Echoes of a Rock Era: Groups

Crows/Harptones, The Crows | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 25, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Collectables
• ASIN: B00000095N
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,811 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #52 in Music > Pop > Oldies > Doo Wop

Track Listings

1. Perfidia

2. Seven Lonely Days

3. I Love You So

4. Gee

5. Heartbreaker

6. Call the Doctor

7. Untrue

8. Baby

9. Miss You

10. I Really, Really Love You

11. Mambo Shevitz (Man, Oh Man)

12. Sweet Sue, Just You

13. A Sunday Kind of Love

14. My Memories of You

15. Oo Wee Baby

16. Three Wishes

17. That's the Way It Goes

18. On Sunday Afternoon

19. The Masquerade Is Over

20. The Shrine of St. Cecillia

See all 24 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Classic DooWop done the old fashion way. Superb., May 30, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Echoes of a Rock Era: Groups (Audio CD)

I am a diehard Harptones fan. The silky, stylish voice of Willie Winfield, the Harptone's lead singer, is impeccably displayed in this selection of Harptone hits. The tight and well arranged background vocal harmonies the group became famous for come through true to form. Some Harptones classics that helped make the group famous are not listed in this selection like "Life Is But A Dream" and "What Is Your Decision," but that didn't take away from my experience of listening to this CD and the songs the Harptones recorded when they were at the top of their game. Other classics like "Sunday Kind of Love," "Shrine of St. Cecilia," "Cry Like I Cried" and "Three Wishes" are front and center in this CD for me to enjoy again and again.

The Crow's recording "Gee" is an all time classic that I found myself playing over and over. Like the groups of their time, The appeal of the Crows sound is the unpretentious simplicity of their delivery.

I was just a new born babe the year both groups were at the height of their fame in the 50's. Though I wasn't old enough to enjoy and listen to them then, not lost on me today is the artistic and emotion filled skill with which these groups performed their songs. The magic of this CD is its ability to put me back in the time when DooWop was pure, clean and real.

I recommend this recording highly. Willie Winfield and the Harptones are an American jewel whose voices and style is preserved excellently for us to enjoy for a long, long time. Finally, don't be surprised if The Crow's rendering of "Gee" has you tapping your feet and snapping your fingers to its get up and dance rhythmic beat.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good 50's Doo-Wop, May 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Echoes of a Rock Era: Groups (Audio CD)

This CD contains 12 tracks by the Crows and 12 by the Harptones, both from their mid-50's recordings for Bruce/Rama/Gee. Both groups were originators of many aspects of the Doo-Wop vocal group style. The Crows portion of this CD includes all of their releases other than 2 obscure B sides. The topnotch cuts are their double sided 1953 R&B #2 smash hit "Gee" and "I Love You So" and the 1954 ballad "Untrue". This is balanced out by 2 lemons, "Mambo Shevitz" - a mambo record to the tune of a wine commercial, and "Perfidia" - an uptempo tune with an ear piercing near falsetto lead throughout. The rest of the Crows tracks are good ballad and uptempo sides.The excellent Harptone cuts are their 1953 ballads "A Sunday Kind Of Love" and "My Memories Of You" and the 1956 "The Masquerade Is Over". The only weak track is the uptempo "So Good, So Fine, You're Mine". All other tracks are good ballads. This CD omits some fine Harptones tunes done for other labels.The liner notes contain some interesting historical information about both groups and some original release data but does not contain a discography.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "CAN IT GET BETTER THAN THIS? ..I DON'T THINK SO!", September 20, 2010

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Echoes of a Rock Era: Groups (Audio CD)

In 1968 I asked my Oldie DJ:Tony Pigg to play;"Baby" by the Crows(Even though I had the record) After the speedy swinging song was over,Tony exclaimed;"What a gas!!!" These songs are accompanied by a jazz guitar,sax,piano,bass,drums. Lorraine Ellis is the lead on;"Perfidia" (Great voice) You got;"Gee","Untrue" etc. I think Sonny Norton is the lead on most songs?
In 1973 I asked my Oldie DJ:"The Autumn King" to play something fast by the Harptones:"So fine, You're mine..." A great relay tune song with Willie Winfield and I believe,Linda Champion. Winfield is one of the greatest tearful R&B Ballad singers of all time!
"The Masquerade is over","A Sunday Kind Of Love" and MUCH MUCH More! 14 year old kid,Carol Blades tore my heart out,singing:"What Did I Do Wrong?" on the last track. How could it get better than this????!!!!!