Customer Reviews

The Best Of The Girl Groups, Vol. 1

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There's little point in telling you if "The Best Of The Girl Groups (Series)" is "good" or "bad." That would be pretty silly: you're quite capable of reading the track list for yourself, and making that determination. What you will find with each of these discs is exceptional audio quality, superb packaging and documentation, and a touch of musical history.

The audio quality of "The Best Of The Girl Groups" is stunning. Remastered by Bill Inglot and Ken Perry, it is difficult to believe that these recordings are more than thirty-years old. Rhino does a remarkable job of combing recording libraries for first-rate master tapes, then engineering these recordings to CD. I have yet to be disappointed with a Rhino "oldies but goodies" release. The sonics are immaculate - like hearing some of your favorites for the first time.

Also, each disc is packaged in a jewel case with a complete and interesting history of the songs presented: information included is the artist, composer and release date.

Although not surprising, "The Best Of The Girl Groups" includes only one song by a singer/songwriter. These tracks are primarily the work of producers. "Girl Groups," lacking independence, were practically interchangeable. And like the performers themselves, the songs were "manufactured" by teams such as the Brill Building Pop Writers (including Gerry Goffin and Carole King). Still, the songs are memorable. For trivia fans: try to distinguish those tracks produced by Phil Spector. Dazzling sound quality, insightful documentation, and a bit of popular music history. In my book, that ain't too shabby.

Each one of these songs bring back sharp memories of riding my bike down to the Arlington Record Store to get the latest 45 played on WLS. The songs are the originals and have been very carefully selected. Along with the top hits of the time, this includes gems like the haunting and unusual "Sally Go Round the Roses", the mesmerizing "I Can't Stay Mad at You" and Evie Sands "I Can't Let Go." This CD is a must for any baby boomer who grew up listening to AM radio.

This volume (and its companion, volume 2) offers a terrific if incomplete overview of the girl group phenomenon of the eary-Sixties. By incomplete, I mean there are no Motown groups (Supremes, Martha & The Vandellas, Marvelettes), nothing from Philles (Crystals, Ronettes, Darlene Love) or Cameo/Parkway (Orlons, Dee Dee Sharp). But even with those glaring omissions, there are enough amazing songs here to make this an indipensable collection of girl group classics.

Most of these songs were huge hits. All but five went Top Ten, and four of them ("Leader of the Pack," "He's So Fine," "Chapel of Love" and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow") reached No. 1.

Many of these artists were one-hit wonders (Ad Libs, Jaynetts, Claudine Clark, Jelly Beans), so this collection provides you with the hits and no filler. [A couple of exceptions: Cher doesn't really fit the category and "Dream Baby" never cracked the Top 40; the Exciter's "He's Got the Power" and Evie Sands' "I Can't Let Go" didn't chart either. While it's interesting to compare the latter song with the Hollies' version, I would have rather seen other hits by the Shirelles or the Shangri-Las instead that didn't make it onto either volume of this series.)

While they don't show up as performers, Ellie Greenwich/Jeff Barry and Carole King/Gerry Goffin wrote six of these tracks, including the good girl/bad girl anthem "Leader of the Pack" and the song that begs the question "should I or shouldn't I?"--"Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." The latter by the Shirelles is considered the first girl group hit from 1961.

Most of these songs are classics and they all harken back to a more innocent time in the history of rock. Whether you lived through this time period or simply wished you did, this is required listening. ESSENTIAL

This has 18 songs & is roughly 45 minutes long. The sound quality is a bit mediocre at times, but these are quality tunes, & not just the well known big hits. Here you have "People Say," by the Dixie Cups, The Shirelle's "Baby It's You," the Jaynettes"Sally Go Round The Roses." Which sounds half psychodelic before the term became common. There is even a young Cher singing "Dream Baby." This compellation should stir the appetite of even a casual listener to find more tunes from that eclectic era of music.

Rhino has put together a nice collection chronicling the Rock N' Roll phenomenon of the early to mid sixties known as The Girl Groups. If this is your first foray into the sound of the Girl Groups this is quite a fine start. This collection which is more of a hit orientated set, includes the songs you'll most remember because of their exposure on the radio. What makes the set worth it though are the more obcure songs sprinkled throughout the collection.(See Vol 2) Songs like "Party Lights", "I Can't Stay Mad At You" and "I Can't Let Go" (on Vol 1) to name a few. Included in the booklet are pictures of the groups and great liner notes about each individual song. The only flaw that I can find with this collection is the admittance of a Cher track "Dream Baby", that faded fast into obscurity upon it's release but which has been resurrected here as a throwaway track. This song should have been saved for a Cher anthology set. I pray that one day a box set chronicling the Girl Groups will be released (believe me, there is enough material to make several box sets!)that will further and more wholey reinstate the powerful force these women have had on popular music.

If you like girl groups or 1960's music, you're in for a real treat. Some of the best-loved songs of the 60's are on this album. This is a must have for anyone who enjoys music when it was good and when the artists had actual talent instead of just pretty looks. All the songs are great but my favorites are, "Leader of the Pack", "Chapel of Love", "The Boy From New York City" and "Baby It's You". The music is great and the sound is clear. This album is also great for Baby Boomers who like to reminisce of days gone by.

These two cd's volumes 1 and 2, capture the best music of this genre. In the late fifties and early sixties, teenage girls formed a handful of groups which made some of the sweetest sounding songs ever put down. The Shangri La's "Leader of the Pack" is a two minute repetition of one of the oldest tales in the world, good girls falling for bad guys. The Dixie Cups "Chapel of Love" and "People Say" are as innocent today as thirty five years ago, and the Jaynesttes "Sally Go 'Round The Roses" is still as haunting today as back then.

Good stuff.

This compilation of songs is one of the best I have ever heard. It includes popular songs of the times and some of the better forgotten ones. It is a "blast from the past". So put on your dance shoes and get ready to have the time of your life. Enjoy!! I did!

First of all, for those who complained about the lack of songs by Phil Spector's girl groups as well as Motown's, it's all due to licensing permission. If you already own cd's by said artists, why not do what I did a long time ago and make your own mixes, including songs from these collections? For anyone living in the NY/NJ area-there is still one oldies station on AM radio that plays many girl group songs, as well as songs from the 50s thru the 70s and that radio station is WMTR1250AM and once you tune in you will not be sorry. Back to Girl Groups Volumes 1 & 2, they bring back wonderful memories of fun times growing up in the early to mid 1960s when your radio was constantly on. Very highly recommended for fans of 60s pop music.

I enjoy this collection of the Best of the Girls Groups. For those of you who love the sounds of the 50s and 60s, this collection will not disappoint. There is a Best of the Girls Group Volume II which is good, but I believe Volume I is better due to it having a better compilation of songs than Volume II. The sound quality is good.