Michael Nesmith discography

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Michael Nesmith has been recording music since 1963. In his early career, Nesmith went under the pseudonym Michael Blessing. In 1966, Nesmith was cast in The Monkees, where he is largely known as his Monkees' persona "Mike". As a solo artist, Nesmith's musical library includes 12 studio albums, a movie soundtrack, and an instrumental album of his songs. His library of music was primarily recorded on either RCA Records or his own label, Pacific Arts.

The Monkees

Of the eleven studio albums The Monkees released, Nesmith performed, produced, and wrote songs on nine of the albums.

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Solo artist

Singles

Date Label/Catalog # Titles (A-side / B-side) Billboard Top Singles Cashbox Billboard Adult Contemp Notes
1963 Highness HN-13 "Wanderin" / "Well, Well"
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Credited as Mike Nesmith. Vanity pressing.
1965 Omnibus 239 "How Can You Kiss Me" / "Just a Little Love"
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Credited as Mike & John & Bill. John London is the bassist, later of Nesmith's First National Band. Bill Sleeper is the drummer. (The trio broke up when Sleeper was drafted into the US Army.)
09/1965 Colpix CP-787 "The New Recruit" / "A Journey with Michael Blessing"
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Credited to Michael Blessing.
11/9/1965 Colpix CP-792 "Until It's Time for You to Go" / "What Seems To Be the Trouble Officer"
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Credited to Michael Blessing.
12/1965 Edan 1001 "Just a Little Love" / "Curson Terrace"
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A-side is same as Omnibus 239. B-side is credited to Mike & Tony and has no Nesmith involvement.
07/1968 Dot 45-17152 "Tapioca Tundra" / "Don't Cry Now"
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Credited to The Wichita Train Whistle. Group was created and led by Nesmith, though he does not appear on the recordings as either musician or vocalist. "Don't Cry Now" is edited from LP version.
07/1970 RCA 47-9853 "Little Red Rider" / "Rose City Chimes"
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Credited to Michael Nesmith and the First National Band. Until its release as a bonus track on CD in 2001, non-LP 'B' side was a sought after collectable.
08/1970 RCA 74-0368 "Joanne" / "One Rose"
21
17
6
Credited to Michael Nesmith and the First National Band.
11/1970 RCA 74-0399 "Silver Moon" / "Lady of the Valley"
42
28
7
Credited to Michael Nesmith and the First National Band.
04/1971 RCA 74-0453 "Nevada Fighter" / "Here I Am"
70
73
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Credited to Michael Nesmith and the First National Band. Issued with picture sleeve.
06/1971 RCA 74-0491 "Texas Morning" / "Tumbling Tumbleweeds"
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Credited to Michael Nesmith and the First National Band. Single released as promo with both songs on B-side and "Texas" only on A-side with release #SPS-45-263.
10/1971 RCA 74-0540 "I've Just Begun to Care (Propinquity)" / "Only Bound"
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95
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Credited to Michael Nesmith and the First National Band.
01/1972 RCA 74-0629 "Mama Rocker" / "Lazy Lady"
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Credited to Michael Nesmith and the Second National Band. "Mama Rocker" is faded out early versus LP version.
08/1972 RCA 74-0804 "Roll With the Flow" / "Keep On"
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"Roll With the Flow" is edited from LP version.
1976 RCA 447-0868 "Joanne" / "Silver Moon"
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Reissue credited to Michael Nesmith and the First National Band. Early pressings on red label, later pressings on black label.
03/1977 Pacific Arts WIP6373 "Rio" / "Life, the Unsuspecting Captive"
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Reached number 28 in the UK and received considerable radio airplay. B-side was from an earlier LP called The Prison.
06/1978 Pacific Arts PAC-101 "Roll With the Flow (live)" / "I've Just Begun to Care (Propinquity) (Live)"
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Both songs are edited from the live LP versions.
1978? Pacific Arts PAC-104 "Rio" / "Casablanca Moonlight"
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Issued with picture sleeve.
06/1979 Pacific Arts PAC-106 "Magic" / "Dance"
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08/1979 Pacific Arts PAC-108 "Cruisin'" / "Horserace"
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1998 Collectibles COL-4759 "Joanne" / "Silver Moon"
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Reissue.
  • Nesmith recorded "The World is Golden Too" in 1975 for the Japanese movie Blue Angels. An edited version of this song was released as a 45. The uncut version appears on the soundtrack.

