Customer Reviews

Best of the Ohio Express

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

After labels like Sundazed, Bear Family & others do such great packaging these days I was disappointed to see the small 3 page booklet. Sound quality is best I've heard (and this stuff has been so shabbily released in the past), so thumbs up there.

At the same time I was disappointed with a few points: first 14 songs...come on, we all know you can get 74+ minutes of music on a CD. Next, the version of "1,2,3 Redlight" is NOT the popular hit version, but a second rate out-take. Would have loved to hear the hit version remastered like the others.

And finally, poor research as far as the song compilation - they have excluded two songs "Try It" and "Cowboy Convention" which charted for the group. Isn't that the idea of a "Best Of" package? Overall, great sound but some disappointments from Buddha.

I couldn't agree more with reviewer RRiis. This is happy-time music from an era that had more than its share of trouble, reflected in morose, crêpe-hanging tunes like Eve Of Destruction and In The Year 2525. Consequently, the supercilious types at Rolling Stone go overboard in their condemnation of "bubble-gum music" - even in the face of their huge - if short-term - popularity.

Along with the informative liner notes by Kim Cooper, Co-editor of Bubblegum Music, you get all seven of the group's hits with the Buddah label, these being: Yummy Yummy Yummy (# 4 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in June 1968 b/w Zig Zag); Down At Lulu's (# 33 H100 in August/September 1968 b/w She's Not Coming Home(; Chewy Chewy (# 15 H100 in November 1968 b/w Firebird); Sweeter Than Sugar (# 96 H100 in March 1969 b/w Bitter Lemon); Mercy (# 30 H100 April/May 1969 b/w Roll It Up); Pinch Me [Baby, Convince Me] (# 99 H100 June 1969 b/w Peanuts); and Sausalito [Is The Place To Go] (# 86 H100 September 1969 b/w Make Love Not War.

Joey Levine, who also sang lead with The Third Rail on Epic and later with Reunion, takes the lead on the first five hits above, while Bobby Bengert does the honors on Pinch Me, and on Sausalito it's Graham Gouldman, who also sang with 10cc.

My only disappointment is that the producers did not [could not?] include their only other two charters: Beg, Borrow And Steal, # 29 H100 in 1967 [actually recorded earlier for the Attack label as by The Rare Breed), and 1968's # 83 H100 Try It - both for the Cameo label - and that just two of the Buddah B-sides are included.

However, what's here is enjoyable and if you get this and the companion CD The Best Of The 1910 Fruitgum Co. you'll have some of the most danceable and enjoyable tunes from the late 1960s. Despite what Rolling Stone thinks.

Hm.First of all,this a well done CD with some good songs on it.BUT!I just didn't enjoy this nearly as much as the new 1910 fruitgum company compilation on this same label.Both "bands" existed at the same time and mined the bubblegum scene.However,the 1910 just had a better sense of humor or something. I'll give this 3 stars because the good stuff on here is REALLY good.

I bought this cd along with best of 1910 fruitgum co. again, these songs bring back such endless memories. Fantastic mastering..these 2 bands were so underrated..but had such great music. If you loved their hit singles like i did, then you'll definately like the rest of the selections on the cd. Great bargain prices too.

People can say whatever they want about bubblegum music; but it provided many, many people with good tunes and a real alternative to hard rock back in the day. These tunes got their fair share of airplay and lots of people bought their records, too. The Best of the Ohio Express: Yummy Yummy Yummy features Ohio Express in a most positive light; and that's terrific. The quality of the sound on this album is excellent; and I really like that artwork, too.

The CD starts off with Ohio Express singing "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy." While this tune has the silliest of titles, the sound is actually very cool and these guys harmonize to play this one up right! "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" has a rockin' flavor to it and they rightfully got good airplay from this number. The guitar work is very good, too. "Nothing Sweeter Than My Baby" has that signature Ohio Express sound; these guys never let go of a superfluous note and the music that accompanies the vocals couldn't be better!

"Sweeter Than Sugar" gets the royal treatment from Ohio Express; this has some great music and Ohio Express bats this straight out of the ballpark! They harmonize the chorus very well and again they use the guitars to great advantage on "Sweeter Than Sugar." "Nighttime" has a fine arrangement that is easy on the ear; and listen for Ohio Express to outdo even themselves on "Chewy, Chewy." "Chewy, Chewy" features Ohio Express squarely front and center--and they deserved this spotlight. The music complements the vocals without ever drowning the singers out; and Ohio Express was very well coordinated to come up with this tune.

