Headquarters

Shades of Gray

(Barry Mann/Cyntha Weil)

Lead Vocals: Davy Jones & Peter Tork

French Horn: Vince DeRosa

Cello: Fred Seykora

Recorded At: RCA Victor Studio C, Hollywood

Date: March 16 & 22, 1967

On the day that Don Kirshner filed a 35 million dollar lawsuit against Screen Gems for breach of contract, the Monkees recorded "Shades Of Gray." The beautiful protest song is clearly the highlight of the album.

On CD:
Headquarters (1995), Rhino Records R2 71792
The Monkees Music Box (2001), Rhino Records R2 76706

Lyrics:

When the world and I were young,

Just yesterday.

Live was such a simple game,

A child could play.

It was easy then to tell right from wrong.

Easy then to tell weak from strong.

When a man should stand and fight,

Or just go along.

But today there is no day or night

Today there is no dark or light.

Today there is no black or white,

Only shades of gray.

I remember when the answers seemed so clear

We had never lived with doubt or tasted fear.

It was easy then to tell truth from lies

Selling out from compromise

Who to love and who to hate,

The foolish from the wise.

But today there is no day or night

Today there is no dark or light.

Today there is no black or white,

Only shades of gray.

[Instumental interlude]

It was easy then to know what was fair

When to keep and when to share.

How much to protect your heart

And how much to care.

But today there is no day or night

Today there is no dark or light.

Today there is no black or white,

Only shades of gray.