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Hard to Believe: The Monkees' "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd." Goes Super Deluxe

October 2, 2025 By Joe Marchese 24 Comments

Monkees Pisces Aquarius Super Deluxe

BUY NOW FROM MONKEES.COM

The Monkees' fourth album is returning today in two different formats: an audiophile-quality vinyl pressing sourced from the original stereo tapes for the first time and a 4CD/1-7" super deluxe box set loaded with over 100 tracks, many of which are previously unreleased.

1967's Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. found Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork taking advantage of the hard-won freedom they'd earned with Headquarters.  Sessions began in April 1967, less than two weeks after Headquarters had been completed and the second season of the group's sitcom had begun filming.  The result was one of their most musically varied albums - possibly their most varied - with songs by established songwriters, up-and-comers, and their own Michael Nesmith.  Though Chip Douglas and drummer Eddie Hoh did join the group along with various string, wind, and horn players, the four Monkees all played on the LP and selected its songs.

Over four months before the album's release, it was previewed by "Pleasant Valley Sunday" on 45 RPM.  The pulsating Carole King/Gerry Goffin rocker acerbically commented on the suburban setting to which the couple had relocated (on seemingly bucolic Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange, New Jersey).  Persuasively sung by Micky Dolenz with a killer guitar riff devised by producer Chip Douglas and played by Nesmith, "Pleasant Valley Sunday" was a biting slice of pop bliss.  It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and set the stage for the full album named for the group members' astrological signs.  (Dolenz is Pisces, Tork was Aquarius, and both Jones and Nesmith were Capricorn.)

Mike Nesmith made the biggest impression on the album, taking the lead on five songs including Craig Smith's trippy opener "Salesman," Chip Douglas and Bill Martin's folk-rock anti-war lament "The Door Into Summer," Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil's dreamy "Love Is Only Sleeping," his own ballad "Don't Call on Me" (co-written with John London), and Michael Martin Murphey and Boomer Castleman's surging country rocker, "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round."  Nesmith additionally penned "Daily Nightly," a Moog-flecked meditation on the Sunset Strip riots, sung by Micky Dolenz.  Davy Jones shone on Harry Nilsson's cheerfully subversive "Cuddly Toy" as well as with Goffin and King's timely meditation on a Hollywood "Star Collector" and Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, Jerry Leiber, and Mike Stoller's bubblegum rocker "She Hangs Out."  His own "Hard to Believe" was a soft pop standout.  Stalwarts Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart supplied the group with the garage-style nugget "Words," featuring another full-throated Dolenz lead.

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. proved innovative, with one of pop's first ever appearances of the Moog on both "Daily Nightly" and "Star Collector."  (Dolenz played it on the former, while Paul Beaver handled it on the latter.)  The country-rock fusion on "What Am I Doing Hangin' Round" (with electric banjo played by Doug Dillard) anticipated Nesmith's future sojourns into the hybrid genre as well as later such efforts by The Byrds and The Flying Burrito Brothers.

Monkees Pisces Capricorn High Fidelity

BUY NOW FROM RHINO.COM

Rhino's beautiful new audiophile vinyl edition, as part of the label's Rhino High Fidelity series, has been cut from the original analog tapes - the first such vinyl edition to be sourced, unaltered, from the 1967 stereo master.  AAA-cut by Kevin Gray at Cohearant Audio, it preserves the sound of the original recordings without the additional reverb and compression present on the 1967 Colgems pressings.  Rest assured, though, that this isn't tampering with history.  Andrew Sandoval and Kevin Gray have assured that the album's dynamics and varied sonics are all intact on this quiet pressing which brings out the detail in the band's increasingly psychedelic oeuvre.  It's limited to 5,000 copies and pressed on 180-gram black vinyl, and the heavyweight jacket includes a four-page color insert with Sandoval's new liner notes which put the music into the full context of the period and The Monkees' career.  For those seeking more of The Monkees (if not More of the Monkees!), the super deluxe edition is sure to set the pulse racing.