Albums

Date Label/Catalog # Title Highest Billboard Position Notes
06/1968 Dot 3861 (mono) / 25861 (stereo) The Wichita Train Whistle Sings
144
Album is credited to The Wichita Train Whistle. Mono release is promo-only.
07/1970 RCA LSP-4371 Magnetic South
143
Album is credited to Michael Nesmith & The First National Band. Some copies came with a "Joanne" sticker on the shrink wrap.
11/1970 RCA LSP-4415 Loose Salute
159
Album is credited to Michael Nesmith & The First National Band. Some copies came with a circular sticker on the shrink wrap saying "Contains the hit single 'Silver Moon.'"
05/1971 RCA LSP-4497 Nevada Fighter
202
Album is credited to Michael Nesmith & The First National Band.
02/1972 RCA LSP-4563 Tantamount to Treason Vol. 1
211
Album is credited to Michael Nesmith & The Second National Band.
08/1972 RCA LSP-4695 And the Hits Just Keep on Comin'
208
Features only Nesmith and O.J. Rhodes
10/1973 RCA APL1-0164 Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash
03/1975 Pacific Arts PAC-101 The Prison - A Book with a Soundtrack
Issued with 48-page book to be read while the LP is playing, allowing for a "soundtrack" to the story. Original copies issued in a box cover, while later copies came in a cardboard slip jacket. Some of these later copies had two stickers on the shrink, one saying "Michael Nesmith" and the other "Contains Record and 48-page Full Color Illustrated Book." Record was also sold in book stores.
03/1977 Pacific Arts PAC7-107 / Pacific Arts ILPA-9486 From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing
209
Early pressings utilized the overseas catalog # ILPA-9486 used by Island Records.
05/1979 Pacific Arts PAC7-130 Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma
151
Promotional album sent to radio stations prior to release.
1992 Pacific Arts Tropical Campfires
1994 (Rio Records) The Garden
Companion piece to The Prison - A Book with a Soundtrack
2000 (Rio Records) Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann
Soundtrack from the 1982 movie.
2006 (Rio Records) Rays
Primarily music only, limited vocals.
2015 (Rio Records) The Ocean
Recitation of the story with music.

Live albums

Date Label/Catalog # Title Highest Billboard Position Notes
08/1978 Pacific Arts PAC7-118 Live at the Palais
Some copies came with a 3" circular sticker on the cover itself proclaiming "Contains the hit single 'Roll With The Flow.'"
1999 Cooking Vinyl Live at the Britt Festival
Recorded live in 1992 at the Britt Festival in Jacksonville, Oregon.
2010 Road Goes on Forever Records (RGF/ZZBOX1974) The Amazing ZigZag Concert
Disc 5 of 5 CD box set. Recorded in April 1974.
2014 Pacific Arts / Videoranch Movies of the Mind
Michael Nesmith's fall 2013 tour was documented on Movies of the Mind.

Compilation and reissue albums

Date Label/Catalog # Title Notes
02/1977 Pacific Arts PAC7-106 Compilation
1978 Pacific Arts PAC7-113 The Wichita Train Whistle Sings Reissue of 1968 Dot release with new album jacket design.
1978 Pacific Arts PAC7-116 And the Hits Just Keep on Comin' Reissue of 1972 RCA release with standard jacket (RCA release had gatefold jacket).
1978 Pacific Arts PAC7-117 Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash Reissue of 1973 RCA release with standard jacket (RCA release had gatefold jacket).
1989 (Rhino) The Newer Stuff Contains five new tracks and five tracks from "Photon Wing" and "Infinite Rider." CD release featured additional tracks from the LP release.
1991 (Rhino) The Older Stuff Greatest hits of RCA recordings.
1997 (Camden 74321 523772) Listen to the Band European compilation of RCA recordings.
2008 (Camden) Magnetic South & Loose Salute paired album release
2008 (Camden) Nevada Fighter & Tantamount to Treason paired album release
2008 (Camden) And the Hits Just Keep on Comin' & Pretty Much Your Standard Ranch Stash paired album release
2008 (Camden) From a Radio Engine to the Photon Wing & Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma paired album release
2008 (Camden) The Wichita Train Whistle Sings & Timerider paired album release

Promotional albums

Date Label/Catalog # Title Highest Billboard Position Notes
06/1979 Pacific Arts PAC7-1300 The Michael Nesmith Radio Special
Promotional LP featuring all the tracks from Infinite Rider on the Big Dogma as well as interview snippets.

MP3 single songs

In 2011, Nesmith began releasing new recordings as MP3 downloads from his website, Videoranch.com. The songs are available under two heading (or album collections): Iteration and Around the Sun. As each song is updated and remixed, Nesmith has released the updated version. In addition to the new music, Nesmith also releases live and alternate mixes of songs from previous albums.

Date Label/Catalog # Title Notes
2011 Pacific Arts Videoranch "Helen's Eternal Birthday Single The first MP3 single to be released from Videoranch. Two versions were released. The second version was entitled "January - Helen's Eternal Birthday Single v1.0".
2011 Pacific Arts Videoranch "December - Only Understanding Love MP3 v2.0"
2011 Pacific Arts Videoranch "November - Smiles of Autumn MP3 v1.0 v2.0"
2012 Pacific Arts Videoranch "March - Love Is The Place MP3 v1.0" Two versions are available (rough mix 1.0 and 2.0)
2012 Pacific Arts Videoranch "July - Life is Long MP3 v2.5" Three versions are available (version 1.0, 1.1 and 2.5)
2012 Pacific Arts Videoranch "May - I Know What I Know MP3" Three versions are available (version 1.0, 1.5 and 1.6)

References