25 Greatest Hits [Import]

The Pirates, Johnny Kidd, Johnny Kidd and The Pirates | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 21, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI Gold Imports
• ASIN: B0000250SJ
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #133,655 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Shakin' All Over

2. Please Don't Touch

3. You Got What It Takes

4. Restless

5. Linda Lu

6. A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues

7. I'll Never Get Over You

8. Hungry For Love

9. Always And Ever

10. Oh Boy

11. The Fool

12. Send Me Some Lovin'

13. Let's Talk About Us

14. Some Other Guy

15. Whole Lotta Woman

16. Your Cheatin' Heart

17. You Can Have Her

18. I Just Want To Make Love To You

19. I Can Tell

20. I Know

See all 25 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Very Good Introduction, April 7, 2008

By 

popmusicfan (northeastern Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: 25 Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

Again and again, British Invasion rock musicians and writers alike name Cliff Richard's "Move It" and Johnny Kidd's "Shakin' All Over" as the first two significant British rock and roll songs ever. Even Fred Heath's (professionally known as Johnny Kidd) first successful composition and his debut recording, "Please Don't Touch" (1959) contains enough progressive harmonic and arrangement touches that it sounds more like an anticipation of British Invasion rock than a stylistic contemporary of Billy Fury and Marty Wilde. The fact that Kidd's backing band, the Pirates, eventually became members of the Tornados ("Telstar") also makes this group, and this collection, an important part of the history of British rock music. OK, Kidd absolutely butchers "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" is clumsy as a rock number, but by and large this collection shows why Mr. Heath was one of the most crucial links between the Furys, Wildes, Steeles (and all of Larry Parnes' other teen idols) and mature British Invasion rock. Despite some clunkers, this is a collection that you must buy!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars One of the most underrated bands ever, February 26, 2008

By 

robojam - See all my reviews

This review is from: 25 Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

Wish I could give 4 and a half as I really didn't want to take a whole star off. This is a pretty good collection, but does make some omissions, hence less than 5 stars.

I would certainly give 5 stars for the best material here - the Pirates were one of the most underrated bands ever. They were ahead of their time - just listen to 'Shakin All Over', then marvel that it was released in 1960. They didn't ever get the success that they deserved, and in particular the early singles were unlike anything around at the time.

There are a few missing singles here, and some of the better b sides are missing too. In their place are some of the tracks that the band probably should never have recorded. For the most part this is a great collection. I only wish they would have included the 2 sides of the Pirates solo effort without Kidd, particularly 'My Babe'.

Probably the best collection on the market right now, so if you're a fan, get this one!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars British rock'n'roll at its best, October 15, 2009

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 25 Greatest Hits (Audio CD)

Johnny Kidd and the Pirates had a string of UK hits between 1959 and 1964. Shaking all over (a UK number one hit) and I'll never get over you (a top five hit) were their only major hits but they also made the charts with Please don't touch, You got what it takes (a cover of the Brook Benton and Dinah Washington classic), Restless, Linda Lu, Shot of rhythm and blues, Hungry for love and Always and ever. These hits make up the first nine tracks, so if you just want to play the hits, it's quite simple.

The remainder of the collection contains a selection of covers of American songs that are ideally suited to the group's style including Oh boy (Buddy Holly), Whole lotta woman (Marvin Rainwater), a rocking version of Your cheating heart (Hank Williams), I know (Barbara George) and many others.

In the early sixties, Johnny Kidd and the Pirates were among the best rock'n'roll groups that Britain had to offer - perhaps even the best of the lot. This collection of their best music is a fitting reminder of their brilliance.