"Star Collector" is a song written by

Gerry Goffin Gerald Goffin (February 11, 1939 – June 19, 2014) was an American lyricist. Collaborating initially with his first wife, Carole King, he co-wrote many international pop hits of the early and mid-1960s, including the List of Billboard number-one ...

and

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...

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 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), and 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 early pop records to include a

Moog synthesizer The Moog synthesizer is a modular synthesizer developed by the American engineer Robert Moog. Moog debuted it in 1964, and Moog's company R. A. Moog Co. (later known as Moog Music) produced numerous models from 1965 to 1981, and again from 20 ...

, 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 George Michael Dolenz Jr. (born March 8, 1945) is an American actor, musician, TV producer and businessman. He is best known as the drummer and one of three primary vocalists for the pop-rock band the Monkees (1966–1970, and multiple reunions ...

's random use of the Moog on " Daily Nightly" (which appeared on ''Pisces'') to produce spacey sounds.

Personnel

*Lead vocal by Davy Jones *Harmony vocals:

*Backing vocals: Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Chip Douglas *Spoken words: Micky Dolenz *Electric guitar: Michael Nesmith *Bass: Chip Douglas *Drums: Eddie Hoh *Organ: Peter Tork *

: Paul Beaver

References

* The Monkees songs Songs with lyrics by Gerry Goffin Songs written by Carole King Songs about groupies 1967 songs {{1960s-pop-song-stub