Customer Reviews

The Best of The Guess Who

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Why the Guess Who has not been inducted (or even nominated for that matter) into the Rock N Roll Hall o' Fame is a complete mystery to me. Is it because they sold gobs of records and hit #1 on the charts? Is it because they're Canadian? Is it because there's a bunch of politically-oriented knuckleheads running that place? I dunno, but maybe those in charge should take a good hard listen to the incredible string of songs the boys from Winnipeg churned out in the scant 4 years (1968-71) represented on this disc. Burton Cummings was (and still is) one of the greatest voices in rock. Robert Plant was once asked "If he could sing like anybody else, who it would be?" The legendary voice of Led Zeppelin replied, "Burton Cummings". Mighty high praise indeed. I have no qualms about the extra songs included on this reissue but if you want to dig a bit deeper into the Guess Who's impressive range of material try the 2 disc set "Anthology" which is still in print and also available from Amazon at a bargain price. Not only does the "Anthology" collection include the aforementioned "Clap for the Wolfman" but also their first hit "Shakin All Over" along with the FM radio gems "Pain Train", "Heartbroken Bopper", "Running Back To Saskatoon", "Glamour Boy", and "Star Baby". Listen and you will understand what the big deal about the Guess Who is.

This is the first vinyl album I ever bought. I always thought it was the greatest. Then later on in the years when I was buying discs and wanted some Guess Who, I purchased their anthology which consists of everything on this plus more. It is two discs at a reasonable price. I highly reccomend buying the anthology instead of this one.

2006 The Best of the Guess Who [EXTRA TRACKS] This version is missing the acoustic intro to American Woman! If you're like me that will really bother you every time the track starts. Better to get the older best of the guess who, I didn't find the extra tracks on this all that essential enough to edit a classic song.

Sure it's good, but is it necessary? The Guess Who were a great singles band at the turn of the `70s, when FM album rock stations were taking over from AM Top 40 outlets. Led by the distinctive voice of Burton Cummings, the band had a six-year string of catchy tunes that were an essential part of the era's soundtrack. Here, the group's Best of album from 1971 gets the Legacy treatment, with three extra tracks. But the 1999 disc, Greatest Hits, still trumps it because it has post-'71 material like "Star Bay" and "Clap for the Wolfman" and the long version of "American Woman." (There's also a two-disc Anthology.) What the record company should do is add "Bus Rider," "Do You Miss Me Darlin" and "Broken" from this collection to the Greatest Hits confab, and release a definitive 21-track single CD that really could be called "Best" or "Greatest."

Originally published in Port Folio Weekly, 1/24/06
Copyright 2006 Port Folio Weekly. Used by permission.

When the initial CD release of this original 1971 vinyl album first came out in 1989, the novelty of the new format made up for the fact that there were a meagre 11 tracks with neither liner notes nor discography. Furthermore, even the vinyl LP had been stretching things a bit by including Bus Rider and Do You Miss Me Darlin' which were technically not among their "best" since both were uncharted B-sides - the first b/o Share The Land [# 10 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in late 1970] and the second b/o Hang On To Your Life [a minor # 43 in early 1971].

It wasn't too long, however, before the major players like RCA/BMG, etc. were confronted by overseas distributors such as Ace of London, Jasmine, and Bear Family, not to mention North American top-notch North American outfits like Eric Records, Rhino, Varese-Sarabande, Collector's Choice, and Collectables, which not only provided upwards of 30 tracks with each release, but also copious background notes and discographies of the contents.

So what does RCA do? They re-release this with .... gasp ... all of three additional tracks: Albert Flasher [# 29 in June 1971 and its flipside, Broken, which a;so charted at a low # 55] and Rain Dance [# 19 in September 1971. And still nothing in the way of substantial liner notes. As if a major operation like that could not have gone to 21 tracks and included Shakin' All Over, their first hit which reached # 22 in June 1965 before they changed their name from Chad Allen & The Expressions (yes, I know, that was released by Scepter, but I'm sure arrangements could have been made). At the very least they should have provided for Clap For The Wolfman which, at # 6 in August 1974, was their third-best hit ever (in a tie with These Eyes).

I agree with some of the other reviewers that these cheap releases by the majors are no longer acceptable.

This is a fantastic CD and includes all of the best selling hits that the Guess Who had. Delivery was quite fast. Very pleased with all aspects.

The "Best of the Guess Who" was originally a Two Volume set - and while other band's "Best Of" albums seam disjointed, incomplete, even mediocre, The Guess Who's double album rocked. It told a story that spanned the band and a gamut of human emotions. Sadly, this "Best of" Album is just Vol. I with 3 added tracks from Volume II until the CD was full (most likely). 3 Bonus Tracks?? - No way. Here is what you are missing after the 3 tracks of Vol 2 (my comments in parentheses). Seek them out on the web!
Track:
4. Sour Suite (seriously one of the most beautiful songs on the planet - ask Elton John)
5. Life in the Bloodstream
6. Guns, Guns, Guns (godspeed Mother Nature!)
7. Heartbroken Bopper
8. Runnin' Back to Saskatoon (Freakin Rocks - guitars define the Band/created a genre)
9. Follow Your Daughter Home (Play this tune at any party any time any place)
10. Orly (GW has timeless chorus riffs - you'll find yourself hummin')
11. Glamour Boy (takes the Band to the next plane of great)

I am considerably young for this kind of music, but when I turned 15 I bought a 72 mustang that had an 8-track player and the only 8-track I had came with the car and was the Guess Who. Unfortunately, I no longer have the 8-track or a way to play it, but this CD takes me back to when life was easy. Great sound quality (better than an 8-track), and all of there greatest songs. This CD couldn't be better

I have owned this title in almost every format it was ever issued in The only exception would be if the singles were released as 45's. Or laser disks.

I just set up a pair of speaker stands and flipped on the tuner to check the connection. I'm tripping back now. Every song is a winner.

Of course, I'm probably preaching to the converted. If you're reading these reviews, you're already a fan.

We bought this CD before a Guess Who concert to re-familiarize ourselves with their songs. They played almost every one at the concert! Bus Rider sounded better in concert than on the CD. Their new lead singer is not as good as the original singer on the CD.