Michael Nesmith discography
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.
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" | – | - | - | Credited as Mike Nesmith. Vanity pressing. |
| 1965 | Omnibus 239 | "How Can You Kiss Me" / "Just a Little Love" | – | - | - | 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" | – | - | - | 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" | – | - | - | Credited to Michael Blessing. |
| 12/1965 | Edan 1001 | "Just a Little Love" / "Curson Terrace" | – | - | - | 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" | – | - | - | 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" | - | - | - | 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 | - | Credited to Michael Nesmith and the First National Band. Issued with picture sleeve. |
| 06/1971 | RCA 74-0491 | "Texas Morning" / "Tumbling Tumbleweeds" | - | - | - | 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" | - | 95 | - | Credited to Michael Nesmith and the First National Band. |
| 01/1972 | RCA 74-0629 | "Mama Rocker" / "Lazy Lady" | - | - | - | 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" | - | - | - | "Roll With the Flow" is edited from LP version. |
| 1976 | RCA 447-0868 | "Joanne" / "Silver Moon" | - | - | - | 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" | - | - | - | 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)" | - | - | - | Both songs are edited from the live LP versions. |
| 1978? | Pacific Arts PAC-104 | "Rio" / "Casablanca Moonlight" | - | - | - | Issued with picture sleeve. |
| 06/1979 | Pacific Arts PAC-106 | "Magic" / "Dance" | - | - | - | |
| 08/1979 | Pacific Arts PAC-108 | "Cruisin'" / "Horserace" | - | - | - | |
| 1998 | Collectibles COL-4759 | "Joanne" / "Silver Moon" | - | - | - | 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
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
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
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| | Studio albums | |
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| | Soundtracks | |
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| | Live albums | |
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| | Promotional albums | |
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| | Compilations | |
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| | Singles | |
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| | Associated acts | |
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| | Related articles | |
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