Customer Reviews

Easier Said Than Done / A Walkin Miracle

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
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I liked and was familiar with the two title songs, but nothing else featured on this CD. My sister suggested that I would enjoy this CD and she was right since it has quickly become a favorite of mine. The songs are great with that "sixties" sound and beat.

This is a great collection of good quality music, by a good group, especially Anita. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune with Anita - what a pleasant, unpretentious person. Even after her fame, Anita remained a humble classy lady. As an example of her classiness - we were both selected for promotion to Corporal at the same time. Anita asked that someone "more deserving" be given the stripes. A couple of years later, white stationed in Atlanta, I was able to see Anita perform with the Army special services entertainment group. She saw me in the audience and came over to chat as soon as the show ended. Anita had served out her term in the Marine Corps, tried civilian life for a while, then joined the army to travel the world as an entertainer. I hope you are still entertaining Anita - your voice and style are awesome. Barb Beva, USMC,
Retired

WHILE STATIONED AT CAMP LEJENUE,ANITA WAS ASSIGNED TO MY DEPARTMENT. SHE WAS VERY PLEASANT AND COOPERATIVE, ALWAYS IN A GOOD MOOD,OVERALL A GREAT EMPLOYEE. IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT HER SINGING HAS SUCH A JOYFUL LILT. IT WAS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO SEE HER PERFORM ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW OR OTHER VARIETY SHOWS OF THE ERA. THE SONGS ON THIS CD REALLY SHOW THE SCOPE OF HER ABILITIES AS HER STYLE CHANGES QUICKLY FROM SULTRY TO SEXY TO PLAYFUL TO ROMANTIC...YOU NAME IT, SHE'S GOT IT. ANITA, WHEREVER LIFE HAS TAKEN YOU, I HOPE YOU ARE STILL SINGING!

Listening to oldies over the years I finally narrowed the list down to two favorites: "Easier Said than Done" and one by Linda Ronstadt. At first I couldn't find Essex, then I wasn't sure I wanted the whole album. Now I have this for my auto while driving; I love every song. Early rock is still the best! Thanx Amazon and thanx Essex!

I was familiar with their two big hits of course, but only from YouTube and Pandora did I become familiar with more of their music. Their work, originally on two albums, is combined on a single disc. I've unchecked a couple covers in iTunes but most of the rest is really great stuff. My personal favorite is "I'd Do Anything."

The heart of The Essex, Anita Humes, passed away in June 2010.

Rest in peace, Anita, knowing that your voice and the music you gave us live on!

First conceived at a U.S. Marine Base on Okinawa by Walter Vickers and Rodney Taylor, once back Stateside at Camp Lejeune, N.C. they recruited Rudolph Johnson and Billy Hill and, before getting an audition with Roulette Records, added Anita Humes, who hailed from Harrisburg, Pa.

Their initial release was credited simply to The Essex, and the unusual staccato-like delivery of Easier Said Than Done (b/w Are You Going My Way?) made them an instant success as it shot to # 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts in July 1963, spending two weeks straight at each top position and a total of 28 weeks on the charts.

For their next release Roulette billed them as The Essex Featuring Anita Humes, and while it was nowhere as successful as their début hit, A Walkin' Miracle (b/w What I Don't Know Won't Hurt Me) turned in a respectable # 11 R&B/# 12 Hot 100 in September 1963.

But by December they were among the first North American groups to be swept aside by the initial wave of the British Invasion as She's Got Everything (b/w Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind) could only manage a # 56 Hot 100/R&B in December.

After that - nothing. You can easily find their two big hits on any number of multi-artist compilations, but if you want all three of their charters and their flipsides, this is about the only place you're apt to find them. Besides, their renditions of the Lymon hit Why Do Fools Fall In Love? as well as We Belong Together and Been So Long (originally done by Robert & Johnnie and The Pastels) aren't bad.