Decca Years 1962-1972 [Import]

Bachelors | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 22, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Decca Import
• ASIN: B0000258GF
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #203,367 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Charmaine

2. Faraway Places

3. Whispering

4. Long Time Ago

5. Diane

6. I Believe

7. Ramona

8. I Wouldn't Trade You For The World

9. No Arms Can Ever Hold You

10. True Love For Evermore

11. Marie

12. In The Chapel In The Moonlight

13. "Hello, Dolly

14. The Sound Of Silence

15. Can I Trust You

16. Walk With Faith In Your Heart

17. Oh How I Miss You

18. Marta

19. 3 O'Clock Flamingo Street

20. If Ever I Would Leave You

See all 54 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

54 track collection of classic singles, EP cuts and LP tracks by Ireland's top folky pop group of the British Invasion in the '60s. All tunes are from their years on the Decca label, 1962-1972. Featured tracks include 'Charmaine', 'Faraway Places', 'Whispering', 'Long Time Ago', 'Diane' and 'I Believe'. All tracks are digitally remastered. Double slimline jewel case. 1999 release.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Bachelors set, February 17, 2002

By 

Zub "Zubenelgenubi" (Forks Twp., PA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Decca Years 1962-1972 (Audio CD)

Of all the acts that swept across the pond as part of the British invasion during the middle 60's, the Bachelors are the least likely fit to the image normally associated with those acts. Irish actually, not British, this trio had spectacular success in the U.K. and in other parts of the world and though not quite as popular chart-wise in the U.S., they did place nine singles in the top-100 here led off by their top-10 "Diane". With soaring harmony and sophisticated arrangements of mostly older songs and standards, these guys managed to appeal to both the adult and younger market. Part of what made their appeal more widespread across the generation gap was their ability to use harmony so effectively but to also instill many of their recordings with passion, excitement and intensity. Feel the way they take the listener through the rising strength of "No Arms Can Ever Hold You" building to a musical and emotional crescenco reminiscent of the best of Gene Pitney's trademark songs. One of the most underappreciated Bachelors' songs that is often left off other collections finally appears here. Their musical intensity is grandly evident in "Can I Trust You", an anthem to those who just can't indure one more relationship failure.

This two-disc collection of 54 tunes contains all their American charted hits, several U.K.-only singles and selected album cuts. The 20-page liner notes booklet contains bios, pics, backround and track details. Sound quality is superior to other Bachelors sets with many of the tracks (disc 1 tracks 1,3,5,7,9,11,13,14,18-21,24-28; disc 2 tracks 1-6,8,10-16,20-26) in stereo.

Though comparatively pricey, this is the most complete, best-executed Bachelors collection available. A richly rewarding experience for fans of this exceptional, yet often underrecognized group of performers.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The One To Get, December 13, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Decca Years 1962-1972 (Audio CD)

This is the Bachelor's collection to purchase. Being from the USA, I was not familiar with most of the songs on these CD's. I've been a fan of the Vogues and Lettermen for years, however, and have now added the Bachelors as favorites. Songs like "Love Is All", "Diamonds Are Forever", "Turn Around, Look At Me", "Can I Trust You" and "The Sounds of Silence" are very well produced and sung. The Bachelors clearly have a great catalog - this is easily the best collection available to date.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Irish harmony trio, March 1, 2003

By 

Peter Durward Harris "Pete the music fan" (Leicester England) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Decca Years 1962-1972 (Audio CD)

Best known for their biggest hit, Diane - it was number one in Britain and was also their biggest American hit, the Bachelors tackled a diverse range of material, always stamping their own identity on whatever they chose to record.

On this, the most comprehensive collection of their music ever released on CD, yow will find all their hits, including Charmaine, Diane, I believe and Sound of silence, and their misses - Faraway places, Whispering, Long time ago (a Christmas song), but a wide sample of their varied repertoire. There are children's songs (The unicorn, Land of the other way round), gospel (I'll walk with God, He's got the whole world in his hands), traditional folk (Michael row the boat ashore, Danny boy), movie songs (Everybody's talking, Diamonds are forever) and oldies from the Great American Songbook (My foolish heart, I'll see you in my dreams).

In some ways, their music was a relic of a bygone age even while they were recording it, but they brought a freshness and a charm to the old songs that allowed them to appeal to all ages. They recorded the occasional contemporary song - besides Sound of silence, you will find two other Paul Simon songs here (Punky's dilemma and Homeward bound) - but mostly they recorded songs of an earlier vintage. Many of those songs remain popular even now. If you enjoy those old songs and you also enjoy sixties music, this is for you.