This indispensable addition to the band's catalogue of super deluxe sets follows the 4CD format that is by now familiar to the group's fans.  (The last album to receive this treatment was Headquarters back in late 2022.)  The first disc offers the remastered stereo album plus a new 2025 album mix and a couple of bonuses.  Disc 2 presents the remastered mono mix (including a unique, slightly different version of "Pleasant Valley Sunday") and twelve alternative versions including previously unreleased mono mixes and both the TV and single mixes of "Daydream Believer" B-side "Goin' Down."  The third and fourth CDs take a deep-dive into the sessions with newly-mixed backing tracks and demos plus vintage, new-to-CD TV mixes and session takes, including a couple versions of the Spanish Christmas carol "Riu Chiu" and instrumental demos of Goffin and King's "A Man Without a Dream."  A bonus single presents previously unissued, alternative mono mixes of "Love Is Only Sleeping" and "Goin' Down."  A 32-page booklet with Andrew Sandoval's liner notes is packed with photos and rare memorabilia images; Now Sounds' Steve Stanley has designed the entire set (including Colgems-style CD labels) with impressive period detail.

Both the High Fidelity LP and 4CD/1-7" box set are available today from Rhino.com.  You'll find the track listing and order links below!

Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. (Super Deluxe Edition) (Rhino, 2025)

4CD/1-7": Monkees.com
Rhino High Fidelity LP: Rhino.com

CD 1: The Original Stereo Album...Plus

  1. Salesman
  2. She Hangs Out
  3. The Door Into Summer
  4. Love is Only Sleeping
  5. Cuddly Toy
  6. Words
  7. Hard to Believe
  8. What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?
  9. Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky
  10. Pleasant Valley Sunday
  11. Daily Nightly
  12. Don't Call on Me
  13. Star Collector
  14. Special Announcement *
  15. Goin' Down
  16. Salesman (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  17. She Hangs Out (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  18. The Door Into Summer (Alternate Version) *
  19. Love is Only Sleeping (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  20. Cuddly Toy (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  21. Words (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  22. Hard to Believe (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  23. What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round? (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  24. Pleasant Valley Sunday (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  25. Daily Nightly (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  26. Don't Call on Me (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  27. Star Collector (Alternate 1967 Stereo Mix)
  28. Riu Chiu (Alternate Version) *

CD 2: The Original Mono Album...Plus

  1. Salesman
  2. She Hangs Out
  3. The Door Into Summer
  4. Love is Only Sleeping
  5. Cuddly Toy
  6. Words
  7. Hard to Believe
  8. What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?
  9. Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky
  10. Pleasant Valley Sunday
  11. Daily Nightly
  12. Don't Call on Me
  13. Star Collector
  14. Special Announcement
  15. Salesman (Alternate Mono Mix)
  16. Cuddly Toy (Alternate Mono Mix)
  17. Don't Call on Me (Alternate Mono Mix) *
  18. Goin' Down (Alternate Mono Mix)
  19. Star Collector (Alternate Mono Mix) *
  20. The Door Into Summer (Alternate Vocal)
  21. Daily Nightly (Alternate Mono Mix)
  22. Goin' Down (Unedited TV Mix) *
  23. Love is Only Sleeping (Alternate Mono Mix)
  24. The Door Into Summer (Alternate Mono Mix) *
  25. Goin' Down (Mono Single Mix)
  26. Star Collector (Alternate Mono Mix) *

CD 3: Sessions...Plus

  1. The Story of Rock and Roll (Version 3 Backing Track) *
  2. I Don't Know Yet (Backing Track) *
  3. Cuddly Toy (Backing Track) *
  4. Come On In (Version 1 Backing Track) *
  5. Come On In (Version 2 Backing Track) *
  6. The Door Into Summer (Early Version Backing Track) *
  7. Pleasant Valley Sunday (Backing Track) *
  8. Words (LP Version Backing Track) *
  9. Daydream Believer (Backing Track) *
  10. Salesman (Backing Track with Backing Vocals) *
  11. Jam #1 (Backing Track) *
  12. Words (Vocal Session) *
  13. Dailey Nightly (Backing Track) *
  14. Love is Only Sleeping (Backing Track) *
  15. What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round? (Backing Track) *
  16. Don't Call On Me (Backing Track) *
  17. She Hangs Out (Backing Track) *
  18. Goin' Down (Backing Track) *
  19. Yours Until Tomorrow (Backing Track) *
  20. The Door Into Summer (Alternate Version Backing Track) *
  21. Can You Dig It "Tentatively" (Instrumental Acoustic Demo)
  22. Tear the Top Right Off of My Head (Instrumental Acoustic Demo) *
  23. Untitled (Instrumental Acoustic Demo) *
  24. A Man Without a Dream (Instrumental Acoustic Demo) *

