Customer Reviews

Come On, Let's Go!

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This boxed set demonstrates how great Ritchie's music and personality was.Disc 3 is a live performance by Ritchie Valens!Another cool thing to do is is listen to Come On, Let's Go and We Belong Together on Disc ONE and then listen to the same two songs on Disc TWO.It bares no resemblence!You Get a great Ritchie poster, Ritchie postcards, and a 62 page picture booklet with many rare photos.But at any rate if your a Valens fan this is a must!

Arguably the first Chicano rocker, Ritchie provided three hits - his first release "Come On, Let's Go", scrapping the Top 40, and his double-sided smash "Donna/La Bamba", released just prior to his tragic death on February 3, 1959 [along with Buddy Holly & The Big Bopper]
But, beyond the 3 hits, and the all-too-brief career, Ritchie provided inspiration to many others along the way. Despite the maudlin nature on deejay Tommy Dee's tribute song "Three Stars", there is a degree of truth in the line "Why did God call him so far away; perhaps to light a star to show the way". Ritchie's "star" shone brightly as inspiration to others. From soundalike Chris Montez to fellow Latino Trini Lopez to instrumental band El Chicano to guitar impressario Santana, Ritchie's meteoric rise gave the foundation not only to Chicano Rock, but to many others. Ritchie was amongst the first to write his own songs, do his own arrangements, and play his own guitar.
Although there is much in this box set that is minimal in terms of actual music value, there is a sense of what Ritchie might have been (or might NOT have been).
From his mawkish cover of Ersel Hickey's BLUEBIRDS OVER THE MOUNTAIN to his plaintiff take of Robert & Johnny's WE BELONG TOGETHER, Ritchie gives his own soul to the material.
Sit quietly in a dim-lit room and listen to IN A TURKISH TOWN, or clap your hands and dance around to DOOBY-DOOBY-WAH. Ritchie died in his teens, and it's been more than 40 years since he's been gone, but as the old saying goes - his music lives on in the heart of his fans (both old & new)

I bought a Ritchie Valens tape in 1988, and I thought all of those songs on there, were the only ones he had ever recorded. This box set sure proved me wrong! I don't understand why the motion picture(innacurate) did not include most of these songs. Sure is a shame of what happened to Ritchie in 1959, along with the other two men. Really makes you wonder what rock n'roll would have been like. Unfortunately, there music would probably not be respected as much, being that we live in such a "take everything for granted society". Jimi Hendrix once said, "People don't seem to notice rock singers, until after they are dead". That' true, I don't hear people talking much about Jon Bon Jovi, or even Van Halen. But this was a wonderful, very complete box set!

This album has tracks that never been heard before in the public. Ritchie shows his style of rythum style of guitar playing in this album. In the song La Bamba which he plays in the studio many times you can hear that Richie plays the intro many times before Bob Keene helps him profectionizes it at the end. The album also has a rare live performance of Ritchie at his High School before his timely death in 1959. He performs many un heard songs in this album and you can see him through rare photos that a over 60 page booklet has of this young great unforgotten legend.

I bought this CD box set in July of 1998 soon after I was told I had cancer. I had recently seen "La Bamba" on HBO and I decided to listen to Ricardo's tapes as part of my doctors'"positive attitude" therapy. And did it help! I have been cancer free for almost 18 months and I know that listening to him helped me immensely. He died before I was born, so I never had the chance to see and hear him in person; but seeing his pictures in the booklet and hearing him singing, laughing and being himself on tape is wonderful! This box set should convince the committee at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio that they should have inducted Ricardo years ago. Their refusal to honor him is unbelieveable! I'll ALWAYS remember you, Ricardo--My guardian angel. Until we meet in heaven---Mary

If you're looking for quality recordings by RITCHIE VALENS, this is it. In this package, you'll find all of his DEL-FI/Bob Keane tapes, remastered and great! There is a STEREO version of "La Bamba" and Bob Keane's Home Recordings of Ritchie doing "Donna" and "Cry, Cry, Cry". There are many of the Gold Star Studio outtakes that make this package very special. This is a must for RITCHIE fans.

RITCHIE VALENS was born on 13TH MAY 1941 and tragically died along with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper in a plane crash on 3RD FEBRUARY 1959. He was only 17 years old.

I have been a fan of Ritchie Valens ever since I was 9 years old and got my first record player for Christmas in 1974, I am 42 years old now. Mum got me started with Ritchie's music when she gave me her copy of Donna to listen to, sadly my Mum died of cancer on 16th July aged 65. So although having a greatest hits collection and the biopic DVD , La Bamba starring Lou Diamond Phillips which came out in 1987, I thought I would check Amazon to see if there was a complete anthology of Ritchie's music. I came across this fantastic box set. It has a poster, post picture cards, a fantastic booklet all about Ritchie's life and after with great pictures of Ritchie and more. Then it has 3 CD's, the first one is the recordings of his two albums, Ritchie and Ritchie Valens with stereo versions of two of his singles, the second is his manager Bob Keane's home recordings plus studio outtakes and the third is a live album from a concert recorded at his school Pacoima Jr. High on December 12th 1958 with bonus tracks. There is a total of 62 tracks of the great Ritchie Valens in this collection.

My favourite tracks are Donna, That's My Little Suzie, Come On Let's Go, Bluebirds Over The Mountains, We Belong Together and ofcourse the fantastic La Bamba.

Ritchie has left some great songs to remeber him by. My all time favourite is Donna.

God Bless You Ritchie and most of all God Bless You Mum. XXXXXXXXXX.

Am I biased? You decide after reading my review. I never met Ritchie, tough I was 2 years his junior. I am not a musician, but I am an artist. I am also , like Ritchie of Mexican-American heritage. But, what I will say about Ritchie's music and this new Cd are hopefully honest commentaries. I have all of Ritchie's records, including the original LP's from 1959 and later. This 3 CD set can only present us with Ritchie's limited output. It represents the studio and home recordings made in his 8 month recording career. Ritchie is an important American musician and this set is an important historical contribution to American Music. The book notes that accompany the set provide us with facts and information that fill out Ritchie's "portrait". He was a gifted intuitive guitarist, and musician. Del-Fi has created a package that allows us to feel Ritchie's "energy", and to appreciate his very rare and honest talent. The home demos round out the polished studio masters. I rate this set very high, as I believe others who hear it will also.

Ritchie Valens is a true American Musician. From the depths of poverty, to the glamour of the lights above broadway, Ritchie entertained millions. His music is with us still today, and all who hear it will become instant fans. His youthful, sorrowful, yet strong voice will make you dance. He is truly not just, "The La Bamba Guy." Buy this title, and you will enjoy it for years to come.