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From the Vault...
04/04/1999
#623 |
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info
Various Artists
"Nipper's Greatest Hits: The 60's, Volume 1"
© RCA Records
Year of Release: 1988
Rating:
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track listing
Tell Laura I Love Her
Ray Peterson
It's Now Or Never
Elvis Presley
Chain Gang
Sam Cooke
Last Date
Floyd Cramer
I Just Don't Understand
Ann-Margaret
The Lion Sleeps Tonight
The Tokens
Love Me Warm And Tender
Paul Anka
Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
Neil Sedaka
The End Of The World
Skeeter Davis
I Will Follow Him
Little Peggy March
Maria Elena
Los Indios Tabajaras
500 Miles From Home
Bobby Bare
Java
Al Hirt
Baby The Rain Must Fall
Glenn Yarbrough
Make The World Go Away
Eddy Arnold
Somebody To Love
Jefferson Airplane
Light My Fire
Jose Feliciano
These Eyes
The Guess Who
Grazing In The Grass
The Friends Of Distinction
Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet
Henry Mancini
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Various Artists
"Nipper's Greatest Hits: The 60's, Volume 1"
We journey back to the 1960s, as we look at some very popular songs that
were recorded on the RCA record label. Even though Elvis Presley may have
put RCA on the map, there were quite other artists who paved their way in
becoming popular artists with hit records. Some were one-hit wonders,
yet these were some of the well-known songs that were getting huge airplay
in the 1960s. For those of you who may not know, Nipper is the famous dog
seen on the RCA label, listening to an old classic phonograph record player,
with a cautious ear.
Nipper's Greatest Hits The 60's Volume 1 begins with one of the
many teenage tragedy songs: "Tell Laura I Love Her" by Ray Peterson.
A story of two lovers, Tommy and Laura, Tommy is in a high-speed drag race,
and as his car is about to crash, there is no hope for him, as he wants to
let his girlfriend Laura to know that he will always love her. The most
famous RCA participant, Elvis Presley, is in this collection, with
his #1 hit, "It's Now Or Never", a "spoof" of the classic opera
favorite, "O Solo Mio", with different lyrics.
Sam Cooke's "Chain Gang" is also included, as it is a great
song, as we all imitate the grunts and groans of the hard-working men on the
job in this song. The instrumental "Last Date" by Floyd Cramer
is a country classic, as it defines great piano work and is one of the great
early country songs to surface the world of popular music. Ann-Margaret
was a popular singer in the 60s, before she became more well-known as a movie
actress in movies like Elvis Presley's Viva Las Vegas, the film version
of The Who's Tommy, and most recently, with Jack Lemmon and Walter
Matthau recreation of the 1990s Odd Couple movies. "I Just Don't
Understand" is featured on this 20-song set, and quite frankly, I don't
remember any well-known songs by the sexy actress. This song is a pop-blues
number, with some cool harmonica heard throughout. And then there's the song
that became more famous in later years, (The Lion King comes to mind),
The Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", another #1 song where
we can't help but sing along with the "Wimoweh Wimoweh" chorus of the song,
likewise try to sing as high as The Tokens' lead singer.
Paul Anka was one of many famous recording artists in the 1960s,
as his song "Love Me Warm And Tender" is another song like Ann-Margaret's,
where I cannot seem to remember this song being as popular as such Anka
favorites, as say, "Puppy Love," "Diana" and "Put Your Head On My
Shoulder". (These three popular songs were originally recorded on the
ABC-Paramount label.) But the next song is well-remembered: Neil
Sedaka's #1, "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do", as most people may
not know is that Mr. Sedaka was part of The Tokens when they first formed.
He would later leave to pursue a highly successful solo career as a singer
and co-songwriter with Howard Greenfield.
Skeeter Davis may not have been a household name, but her hit
"The End Of The World" was a huge hit, yet this song stands out by
the group Herman's Hermits in my memory when I was growing up. Ms. Davis
was the one with the original, which was popular in 1963. "I Will Follow
Him (Chariot)" was a #1 hit by what many people may consider Little
Peggy March as a one-hit wonder, yet she does have a Greatest Hits
compilation CD. She also has another song on Nipper's Greatest Hits
The 60's Volume 2, "Hello Heartache Goodbye Love". One-hit wonder -- NO,
One #1 song -- YES.
"Maria Elena" by Los Indios Tabajaras is a beautiful spanish
sounding instrumental which would make such guitar greats as Chet Atkins
and Les Paul proud, with its great guitar instrumentation. Country returns
with Bobby Bare's classic, "500 Miles Away From Home", as it
defines the country sound unheard of nowadays in today's country music.
"Java" by legendary trumpeter Al Hirt has the famous sound that
was well-known from another famous trumpeter musician, Herb Alpert & The
Tijuana Brass.
Glenn Yarborough was a well-known folk singer, and one of his
best songs is heard here, "Baby The Rain Must Fall". His style of
music is similar to another popular singer by the name of Roger Whittaker.
Another country giant, Eddy Arnold, sings one of his most remembered
tunes, "Make The World Go Away", which is truly a great 'ol fashioned
country song.
This collection takes a sudden change as classic rock takes over. The
Jefferson Airplane and the psychedelic rocker "Somebody To Love"
brings us back to the "peace and love generation" of the late-1960s.
"Light My Fire" is the next song, and for those die-hard Doors fans,
you're probably saying "Hey, The Doors recorded for Elektra Records, right?"
Yes, Jim Morrison and crew did record for Elektra, but RCA's Jose
Feliciano takes The Doors classic in a much smoother style, and is very
well-done, accoustic guitars and all. And speaking of smooth, The Guess
Who's "These Eyes" is a classic, as lead singer Burton Cummings
and crew present a song in a cool fashion, rather than their common rockers
as "American Woman" and "Bus Rider."
This collection features some soul, as The Friends Of Distinction's
"Grazing In The Grass" is featured here, as some may remember the
#1 instrumental by Hugh Masekela. (Masekela recorded his version originally
on another 3-letter record company, UNI.) The Friends Of Distinction sing
this tune (yes, it has vocals). The last song is another #1, the instrumental
by Henry Mancini, "Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet", a
beautiful love song, and a good way to end the album.
Nipper's Greatest Hits The 60s Volume 1 features all varieties
of music. From the early 60s rock, country, and classic rock, it's a good
mixture of music that was popular back in a decade that broke many sound
barriers. This compilation is good for those who truly enjoy the oldies.
There are the common favorites, as well as not-so-famous tunes here (very few).
RCA, as well as many other popular recording labels have shared the spotlight
in accomplishing songs that would become "classics," likewise one-hit wonders.
In either case, once you hear some of the songs that you may not be familiar
with, (this is for the older folks), you'll immediately shout, "Oh, I remember
that one!" numerous times. Those oldies but goodies... RCA is proud to be
part of that era of music.
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Review or any portion may not be reproduced
without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
RCA Records
and is used for reference purposes only.
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