Dreamin: Very Best of

Johnny Burnette Trio | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 3, 1999)
• Original Release Date: July 27, 1999
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collectables
• ASIN: B00000JJAO
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,742 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #74 in Music > Indie Music > Rock > Oldies & Retro

Track Listings

1. Dreamin'

2. You're Sixteen

3. I Beg Your Pardon

4. Little Boy Sad

5. I'm Still Dreamin'

6. God, Country and My Baby

7. Second Chance

8. The Poorest Boy in Town

9. It All Depends on Linda

10. Sweet Suzie

11. Big Big World

12. Settin' the Woods on Fire

13. Don't Do It

14. Cincinnati Fireball

15. I Love My Baby

16. Girls

17. Rock Billy Boogie

18. Tear It Up

19. The Train Kept A Rollin'

20. Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nothing Wrong With This CD, September 1, 2007

By 

AvidOldiesCollector (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamin: Very Best of (Audio CD)

You have to think that a couple of the other reviewers don't actually HAVE this CD, otherwise how could he call Tear It Up and The Train Kept A Rollin" [both done by The Johnny Burnette Trio in the mid-1950s] "dreck?" Besides, that so-called "dreck" turned into four Top 20 hits in 1960/61. What was he supposed to do, stick to the stuff that did not sell and starve?

This younger brother of Dorsey Burnette also attended the same high school as Elvis Presley and worked for the same electrical firm in Memphis. After forming the trio with his brother and guitarist Paul Burlison they won three times on the Arthur Godfrey Amateur Hour TV show in New York, and then made appearances on the Steve Allen show, appeared in the movie Rock, Rock, Rock, and continued to cut singles for Decca's Coral subsidiary. But they hardly "set the world on fire" as nothing they did could attain any national commercial success.

In 1958 Johnny switched to the Freedom label, a Liberty subsidiary, but more Rockabilly singles there also failed to dent the charts. Time to switch focus or go back to the electric company. Then came some of that "dreck" - Dreamin' in summer 1960 - which rose to # 11 b/w Cincinnati Fireball, followed by his biggest hit, You're Sixteen, a # 8 that fall b/w I Beg Your Pardon, and later a # 1 for Ringo Starr in 1974.

His first release in 1961, Little Boy Sad, peaked at # 17 [the flip (I Go) Down To The River is omitted here], followed by Big, Big World {# 58 in May b/w Ballad Of The One-Eyed Jacks - also omitted] and, late that fall, God, Country And My Baby with The Johnny Mann Singers. That reached # 18 b/w Honestly I Do, another omission from this set. In 1961 he also teamed again with Dorsey as The Texans to take Green Grass of Texas to # 100 for the Infinity label.

This brief spasm as a teenage idol was then followed by chart oblivion, as nothing he did at Capitol, Chancellor, and Sahara could put him back on the charts. Whether it was "dreck" or his previous style. He had just formed his own label, Magic Lamp, when he died in a boating accident while fishing on August 1, 1964. His son Rocky Burnette had a # 8 Billboard Pop Hot 100/# 39 Adult Contemporary hit in 1980 with Tired Of Toein' The Line.

There is nothing wrong with the offerings here. If you were around when Johnny recorded these hits and liked them then, you will like them even better this time around as the sound quality is excellent.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Johnny and his buddies had incredible talent--they were all THAT good !!!, April 10, 2009

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Dreamin: Very Best of (Audio CD)

Dreamin': The Very Best of Johnny Burnette (and The Johnny Burnette Trio) has some mighty awesome songs with the spotlight especially bright on Johnny Burnette. Johnny left us all too soon in that tragic accident; but he lives on through his wonderful music and this CD shows just how well he and his buddies could write and perform songs. The quality of the sound is excellent and that artwork is very nicely done as well.

The CD starts with a terrific song entitled "Dreamin'." "Dreamin'" features Johnny Burnette squarely front and center; he never misses a note and that's very special. The melody is very pretty and this tune makes a strong beginning for this album. "You're Sixteen" is a number I still sometimes hear on the local "oldies" radio station; it sounds as special as it did the first time I ever heard it and these guys perform this with all their hearts and souls! In addition, "Little Boy Sad" has a fine rockabilly flavor to it that is infectiously catchy and "Little Boy Sad" lacks nothing--it's all THAT good.

"I'm Still Dreamin'" seems to be a follow-up song to the opening track, "Dreamin'." "I'm Still Dreamin'" has a fine melody and Johnny Burnette sings this to perfection--and beyond! The strings work wonders for this ballad and I like how the music never steals the show--Johnny Burnette is right in the spotlight which is where he always belonged! "God, Country, And My Baby" is a fine tune with a somewhat military beat to it that works very well; this all holds its own and Johnny sings this very well.

"Poorest Boy In Town" is a magnificent ballad that has a great beat; Johnny Burnette and his buddies turn this out like the champs they always were and still remain! "Sweet Suzie" is an electric number with great guitar work that has Johnny singing this with all his might--I love it! In addition, listen for "Settin' The Woods On Fire;" this love song is remarkably pretty; ooh, how great rockabilly was in Johnny Burnette's capable hands!

"I Love My Baby" has more great electric guitar work and a lush musical arrangement that complements Johnny's vocals perfectly; those backup vocalists harmonize faultlessly. "Girls" is certainly a major highlight of this fine album; Johnny sings this with so much positive energy and those backup vocalists sound particularly good. "Rock Billy Boogie" is another number with a very catchy melody; Johnny may not be the most remembered artist from the early years of rock and rockabilly but numbers like this are very underrated--he deserves so much more recognition than he gets for special songs like these.

"Train Kept A Rollin'" has a good early rock flavor with heavy electric guitar work and some mighty fine wailing by Johnny Burnette; and the CD ends strong with Johnny and his buddies performing "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee." "Drinkin' Wine, Spo-Dee-O-Dee" is quite a tune and it will make you want more without a doubt.

Johnny Burnette--and his trio--worked hard to give us good quality music; and that's precisely what they did. This CD is a wonderful addition to anyone's CD collection if they like early rock mixed with some rockabilly; and of course fans of Johnny Burnette will want this album, too.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sounding Good, July 10, 2003

By 

Dave K. (TX, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dreamin: Very Best of (Audio CD)

In addition to his biggest hits (Dreamin', Your Sixteen, etc.) this CD has numerous tunes I had not heard Johnny B. sing before. I Beg Your Pardon and Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee are a couple of examples I liked best. If you yearn for 60's music, I think you'll like this CD.