Was out of town for the new years eve celebration and found the following CDs in the REALLY, REALLY CHEAP section of a local used record store: Kate Bush - The Dreaming (EMI UK CDP 7463612) ZZ Top - Deguello (WB West Germany 3361-2 EUROPE: 256 701) Frank Zappa - The Man From Utopia/Drowing Witch (2 in 1 EMI UK CDP 7 90074 2) Frank Zappa - You Are What You Is (EMI UK CDP 7 90075 2) Frank Zappa - Sheik Yerbouti (EMI UK CDP 7 90076 2) Frank Zappa - Tinsel Town Rebellion (EMI UK CDP 7 90077 2) Oldies Golden Million Sellers MONO (Mercury Japan 1986 - 32PD-76) All mint CDs with some wear on the cases. Total price Norwegian kroner 130.00 which equals around USD 18.00!! Why Zappa spoke so negatively of these EMI CDs I have no idea. They are WAY better than any of his attempts. Although Spence Chrislu's remastering of YAWYI and TinselTown does show what potential the 2-track masters have. However, I found myself enjoying the EMI TinselTown more than the '98 remaster. But the '98 remaster of YAWYI is still the best in my book. I missed some of the bottom that I am so used to from the '98 remaster and the EMI sounded a bit thin. Concerning the Oldies Golden Million Sellers compilation, it has got this really cheesy cover of a blonde cutie sitting in a white tank top and dress, showing some leg and giving you a bit of a "buy me" look. I did, of course! But it was only for the music!! Here is a tracklisting: Sh-Boom - The Crew Cuts Chantilly Lace - The Big Bopper My Boyfriend's Back - The Angels You Don't Own Me - Lesley Gore (Stereo) Running Bear - Johnny Preston Little Darlin' - The Diamonds Wooden Heart - Joe Dowell (Stereo) Great Balls of Fire - Jerry Lee Lewis (Stereo) It's My Party - Leslie Gore (Stereo) Ahab, The Arab - Ray Stevens (Stereo) Only You - The Platters Hey Paula - Paul and Paula Tennessee Waltz - Patti Page Kiss Of Fire - Georgia Gibbs Little Rhonda - The Hondels (Stereo) Smoke Gets In Your Eyes - The Platters The Doggie In The Window - Patti Page Sunny (Stereo) - Bobby Hebb A couple of questions: Does anybody know Who could have mastered this CD? The Tennessee Waltz seems to be transferred directly from a 78 or 45 as it got a lot of snap, crackle and pop. Is the Joe Dowell Wooden Heart single before or after Elvis' 1960 attempt in GI Blues? Thanks. Thom
After. It was a US cover (on Smash, that label's first hit single) once RCA Victor opted not to release Elvis' version as a single in the States. A similar thing happened earlier with "The Girl of My Best Friend"; Elvis did it first, RCA opted not to issue a single in the US, Ral Donner covered it.
My copy of this one's from Japan[Mercury 32PD-76], issued 1986, and for its time, not a bad comp, though there isn't any 1st generation sound on it. The good news was, unlike many similar comps that were put out in Europe, on this one non-stereo tracks are mono, not rechanneled, so that means "My Boyfriend's Back" was a fair transfer of the original mono 45 single edit. "Hey Paula" and "Tennessee Waltz" have noise, and all the tracks here would be improved upon soundwise later, but for 1986 there was lots, lots worse floating around from even worse sources than these. BTW, your copy should also have an insert with song lyrics in english. It came with mine, and for a change most of the lyrics are correct, not mangled as was often the case of interpreters translating from japanese to english, knowing some of the pressings would find their way to us. ED
Re: Re: 2003 is getting off to a good start! Yep, we have the same one. Lyric sheet and everything. I mainly bought it for the Ray Stevens song. Love that. Could you tell me the best compilations for these kind of songs? Thanks. Thom
Re: Re: Re: 2003 is getting off to a good start! Mercury's 45's ON CD Vol. 1 & 2(now OOP; I think these were repackaged and reissued with a different title)have some of the above tracks; mastered by Dennis Drake and very, very nice. The sound quality of the Platters is erratic; domestic comps do okay for the mono, but the stereo is awful. The AMERICAN GRAFFITI soundtrack(US edition)has a very nice wide stereo version of "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," but it's on other comps too numerous to mention at the moment. Also in the US, there's a Ray Stevens budget comp that's more than acceptable, has most of his Mercury hits, but, like the CD we have in common, has the long(Lp)version of "Ahab" and not the 45 edit I've been looking for. All these songs have been upgraded along the way; some in stereo, some in mono(some available both ways, which is preferable to me). Also try the GOLDEN HITS OF LESLEY GORE disc, which has some nice stereo on it(but the wrong version of "Look Of Love," the underdub and not the 45 mix; otherwise, very nice, too). If you have a wad in your pocket, Bear Family put out wonderful box sets for Gore and the Platters. Of all the acts on OLDIES GOLDEN, the only artist not well represented is Patti Page(although I'd love for somebody to correct me and say they've found a truly comprehensive box set or something). I'd start with the two 45's comps above, then see if you can track down the better individual artist comps for the rest. A lot of the Mercury comps by the Diamonds, Georgia Gibbs, Patti Page, Lesley, Platters, etc., can be found used on Amazon's site, some still in print, some not. Many other sites, including those closer to where you live, might serve you better and have some of the same titles. Good luck searching! ED
Your welcome, Thom. But I'm soon to go from "Night Watchman" to "Frosty The Snowman." We're getting blitzed here and I've got to be out of the house by 7am. And that wind's a little mean, too.... ED
I haven't found any first pressings this new year, but on New Year's Day, I picked up the John Coltrane A Love Supreme and Elvis Elv1s DVD-Audio disc very cheap ($12.79 and $15.98, respectively). Both discs sound great! Me so happy.
The Elv1s DVD-A is great! Much gentler on the ears than the ordinary CD. Now for my catch of the day: Because of the extreme cold up here (-22 degrees F.) my family and I decided to go for a drive and ended up at this little mall. While sitting down and having a hot cocoa I spied a small record store in the distance. I usually don't expect much from these junior stores (usually just stock the hits and stuff) but to my surprise on top the shelf behind the counter: The Beatles Compact Disc EP. Collection and The Beatles CD Singles Collection Both SEALED. Total price Norwegian kroner 450.- which is around USD 60.- When is this luck gonna stop! Thom
Re: Re: Re: Re: 2003 is getting off to a good start! There is a Patti Page Golden Celebration boxed set issued in 1997, but it is OOP.