Peter Tork - For Pete's Sake (2016)

Although Peter Tork didn't write that many songs while a member of The Monkess, he did come up with one of my very favourites in 'For Pete's Sake'. He was the quiet one of the group, but could also be the funniest, and alongside Mike Nesmith was the most musically talented member of the group. He was a folkie at heart, but threw himself into the pop-orientated medium for the TV show, and so when the band were eventually allowed to write for the albums, his songs reflected his first love. As a tribute following his death at just 77, here's a collection of the songs most associated with him, including songs he wrote or co-wrote, and also songs on which he sang lead or co-lead vocal. He was still contributing songs right up to the band's triumphant come-back album in 2016, penning the mellow 'Little Girl' for 'Good Times!', and I've reviewed that elsewhere as being so much better than it had any right to be. The version of 'Words' on here is an early take, with some tasty backwards guitar on it, and as with the earlier Nesmith album, I've included Tork's contribution to 'Zilch', extracted from the completed take. 'Your Auntie Grizelda' might have been something of a novelty number, but it was Tork's first lead vocal on a Monkees' album, and became something of his party piece at gigs, but by 'Shades Of Grey', which was a co-vocal with Davy Jones, we found that he could be a serious singer as well. 'Justus' wasn't a bad album, and included two fine Tork originals in 'I Believe You' and 'Run Away From Life', but the general consensus is that 'Pool It!' is best avoided, therefore I've omitted Tork's sole contribution to that one, so enjoy the music of this very under-rated but talented musician. 

Track listing

01 Can You Dig It?  (Tork)
02 Shades Of Grey
03 Your Auntie Grizelda
04 For Pete's Sake  (Tork, Richards)
05 Words
06 Zilch  (Tork, Dolenz, Nesmith, Jones)
07 Long Title: Do I Have To Do This All Over Again  (Tork)
08 Lady's Baby  (Tork)
09 Peter Percival Patterson's Pet Pig Porky  (Tork)
10 Goin' Down  (Tork, Dolenz, Nesmith, Jones)
11 Tear The Top Right Off My Head  (Tork)
12 Band 6  (Tork, Dolenz, Nesmith, Jones)
13 Come On In
14 (I Prithee) Do Not Ask For Love
15 I Believe You  (Tork)
16 Little Girl  (Tork)
17 Run Away From Life  (Tork)
18 Wasn't Born To Follow