The Wichita Train Whistle Sings
Encyclopedia
The Wichita Train Whistle Sings was the first solo album by Michael Nesmith
and was recorded while he was still a member of the Monkees
. It peaked at No. 144 on the Billboard Pop Albums
charts.
The album comprises instrumentals performed by a full orchestra. All but one of the songs were recorded by the Monkees (a couple of them weren't released until the Missing Link albums).
The album was made over a two-day session on November 18 and 19 1967 and featured the best musicians in Hollywood, including ten trumpets, ten trombones, ten saxophones, 2 drummers, five percussionists, four pianos, eight basses, seven guitars. As it was the weekend, all musicians were paid double time and the session was catered by Chasens, the finest restaurant in Hollywood. It all cost $50,000. Nesmith explained to Hal Blaine that he was about to pay a similar sum in tax and he would rather spend it on the sessions and write it off than give it to the IRS.
The album was also remastered and re-released along with Timerider in 2008 on the Edsel label.
Michael Nesmith
Robert Michael Nesmith is an American musician, songwriter, actor, producer, novelist, businessman, and philanthropist, best known as a member of the musical group The Monkees and star of the TV series of the same name...
and was recorded while he was still a member of the Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...
. It peaked at No. 144 on the Billboard Pop Albums
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
charts.
The album comprises instrumentals performed by a full orchestra. All but one of the songs were recorded by the Monkees (a couple of them weren't released until the Missing Link albums).
The album was made over a two-day session on November 18 and 19 1967 and featured the best musicians in Hollywood, including ten trumpets, ten trombones, ten saxophones, 2 drummers, five percussionists, four pianos, eight basses, seven guitars. As it was the weekend, all musicians were paid double time and the session was catered by Chasens, the finest restaurant in Hollywood. It all cost $50,000. Nesmith explained to Hal Blaine that he was about to pay a similar sum in tax and he would rather spend it on the sessions and write it off than give it to the IRS.
CD Release
When Nesmith released "Wichita Train" on CD, he recorded the album onto digital from a phonograph. As he explained in the liner notes, the album was intended to be played on vinyl, and therefore, attempted to capture the album's true essence.The album was also remastered and re-released along with Timerider in 2008 on the Edsel label.
Track listing
All songs by Michael Nesmith except where noted.- "Nine Times Blue"
- "Carlisle Wheeling"
- "Tapioca Tundra"
- "Don't Call on Me"
- "Don't Cry Now"
- "While I Cried"
- "Papa Gene's Blues"
- "You Just May Be the One"
- "Sweet Young Thing" (Nesmith, Gerry GoffinGerry GoffinGerry Goffin is an American lyricist. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990 with former songwriting partner and first wife, Carole King. he has co-written six Billboard Hot 100 chart-toppers.-Career:Goffin enlisted with the Marine Corps Reserve after graduating from...
, Carole KingCarole KingCarole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
) - "You Told Me"
Personnel
- Michael Nesmith – guitar, arranger
- Don Randi – piano
- Red RhodesRed RhodesRhodes played pedal steel on many country rock, pop and rock albums with The Monkees, James Taylor, Seals and Crofts, The Byrds, The Carpenters and many other groups. He is most often remembered for his work with former Monkee Michael Nesmith on Nesmith's first solo albums in the early 1970s...
– pedal steel guitar - Larry KnechtelLarry KnechtelLawrence William "Larry" Knechtel was an American keyboard player and bassist, best known for his work as a session musician with such artists as Simon & Garfunkel, Duane Eddy, The Beach Boys, The Mamas & the Papas, The Partridge Family, The Doors, and Elvis Presley, and as a member of the 1970s...
– piano - Earl PalmerEarl PalmerEarl Cyril Palmer was an American rock & roll and rhythm and blues drummer, and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame....
– drums - Doug DillardThe DillardsThe Dillards are an American bluegrass band from Salem, Missouri, consisting of Douglas Flint "Doug" Dillard The Dillards are an American bluegrass band from Salem, Missouri, consisting of Douglas Flint "Doug" Dillard The Dillards are an American bluegrass band from Salem, Missouri, consisting of...
– banjo - Chuck Berghofer – bass
- Hal BlaineHal BlaineHal Blaine is an American drummer and session musician. He is most known for his work with the Wrecking Crew in California. Blaine played on numerous hits by popular groups, including Elvis Presley, John Denver, the Ronettes, Simon & Garfunkel, the Carpenters, the Beach Boys, Nancy Sinatra, and...
– drums - James BurtonJames BurtonJames Burton is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 , Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame...
– guitar - Tommy TedescoTommy TedescoThomas J. Tedesco was an American master session musician and renowned jazz and bebop guitarist.Tedesco's credits include the iconic brand-burning accompaniment theme from television's Bonanza, The Twilight Zone, Vic Mizzy's iconic theme from Green Acres, M*A*S*H, Batman, and Elvis Presley's '68...
– guitar - Frank CappFrank CappFrank Capp is an American jazz drummer.Capp was born August 20, 1931 in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. He began playing with Stan Kenton starting in 1951 and remained with Kenton for some time. Later he joined Neal Hefti's group. He often accompanied Peggy Lee on some of her road dates and...
- percussion - Gary Coleman - percussion
- Victor FeldmanVictor FeldmanVictor Stanley Feldman was a British jazz musician, best known as a pianist.-Early history:...
- percussion - Israel Baker (concertmaster), Robert Barene, Arnold Belnick, Jimmy Getzoff, Leonard Malarsky, Ralph Schaeffer, Sidney Sharp (concertmaster), Tibor Zelig - violins
- Joe DiFiore, Harry Hyams, Alexander Neiman - violas
- Jesse Ehrlich, Ray Kramer, Edgar Lustgarten - celli
- Gene Cipriano, Justin Gordon, Jim HornJim HornJim Horn is an American saxophonist and woodwind player. He was born in Los Angeles, and after replacing saxophonist Steve Douglas in 1959, he toured with member Duane Eddy for five years, playing sax and flute on the road, and in the recording studio...
, Jules Jacob, John E. Lowe, Jack Nimitz - saxophones and other woodwins - John Audino, Bud Brisbois, Jules Chaikin, Buddy Childers, Manny Klein, Oliver Mitchell, Tony TerranTony TerranAnthony Terran or Tony Terran is an American trumpet player and session musician.Regarded as one of the most versatile trumpet players in the music business, Terran had an impact on the Los Angeles music scene for more than four decades as a specialist of many musical styles...
, Jimmy Zito - trumpets - Milt Bernhardt, Lou Blackburn, Joe Howard, Richard "Slyde" Hyde, Lou McCreary, Barrett O'Hara, Kenny Shroyer - trombones
- Jim Decker, Vincent DeRosa, Bill Hinshaw, Richard Perissi - french horns
- Sam Rice, John Kitzmiller - tubas
Production notes
- Michael Nesmith – producer
- Hank CicaloHank CicaloHank Cicalo is an American recording engineer, most notable for his work in the 1960s and 1970s. Among the artists Cicalo recorded are The Monkees, Carole King and George Harrison.-The Monkees:...
– engineer - Israel Baker – concert master
- Shorty RogersShorty RogersMilton “Shorty” Rogers , born Milton Rajonsky in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, was one of the principal creators of West Coast jazz. He played both the trumpet and flugelhorn, and was in demand for his skills as an arranger. Rogers worked first as a professional musician with Will Bradley and...
– arranger, conductor - Sid Sharp – concert master