25 All Time Greatest Recordings

Champs | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 27, 2000)
• Original Release Date: June 27, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Varese Sarabande
• ASIN: B00004TGYA
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #269,740 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Tequila

2. Last Night

3. Chariot Rock

4. Honky Tonk

5. Strollin'

6. The Man from Durango

7. Midnighter

8. Train to Nowhere

9. Raunchy

10. Only the Young

11. Too Much Tequila

12. El Rancho Rock

13. Kahula

14. Limbo Rock

15. Bright Lights, Big City

16. Night Train

17. Rebel Rouser

18. Switzerland

19. Theme from Frankie and Johnny

20. Experiment in Terror

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Baby Tequila ain't the best track on this Album, August 26, 2001

By 

"paintitblack" (SYLMAR, CALIFORNIA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 25 All Time Greatest Recordings (Audio CD)

Man when I bought this Cd I thought that Tequila was the best song on this Cd. Then I listened to last night, midnighter, the man from durango, and the peter gunn theme and I was really suprised that the tracks are as good as tequila and some even better. I have no favorite tracks on this Cd because I like all the tracks. Ps: If you buy this Cd you won't be dissapointed you'll be supprised and amazed.

4.0 out of 5 stars Is This One Small Part Of An Organized Plot?, September 4, 2007

By 

AvidOldiesCollector (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 25 All Time Greatest Recordings (Audio CD)

I know this may sound like I'm operating on the fringe of paranoia, but when you see one CD after another advertising an artist's best - and then omitting a legitimate charted hit, you begin to wonder if this isn't some concerted effort to frustrate the heck out of collectors. This is particularly annoying when the artist in question only had a handful of hits and the CD contains - as does this one - 25 selections!!

What is especially surprising is that this comes, not from the good folks at Collectables, for whom a key omission is their calling-card, but rather from Varèse-Sarabande, usually so thorough in their compilations. For the record the missing hit (admittedly a minor one) was their last charter, 1962's Limbo Dance which, b/w Latin Limbo [also omitted], peaked at # 97 Billboard Pop Hot 100 that October. Other selections not here include the B-sides of Too Much Tequila [Twenty Thousand Leagues] and Chariot Rock [Subway].

All the other hits are here, however, for this most curious of studio groups who were dubbed The Champs after Gene Autry's horse Champion. They were also a studio group that underwent many personnel changes. On their first, and biggest, hit {Tequila - # 1 Billboard Pop Top 100 and R&B in early 1958 b/w Train To Nowhere], they consisted of rhythm guitarist Dave Burgess, lead guitarist Buddy Bruce, saxophonist Danny Flores (aka Chuck Rio), drummer Gene Alden, and Cliff Hils on bass. By the time of their second hit that summer [El Rancho Rock - # 10 R&B/# 30 Top 100 b/w Midnighter - # 94 Top 100 and one of my personal favourites], Dale Norris and Joe Burnas had replaced Bruce and Hils.

More changes came with their third hit later in 1958 {Chariot Rock - # 59 Top 100] when Flores and Alden were replaced by saxophonist Jimmy Seals and drummer Dash Crofts - later to rise to fame as Seals & Croft. When nothing worked in 1959 more changes ensued, including guitarist Glen Campbell in 1960. It's not clear, however, if he participated in the making of Too Much Tequila which reached # 30 Top 100 that March.

1961 was another dud for the group, but in 1962 Limbo Rock made it to the Top 40 at # 40 b/w Tequila Twist [# 99] and then the above-mentioned Limbo Dance. Leaving out that one lone hit and the missing B-sides in favour of covers like Strollin', Raunchy, Rebel 'Rouser, and The Peter Gunn Theme, which were major hits for other artists, has to result in the deduction of one star in my estimation. Frustrating in the extreme.

5.0 out of 5 stars "shakin', not stirred...Tequila!", August 27, 2001

By 

J. Lovins "Mr. Jim" (Missouri-USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: 25 All Time Greatest Recordings (Audio CD)

Swingin' times are back...and The Champs give it their instantly recognizable style...been a big fan from the very beginning, late '50s into the '60s...what I didn't realize was the versatility this group can bring...for instance, two Henry Mancini tunes..."Our Man In Hollywood" (Mancini) classic "PETER GUNN THEME" and the self-titled "EXPERIMENT IN TERROR", both tremendous hits for the composer...but The Champs serve up a delicious arrangement.

Of course there are the stand outs ~ "TEQUILA", their signature song..."HONKY TONK", the Bill Doggett big hit..."NIGHT TRAIN", all aboard for this classic ride from the past..."LIMBO ROCK" and "MR. COOL", both immortal sounds from these talented musicians...and it lives on!

Great job from ~ Cary E. Mansfield and Steve Massie (collection producers)...sharing a glimpse from the past...as I relive my youth, to those thrilling days of yesterday...when America was emotionally touched by...THE CHAMPS!

....

Total Time: 57:28 on 25 Tracks ~ Varese Sarabande 302-066-113-2 ~ (2000)