CD 4: Sessions...Plus Alternate Mixes

  1. Pleasant Valley Sunday (2025 Alternate Vocal Mix)
  2. Words (Instrumental with Backing Vocals) *
  3. Star Collector (Alternate Mix) *
  4. Jam #2 (Backing Track) *
  5. She Hangs Out (Alternate Mix) *
  6. Daydream Believer (2025 Stereo Remix) *
  7. A Man Without a Dream (Instrumental Piano Demo) *
  8. Hard to Believe (Backing Track) *
  9. Cuddly Toy (TV Mix) *
  10. Love is Only Sleeping (TV Mix) *
  11. Goin' Down (TV Version)
  12. Star Collector (TV Mix)
  13. What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round? (TV Mix) *
  14. Daydream Believer (TV Mix) *
  15. She Hangs Out (TV Mix) *
  16. Riu Chiu (TV Version)
  17. Salesman (2025 Stereo Remix with Sales Rap) *
  18. Riu Chiu (Alternate Version) *
  19. Daily Nightly (Alternate Stereo Mix)
  20. Riu Chiu (Session *
  21. Riu Chiu (Alternate Take)
  22. Don't Call on Me (Chatter Session) *
  23. Special Announcement (Session) *
  24. Star Collector (Alternate 1967 Stereo Mix)

7" Single: "Love is Only Sleeping" (Alternate 9/5/1967 Mono Mix) * b/w "Goin' Down" (Alternate 9/28/1967 Mono Mix) *

Disc 1, Tracks 1-13 released as Colgems LP COS-104, 1967
Disc 1, Track 15; Disc 2, Track 18; and Disc 4, Track 24 released on Monkee Business - Rhino RNLP 701 RE-1, 1986
Disc 1, Track 27; Disc 2, Track 14-15, 18, 20 and 23; and Disc 4, Track 19 released on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. CD reissue - Rhino R2 71793, 1995
Disc 2, Tracks 1-13 released as Colgems LP COM-104, 1967
Disc 2, Track 16 and 21 and Disc 4, Track 16 released on Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. (Deluxe Edition) - Rhino R2 77767, 2007
Disc 2, Track 23 released on Monkee Flips - Rhino RNLP 113 RE-1, 1986
Disc 2, Track 25 released on "Daydream Believer" single - Colgems 66-1012, 1967

Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, CD, Digital Download, Digital Streaming, Vinyl Genre: Classic Rock, Pop, Rock Tags: The Monkees

Avatar photo

Joe Marchese

JOE MARCHESE (Editor) joined The Second Disc shortly after its launch in early 2010, and has since penned daily news and reviews about classic music of all genres. In 2015, Joe formed the Second Disc Records label. Celebrating the great songwriters, producers and artists who created the sound of American popular song and beyond, Second Disc Records, in conjunction with labels including Real Gone Music and Cherry Red Records, has released newly-curated collections produced and annotated by Joe from iconic artists such as Dionne Warwick, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, The Spinners, Johnny Mathis, Bobby Darin, Meat Loaf, Laura Nyro, Melissa Manchester, Liza Minnelli, Darlene Love, Al Stewart, Michael Nesmith, and many others. Joe has written liner notes, produced, or contributed to over 200 reissues from a diverse array of artists, among them America, JD Souther, Nat "King" Cole, Paul Williams, Lesley Gore, Dusty Springfield, BJ Thomas, The 5th Dimension, Burt Bacharach, The Mamas and the Papas, Carpenters, Perry Como, Rod McKuen, Doris Day, Jackie DeShannon, Petula Clark, Robert Goulet, and Andy Williams. Over the past two decades, Joe has also worked in a variety of capacities on and off Broadway as well as at some of the premier theatres in the U.S., including Lincoln Center Theater, George Street Playhouse, Paper Mill Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, and the York Theatre Company. He has felt privileged to work on productions alongside artists such as the late Jack Klugman, Eli Wallach, Arthur Laurents, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. In 2009, Joe began contributing theatre and music reviews to the print publication The Sondheim Review, and in 2012, he joined the staff of The Digital Bits as a regular contributor writing about film and television on DVD and Blu-ray. Joe currently resides in the suburbs of New York City.

Connect With Joe: FacebookTwitter

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Comments

  1. Harris Goodman says

    October 2, 2025 at 11:20 am

    FINALLY!!! This is the one I’ve been waiting for. If it’s as good sound wise as the Headquarters SDE was, it will have been well worth the wait. Thanks for the detailed write up, Joe. I’ve just ordered mine from Monkees.com! WOOHOO!!

    Reply
  2. Robert Lett says

    October 2, 2025 at 11:47 am

    Super excited for this. Side note, is there now a delay on posts? It seems to take a while for comments to show.

