It's a tri-fold digipak cover with a booklet and just the one CD with no bonus tracks. Not a box set.
I can't believe the stinginess of some people. Yes, it may be priced slightly higher than a single CD would normally be but knowing 7A records, they would have taken the time and trouble to go back to the master tapes to get the best possible sound. The packaging with the extensive sleeve notes and photographs all add to what is a release of very good value.
Well Peter, I do not consider myself "stingy". I am willing to pay higher prices when the content justifies it. I do not feel this price is justified in this case. The packaging is similar to the 7a. Michael Nesmith's And The Hits Just Keep On Comin' 50th Anniversary Edition which is priced $10 less and that CD includes bonus tracks. But if you are willing to pay that price, you go right ahead. We 'stingy" people will pass for now.
With all due respect, Peter, I think you're way too quick to label those who object to the price as stingy. Given numerous other releases - albeit on other labels - of archival material that include booklets, liner notes and remastering that sell for less, I would argue this is, in fact, overpriced.
As a recent example, Rhino just released two early Little Feat albums that come in nice fold-out digipaks and include booklets w/numerous photos and essays. The music includes the original albums, plus outtakes and live tracks - all spread over 2 cd's each for list prices of $24.98.
The new Charlie Watts anthology comes in small hardcover book-like packaging with lots of nice photos and lists for $19.98 -- for 2 cd's.
There are plenty of other examples where labels have reissued nicely presented archival material w/updated sound for less than what 7A is charging.
Maybe 7A feels it has good reason to charge a higher price for this release. Perhaps there are licensing costs or other expenses that factored into the decision. I don't see their contracts or ledger sheets. Maybe Joe Marchese can ask Glenn Gretlund, the 7A ceo, for an explanation.
But consider this: Perhaps other labels may see this and think about a new ceiling for CD pricing. After all, if 7A can do it.. This is pure speculation and the Boyce & Hart release would have to be a big seller to get folks thinking that way.
But if that happens, then we'll all start paying more for CDs - as we've seen w/vinyl pricing - or choose to forego purchases based on whatever personal reasons. Those extra $5 and $10 can add up, at least for those who regularly purchase music.
I think pricing is fair game and should be discussed. And those who do object to higher price points don't deserve to be called stingy. I think you're off base for doing so.
Ed
Good points Ed.
I was all in on getting this and got complete sticker shock when I saw the price. I noticed a similar price for the latest Paul Young reissue of "The Crossing" (although it finally went down on Amazon, it's still pricey at over $25 with no bonus tracks).
I'm no miser, especially when it comes to quality music releases, but this is beginning to look like an alarming price increase trend.
It's $20 on importcds.com - worth shopping around if you want it. Amazon's pricing seems weird at times.
Gosh, there seems to be a lot of negativity on here. I have read your comments and feel that I need to reply. I think you are missing the most important point - this is an Import. We are based in the UK. Imports cost more that US releases. However, I have just looked and the CD is currently available for $20.00 on importcds.com, which doesn't seem bad to me. As with any products, if you shop around you will often find cheaper prices - Amazon are not always the cheapest! We don't set the retail prices, we sell our releases to our distributors for as little as we can afford to, as we know that distributors, wholesalers and shops will add their mark ups on top of it. Sure, we could probably save a dollar or two if we didn't license from the majors, didn't remaster the albums, didn't include previously unpublished photos or included the thick 30 or 40 page booklets with extensive liner notes. We could just do a straight transfer, copy the original artwork and press the discs. Some companies (I won't mention any names) do that. But we don't want to do that, because then we wouldn't be doing the albums justice. If some people don't care about the remastering or the booklets and just want the cheapest possible "disc", then the 7A products probably aren't for you anyway, as this is what we always do. In regards to bonus tracks, we can only include these when they are available and some of the majors simply won't allow us to add any. Believe me - we always try to make our releases as special as we can. And many, including this Boyce & Hart album, haven't been reissued in over 20 years. I hope those of you that have supported us in the past will continue to do so, as you are the ones that keep this thing going. We are not doing this for profit, if we were we would have closed down a long time ago. The profit from every release goes into the next one. Thank you. Kind Regards, Glenn Gretlund - 7A Records Ltd
Thanks, Glenn, for replying and filling us in. Getting first-hand perspective from a label is very helpful. There was no intent on my part to be negative. I noted there may be licensing or other legitimate factors that led to the price. And certainly, you're correct that shopping around can yield a better deal, especially for imports. Who doesn't shop around?
My objection was to the notion, which someone else made, that anyone who passes on higher-priced cd's is stingy. So yes, it helps to know some of the reasons for the pricing, as you pointed out - improved sound, packaging, etc. I tried to make a broader point that, even with such upgraded releases, no one wants CD price creep that winds up resembling the soaring prices for vinyl, which have greatly exceeded inflation. Some consumers will - or must - be discerning, even when a quality release is issued, due to pocketbooks.
This was not meant to criticize anyone's efforts, including yours, though. To me, a CD that contains great sound, essays, great photos, especially for vintage material, is always worth considering. And its wonderful that your label is among those making it happen. So I hope this release generates enough return to have made it worth your while and allow you to invest in still more releases. At the end of the day, I appreciate what you're doing.