Best Of: Cowboys to Girls

The Intruders | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 31, 1995)
• Original Release Date: October 31, 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000002AV9
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #103,951 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: INTRUDERS
Title: BEST OF-COWBOYS TO GIRLS
Street Release Date: 10/31/1995
Domestic
Genre: SOUL/R & B

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Set Available on Underappreciated Philly Soul Group, August 29, 2003

By 

James E. Bagley "Jim Bagley" (Sanatoga, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Best Of: Cowboys to Girls (Audio CD)

While not among the best remembered soul groups to emerge from Philadelphia in the '60s and '70s, the Intruders were instrumental in helping define what would become known as Philly Soul. This vocal quartet was the first signing to Gamble & Huff's Excel label (changed soon after to Gamble Records) in 1965. With these records, Gamble & Huff began to develop the production style which would reach its peak in the '70s with the O'Jays, Billy Paul, and Harold Melvin & the Bluenotes.

The Intruders' trademark was the endearingly off-key lead vocals of Sam "Little Sonny" Brown. Brown's shaky voice was a good match for such novelty numbers as "(Love Is Like A) Baseball Game," "Me Tarzan You Jane," "(Win Place Or Show) She's A Winner, and the R & B number one "Cowboys To Girls." He also projected a warm innocence on romantic ballads, including "We'll Be United," "Together" and "When We Get Married."

This 20-track set contains the majority of their R & B hits (including all of the above). Unfortunately omitted were the uptempo charmer "Give Her A Transplant" as well as "I'm Girl Scoutin'," the only Intruders' single not to include Brown (his defection from the group lasted less than six months). This collection also includes most of their 1973 album Save The Children. One of the best Philly Soul albums ever, this concept recording offers uniquely effective covers of Marvin Gaye's title track and Paul Simon's "Mother And Child Reunion," as well as stunning originals like "I Wanna Know Your Name" and their artistic apex, "I'll Always Love My Mama."

After the release of Save The Children, the Intruders only had two more chart entries: "A Nice Girl Like You" and a strong version of the Carpenters' "Rainy Days And Mondays." While the latter recording is not included here, this is still the best Intruders collection available. It is even better than the two-disc, thirty-track Golden Classics which contains a lot of filler and omits "(Win Place Or Show) She's A Winner."

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes, The Album is as Great as Others are Saying, January 1, 2006

By 

Ho Chi Minh (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Best Of: Cowboys to Girls (Audio CD)

I know I'm not Original here, as the Previous 13 Reviews have awarded the Same 5 Stars to this Release, but I feel the need to Echo the sentiment. The Intruders, led by the Unmistakable Hurting/Cracking, Passionate Voice of Little Sonny Brown, are Grossly Underappreciated, These Songs stand among the Greatest in Soul History, Gems like "Together", "I Wanna Know Your Name", "Love is Like a Baseball Game", "United", and on and on....and the Long Version of "I'll always love My Mama", where Pt. 2 of the song (the second half, if you will, as listed on My Original 45 Copy I bought in 1973) has the Intruders Rapping, Playing the "Dozens", quite interesting to hear still; An Absolute MUST for Your Music Library...I am Pleased to have seen the Intruders Perform at Constitution Hall in D.C. in 1993, reunited with Little Sonny after Many Years away...The Pain in His Voice One Hears in many of these Songs was Real, Little Sonny Jumped from a Bridge near Philadelphia to His Death in 1995......RIP

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great lost soul classic, January 9, 2004

By 

Glenn Nippert "musicologist" (Alpharetta, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Best Of: Cowboys to Girls (Audio CD)

I had never heard of The Intruders until I heard the title song of this collection on an R&B oldies station last year. After hearing Cowboys to Girls about three times on that station I couldn't get the uniqueness of the lyrics and melody out of my head. I was also moved by the innocence and appealing vulnerability of the lead vocalist Sam "Little Sonny" Brown and decided to buy this greatest hits compilation and needless to say it has not left my cd player since. The addictive blend of
horns, strings and guitar riffs makes a groove that is both slick and gritty at the same time.The songs are almost all written by the legendary Gamble and Huff songwriting team and there seems to be a thread of romantic nostalgia connecting the songs. "I'll Always Love My Mama", "Me Tarzan, You Jane" and "Together" are all seldom played classics. Why this great soul group has been swept aside by the shifting sands of time is beyond me as they were fantastic. This is some of the most feel good soul comfort music out there. Buy this, it'll make you feel good.