Customer Reviews

Best Always/Love and Kisses

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I had these alblums on vinyl when they were released and while the sum of the parts was not a success, there are songs on both alblums that are as enjoyable now as when I was a teenager. "Best Always" a catchy Jerry Fuller number: "Ladies Choice". Jerry had written "Travelin Man" and "A Wonder Like You" for Rick in the early 60"s. "Only The Young", "How Does It Go" and Since I Don't Have You" are excellent songs and Rick seems engaged with these individual tunes. "You Don't Know Me" is way too laid-back. The balance of the songs have never captured my interest. "Love and Kisses" is memorable as an alblum built around the same titled movie (I only enjoyed the "Say You Love Me" song from the flick, perhaps because Rick sings it to his wife Kris). "I Catch Myself Crying" and "I Should Have Loved You More" are both excellent. The balance slope downward from there. If you a fan I say buy it for your interest and enjoy.

Rick's 2 1965 albums on one CD. BEST ALWAYS was actually an improvement on the earlier SPOTLIGHT ON RICK. Stand-outs: the cover of Eddy Arnold's "You Don't Know Me", "Mean Old World", "I Know A Place" (Petula Clark-a slight nod to the "British Invasion"?), "Since I Don't Have You" (the BEST version I've ever heard of this classic!) AND "My Blue Heaven". (Given his classy treatment of "standards", maybe he'd have done himself and his fans a favor doing an entire album of them, as many artists seem to have done in recent years?) On the other hand, LOVE AND KISSES may be, creatively, his all-time low point. "I Catch Myself Crying" is a slow ballad in his best tradition, and "Try To Remember" is yet another song that's considered a "standard" these days. But the rest of the album is boring, forgettable, or worse. "More" is murdered by a really bad arrangement, and "Come Out Dancin'", one of 3 songs from the movie "Love and Kisses", is just awful. Thank goodness you can program CDs! Rick finally changed styles on his next album-and for the better!

The disc was recorded well. I didn't care for all the songs. But, over all, very pleased with this collection.

my husband ia a rick nelson freak just about has everything that was put out thankyou eveliene

Rick Nelson was gone from the top 40 charts by 1965, but that didn't stop him from recording. "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet" was still on television, and his many fans could still count on seeing him sing his latest records on the show. He also starred in the motion picture "Love and Kisses", directed by his father Ozzie. The two albums here kind of blend together. Rick's style was set by the time he moved over to Decca in 1963, so there's not really any surprises here, just more fine music in the style he was known for. Although this is often referred to as the "adult contemporary" period of Rick's career, both albums contain a fair amount of faster or harder edged material. "Mean Old World", written by Billy Vera (of "At This Moment" fame), is a moody, dark song with Rick at his most expressive. "When the Chips Are Down" is sort of the flip side, with nice guitar work from James Burton. 'I'm Not Ready for You Yet" is catchy, with a strong lyric. A few tracks point the way towards Rick's country albums, notably "I Catch Myself Crying" (sung on one of the final season episodes of "Ozzie and Harriet"). Three songs are from the soundtrack of "Love and Kisses" - "Say You Love Me", "Come Out Dancin'", and of course, "Love and Kisses". They'll be familiar to anyone who caught the movie on tv over the years. Overall, both albums are very good listens, if not quite his best. 1966 would bring some of his best music yet.

Great 2 albums combined. Good songs.

Well, I guess I'm just an old sentimental fool that goes way back to when I was only fifteen and dating the seventeen-year-old that I did eventually marry. Our song was "Say You Love Me" for the reason that I was young and determined I would never say those words to anyone unless I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that I was certain. My Tony tried to get me to say it many times and he would sing this song to me (SMILE) so it became very special to me. We were going to have it sung at our wedding later, but couldn't find the sheet music at the time.... I was seventeen, he was nineteen when we married!! We were married for 38 1/2 wonderful years before he passed on in 2005. A real romance story!!! I have the original album on vinyl and also a cassette that I had copied at a record store when I lost my first album... They wouldn't sell me their only copy! But I was fortunate to have someone gift it to me later on because they knew it meant so much to me!!! I am currently trying to find the DVD of the movie "Love and Kisses" It is very hard to find. If you are a Ricky Nelson fan, then these songs will add to your collection. I know there are other albums that have a lot better songs.... but this is the only album that has "Say You Love Me" on it; because it was featured in the film. Love you Ricky Nelson....I KNOW YOU'RE SINGING UP THERE IN HEAVEN WITH MY TONY NOW!!!!.... Thanks for the memories!!!! Signed....MSNTONY2005!

Great product, reminds me of the record albums that I purchased so many years ago. I still have them. It is great that amazon can do this.

Rick's career was at a low ebb in 1965. His hit-making days wee over (although he eventually made a mini-comeback in the seventies with Garden party) and he was looking for a new direction in his career. The two albums presented here mostly contain covers - a mix of contemporary pop, old standards and country songs, the latter providing a pointer to the two country albums that came later in the sixties - though there were a few originals including the minor American hit, Mean old world. The writer of the liner notes is somewhat lukewarm about the music contained herein, but even he accepts that there are some great tracks here. Maybe I am more easily satisfied, but I like these albums.
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Among the covers are You don't know me (Eddy Arnold), Lonely corner, Liz (both Johnny Burnette), I know a place (Petula Clark), Since I don't have you (Skyliners), My blue heaven (an oldie from 1927), I catch myself crying (Roger Miller) and Try to remember (Nana Mouskouri). Of these, Rick does particularly well on Since I don't have you. Three of the original songs featured in a movie (Love and kisses), these being the title theme, Come out dancing and Say you love me.

While Rick's music was largely ignored in a year when British acts (especially the Beatles) dominated the world's airwaves, these albums are much better than some people (including the liner notes writer) would have you believe. This isn't the place to begin a collection of Rick's music but his fans will enjoy this twofer.

In 1964 The Champs brought out a single featuring Glen Campbell on lead guitar with background vocals that were truly haunting; the following year The Ventures recorded this great single instrumental on their "Fabulous Ventures" LP, and like The Champs recording, it too was remarkable. I prefered The Champs recording because of the strings and errie girl vocals, but at least The Ventures had the very good sense to also have girl vocals behind their guitar lead. There were no words, only this errie singing behind the lead.

When I discovered that Rick Nelson had recorded a vocal version of this song that featured lyrics, I couldn't wait to listen. When I heard this song I just flipped. Rick sings this song just as it should have been sung, paying great tribute to the original instrumental version by The Champs. He completely captured the essense of that mysterious and spooky recording and the lyrics are great. Like Beetsy Brye's great recording of Santo & Johnny's classic self-penned 1959 masterpiece, "Sleep Walk," the only recording of the song that featured the lyrics, Rick Nelson offers the same distinguished delivery and interpretation that makes the price of this double CD worth every cent.

If you want my advice buy this recording and if you find you don't like it, except for "Only The Young," feel lucky that you got to hear this great recording in your lifetime; then go out and order "Only The Young" by The Champs and by The Ventures.

If only I had known Nelson recorded this song when I saw him at The Palimino Club in North Hollywood in 1986, I think it was...I certainly would have asked him to sing it when he asked for requests. A truly inspired recording of this great instrumental recording that offers a very good lyric without compromising the purity of the original recording by The Champs; in fact, what Nelson achieves is to actually enhance the former but it still feels as it did without the lyrics: you hear the music and the words never get in the way of that experience. Go with it, listen, and count yourself blessed. Thanks, Rick!