    Reply
    • Avatar photoMike Duquette says

      October 2, 2025 at 1:46 pm

      We'd changed some moderation settings a few Weekend Streams ago, when someone incorrectly accused us of taking a political position that we did not take. (Said person also started commenting on our personal social media accounts, too! Had to lock some things down afterward.) I imagine we'll be changing it back again now that everything has cooled down - no reason everyone should suffer for the actions of a few.

      Reply
      • Robert Lett says

        October 2, 2025 at 5:27 pm

        Oh ok. I'm glad I didn't post comments ten times lol. I must have missed that drama.

        Reply
        • Avatar photoMike Duquette says

          October 2, 2025 at 11:21 pm

          I wouldn't say you missed much, my friend! 😉

          Reply
  3. Jim says

    October 2, 2025 at 11:59 am

    Slightly disappointed that we’re not getting the 2LP pressing this time but I can’t wait to hear this HiFi version. Immediately ordered.

    Reply
  4. Phil Cohen says

    October 2, 2025 at 3:02 pm

    Supposedly, People who ordered the 4-CD set were going to receive an e-mail from Rhino with a promo code entitling them to free shipping for the vinyl release, but that e-mail has yet to be sent.

    Reply
    • Karl Tallman says

      October 2, 2025 at 9:37 pm

      Wasn’t it the other way around? If you buy the vinyl LP, they send you a shipping code for the 4 CD box set? That’s what my email from Rhino states.

      Reply
      • Bruce Padgett says

        October 3, 2025 at 12:22 am

        Hi Karl. The email from The Monkees Store, which is apparently the exclusive merchant for the 4CD set, stated a free shipping code for the vinyl would be sent upon purchase of the CDs.

        Reply
      • Tom M says

        October 3, 2025 at 9:13 am

        Both are correct. If you ordered one you were supposed to receive a code for the other. However, all references to this promotion seem to have been removed from the sites. I was waiting for one myself. Also note the Rhino site is only offering the LP and the CD box is only available from monkees.com.

        Reply
    • Tom M says

      October 3, 2025 at 9:23 am

      You can use the code CCGNWMX10 for 10% off on the CD box (monkees.com) and other items at Rhino.com but it does not work on the Rhino Hi-Fi LP's.

      Reply
    • Guy Smiley says

      October 3, 2025 at 1:35 pm

      I got my email for the vinyl today. Not sure I really need it,
      but if I don’t wait too long I’ll probably break down and get it

      Reply
  5. Earl Cambron says

    October 2, 2025 at 3:42 pm

    Automatic purchase (CD)!

    Reply
  6. Bruce Padgett says

    October 2, 2025 at 8:32 pm

    Phil, I also have not received that email with the code yet. Hope we both get it before the LP sells out.

    Reply
  7. Galley says

    October 3, 2025 at 5:25 am

    I bought the Hi-Res downloads last week, and rest assured, you will not be disappointed! I can finally fill in the gap on my shelf with the other boxed sets.

    Reply
  8. Tom M says

    October 3, 2025 at 2:12 pm

    Keep your eyes open, the free shipping codes are coming through now.
    PISCESFREESHIP

    Reply
    • Bruce Padgett says

      October 3, 2025 at 4:43 pm

      Thanks Tom M!

      Reply
    • Phil Cohen says

      October 4, 2025 at 3:12 pm

      Yes, the e-mail with the code came through and I ordered the vinyl.

      Reply
  9. wardo says

    October 7, 2025 at 4:23 pm

    So this is only available direct? Not streaming?

    Reply
  10. Robert Lett says

    October 15, 2025 at 12:11 am

    My Fed Ex tracking number appeared on the 8th October but no movement yet. Anyone receive thiers yet? (I know at least one friend who has)

    Reply
    • John Phillips says

      October 15, 2025 at 9:09 pm

      I got the same email as you. I was wondering also if anyone has gotten theirs yet. I did see an mp3 site has the set already for purchase.

      Reply
  11. Bruce Padgett says

    October 15, 2025 at 9:36 pm

    Just got mine today from FedEx. It also did not show movement for a week. Then yesterday evening, voila! I’m sure yours too will arrive soon.

    Reply
    • John Phillips says

      October 15, 2025 at 11:44 pm

      Half hour after I posted got the email that FedEx has the package.

      Reply
      • Bruce Padgett says

        October 16, 2025 at 12:35 am

        Congrats! I think that FedEx never picked them up from the supplier until a day ago, perhaps because FedEx wasn’t initially notified last week when theose emails asserting imminent shipment went out to us.

        Oopsie!

        Reply

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