"She's Not Comin' Home" has a pretty melody even with its minor keys; and I really like "Gimme Gimme." "Gimme Gimme" has a great `60s beat to it and Ohio Express does this with all the skill of the experienced musicians they truly were. "1, 2, 3, Red Light" is also very well done; and there's a true gem in "Down at Lulu's." "Down at Lulu's" has a very `60s sound to it that is just a touch like the Beach Boys sound with those backup vocalists; and it all holds its own very well.

"Sausalito (Is the Place to Go)" showcases yet again the fine talents of Ohio Express; this tune has a rockin' flavor to it that still gets me tapping my feet to the beat today! "Sausalito (Is the Place to Go)" is a good number and a highlight of this album. "Pinch Me (Baby, Convince Me)" makes good use of the drums and percussion; and the album ends strong with Ohio Express performing "Mercy." "Mercy" is a well done tune and that melody leaves you wanting more--it's infectiously catchy and that's awesome.

Ohio Express really turned out some great numbers in their time. This album doesn't have every one of their "best" and so I can only give this CD a four star review. However, don't let that deter you from trying this one out; it does indeed have some terrific bubblegum songs from one of the most successful `60s groups, Ohio Express. It makes a strong starter CD for people just discovering Ohio Express, too.

Here we find another in the series of Buddah reissue compilations on the resurrected, now Buddha, label. Ohio Express was one third of the triumvirate of Kasenetz-Katz Bubblegum groups that hit big in the 60's. This collection gathers up all their charted hits plus a few album cuts from their Buddah output. This is not a totally comprehensive greatest hits collection as their earlier work (including two charted singles) for Cameo is not here. Notwithstanding that shortcoming and the somewhat meager number of tracks (14), this is the best quality compilation of this material yet.

Sound quality is excellent with all tracks except 12 and 13 in true stereo. Good background notes in a 6-page flopover liner notes booklet add to the package's attributes.

Of all the Ohio Express cd's that have so far come to market, this is the best bet.

I got this CD for my kids because they would not believe me about someone made a song Yummy Yummy Yummy. Also they Like Chewy Chewy. Can it get any more sugary? All of the songs seem to have refrences to candy and sugar that translate into sexual double meanings. Funny, I never thought about this when I was a kid!

A good ablum to torture your friends with!

I was glad to see this cd of Ohio Express.It brought back many fond memories.They have that very distinct bubble gum sound all us fans love.The cd is very well made and the sound quality is terrific.The cd is also inexpensive.Ohio Express was popular back in the 60's to early 70's and had many hits.There are 14 of their popular songs on this cd and they are as follows.....1)Yummy,Yummy,Yummy 2)Sweeter than Sugar 3)She's not coming home 4)Gimme,Gimme 5)Chewy,Chewy 6)1,2,3,Red Light 7)Down at Lulu's 8)Sausalito 9)Pinch Me 10)Mercy 11)Lucky 12)Firebird 13)Nothing Sweeter than my Baby 14)Nighttime. My Favorite was Yummy,Yummy,Yummy.My 25 year old daugther was brought up listening too the Ohio Express and now she loves them too.They were and still are great in my eyes.A very upbeat type of music with that good old fashioned Bubble Gum twist.Listening to them will make anyone smile.How could you not?.....:).I recommend this cd very highly.

This is OK, but golden classics has cowboy convention and others not found here, plus all that is found here.

This CD has fantastic sound. Too bad more songs weren't included.
Kim Coopers liner notes are great. Especially like the pictures on the Cd cover. The Mansfield, Ohio guys are a nice bunch of men. It was too bad they were jacked around. Musically they still perform as the Ohio Express,with Tim Corwin and occasionally Doug Grassel.
Also check out the Website www.bubble-music.com. It's really a great site for us bubblegum fans. Also check out Joey Levine's 2005 Bubblegum Achievement Award. That was in Los Angeles last October. What a cutie!!!!!!!!!!!
I would highly recommend this CD to all Ohio Express Fans.