Customer Reviews

Best of Valentines

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Although the Valentines never had a nationally charted record, they were immensely popular in their native New York City in the mid-50's. The Valentines were formed when songwriter and lead singer Richard Barrett joined up with a quartet previously known as the Dreamers. Their first record on Old Town went nowhere and they switched to Rama Records where this CD picks them up. In 1955-57 Rama released 7 Valentines singles written by Barrett. The first was the classic uptempo doo-wop "Lily Maebelle" and the most popular was "Woo Woo Train". Both sides of every Valentines record were very good doo-wop. The group disbanded after Barrett decided to concentrate on producing records instead of singing.This CD contains all the Rama sides except "Christmas Prayer", "I Cried, Oh Oh" and "Nature's Creation". However, it does include an alternate take of "Nature's Creation". The CD claims it contains 3 other previously unreleased sides even though the Gribin/Schiff reference book states these 3 were released on a Murray Hill LP in 1986. The 3 are "If You Love Me, Pretty Baby", "The Joe Smith Theme" and "Sweetheart of Mine". The liner notes provide a goodly amount of information about the Valentines and their music, but the focus is clearly on Richard Barrett.Of particular interest to anyone like me who grew up in the Boston area in the late 50's is that 65 second gem called "The Joe Smith Theme". Joe Smith was the #1 Rock and Roll diskjockey in Boston at that time, first at WVDA/WEZE (1260) in the afternoon and in the evening, and then at WMEX (1510) evenings only before ending his on-air career at WILD (1090) afternoons only after the payola debacle. Joe began his evening shows with that Valentine's theme song. Until this CD, I had not heard that theme song for about 40 years. For me, that one cut was worth the price of the CD.

I first heard this CD on the local "Off the Wall" radio
show from Marshfield, Ma. (WATD-FM) some years ago. The full,
rich sound will tingle your spine! The distinctive
voice of Barrett and the Bass musings are other worldly!
Imaginative group sounds and free harmonies are among
the best you will hear (evocative of the feelings on the
Harptones', "You can depend on me....".) Listen in your
car in the early evening, just as the sun is setting -
you will transcend the limitations of ordinary experience
- be swept off to those long ago days when your best girl
was waiting....And later, when the front house lights blink,
.....You will kiss her tenderly and
say the immortal words..."Please my Darling....Don't
say goodnight..."