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In 1968, Mike Nesmith was widely recognized as the quiet Monkee sporting a wool cap, known for delivering catchy pop tunes on prime-time television. While many fans still viewed The Monkees as a clean-cut pop group, Nesmith was quietly steering the band-alongside Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, and Peter Tork-toward a much grittier sound.
This shift became evident during the recording of “Circle Sky” for their psychedelic film Head. Nesmith brought a powerful rock track to the studio, recorded live in Salt Lake City to capture the authentic energy of their stage performances. The song showcased Nesmith’s ambition to break free from the band’s manufactured image and explore a more raw, dynamic sound.
Reflecting on the track in an interview with Rolling Stone, Nesmith said, “I also wrote this one when we were performing. I wanted to explore the power trio of us.
In a strange way, we were actually pretty good.” He described the band’s dynamic: “Micky was a real garage-band drummer.
I was a real scream-and-shout guitar player and Peter was a very precise player. He could play interesting lines and fills on the bass.
The power trio that existed between us was seldom explored.”
The lyrics of “Circle Sky,” Nesmith explained, touch on themes of television and corporate culture. In a separate interview with Cool Cherry Cream, he encouraged listeners to pay close attention to the words, acknowledging they might be difficult to decipher but rewarding once understood.
Though the film Head faced criticism from both reviewers and fans, Nesmith cherished the experience. Speaking with Wisconsin Public Radio, he called working with Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson “the high point of my whole Monkees experience,” emphasizing the lasting impact of the project beyond the television show.
While “Circle Sky” didn’t chart on the Billboard Hot 100, it remains a beloved track among fans. The Head soundtrack itself reached No. 45 on the Billboard 200 and stayed on the chart for 15 weeks, underscoring the enduring appeal of this bold, experimental phase in The Monkees’ career.