The Monkees’ ‘Christmas Party’ Set for Release
The seemingly unstoppable Monkees machine kicks into gear once again for a seasonal treat for their many fans. Christmas Party, the band's first ever Yuletide LP, hits the streets Oct. 12 and is cut from the same cloth as their 2016 comeback album, Good Times.
As on that LP, the band are helped out by such luminaries as Rivers Cuomo of Weezer, Andy Partridge of XTC and songwriter Adam Schlesinger, who, once again, acts as producer. In addition, Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Scott McCaughey of the Minus 5 play guitar on two songs, a cover of Big Star's "Jesus Christ" and the album's title track, which they wrote together.
The 13 songs that make up Christmas Party were recorded earlier this year, and features vocals by Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork. In addition to the new material written by the aforementioned, the album also includes the Monkees' takes on such holiday standards as "The Christmas Song" and "Angels We Have Heard On High."
The guys also add their signature style to such holiday pop classics as Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmastime" and Roy Wood & Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day," which was a Top 10 smash in the U.K. back in 1973.
The late Davy Jones is included here as well via renditions of the holiday standards "Silver Bells" and "Mele Kalikimaka" by using classic Davy Jones vocals from the archives combined with newly recorded music.
Die-hard fans will be aware that this is not the Monkees' first step into Christmas music. In the second season of the TV series, they had an episode titled The Christmas Show included a beautiful a cappela rendition of the Spanish Christmas carol, "Riu Chiu." There was also a one-off single in 1976, featuring Dolenz, Tork and Jones called "Christmas Is My Time of Year" and, for real completists, there was an appearance by all four in a 1986 MTV Christmas medley.
The Monkees, Christmas Party Track Listing
1."Unwrap You at Christmas"
2. "What Would Santa Do"
3. "Mele Kalikimaka"
4. "House of Broken Gingerbread"
5. "The Christmas Song"
6. "Christmas Party"
7. "Jesus Christ"
8. "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day"
9. "Silver Bells"
10. "Wonderful Christmastime"
11. "Snowfall"
12."Angels We Have Heard Oon High"
13."Merry Christmas, Baby"