Star Collector

"Star Collector" is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King in 1967 and recorded by The Monkees (with lead vocals by Davy Jones). The song is included on their fourth album, Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. It was also featured in five second-season episodes of their television series: "The Wild Monkees", "Hitting the High Seas", "Monkees Watch Their Feet", "Monkees in Paris" and "Monkees Mind Their Manor". "The Wild Monkees" uses an early mix of the song (without Moog synthesizer) while the other episodes use the released mix.

The song is about the phenomenon of groupies, and takes a dismissive attitude toward them ("Think I'll let her keep on going, wherever it is she's going to / Give her an autograph and tell her 'It's been nice knowing you'"... "It won't take much time / Before I get her off my mind").

The Monkees's version of the song was one of the first pop records to include a Moog synthesizer, played and programmed by synthesist Paul Beaver. Peter Tork didn't think much of Beaver's performance, and told Rhino Records later "He played it like it was a flute or something," preferring Micky Dolenz's more random use of the Moog on "Daily Nightly" (which also appeared on Pisces) to produce spacey sounds.

Personnel

Lead vocal by Davy Jones

Harmony vocals: Micky Dolenz

Backing vocals: Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Chip Douglas, and Unknown

Spoken words: Micky Dolenz

Electric guitar: Michael Nesmith

Bass: Chip Douglas

Drums: Eddie Hoh

Organ: Peter Tork

Moog synthesizer: Paul Beaver