Customer Reviews

Eddie Cochran - Greatest Hits

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I think Eddie Cocran's only real rivals were Buddy Holly & The Johnny Burnette Trio. Cochran deserves a better compilation! This cd does have some wonderful songs, but these aren't even his best twelve. Nervous Breakdown, Don't Ever Let Me Go, My Way(not the Paul Anka penned tune) are just a few that have been left off of this supposed greatest hits collection. The sound quality leaves quite a bit to be desired as well. I realize that we're talking about recordings that are 40 years old here, but I have heard much better sound on other collections. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad one...especially at this price! I guess my point is this: why buy this when you'll jsut have to buy more anyway. Why not get it right the first time? A good Cochran collection should have a minimum of twenty songs(he had more range than oldies radio would ever lead you to believe). I'd actually recommend a box set, if you can hunt one down. Eddie Cochran was an amazing talent...he deserves the best. Hold out for more songs, better liner notes & better sound quality. If you're short on cash, this will hold you until help arrives, but if you aren't strapped...then demand more! It doesn't get any cooler than Cochran. His edge on Gene Vincent was his consistancy. Cochran lovers should search for a tape called On The Air(I've never seen it on cd). It has interviews live & radio performances and a version of White Lightning w/ Gene Vincent from their ill-fated British tour.

Eddie Cochrane is one of the most underrated and influential rockers of the 50's. Had he lived, he easily would have taken his place with Buddy Holly, Little Richard and Chuck Berry as icons of that era. Considering his tantalizingly brief career, he contributed a number of classics to the rock repertoire. My favorite is the sensational "Twenty Flight Rock," the song that quite literally first attracted John Lennon to Paul McCartney in 1957. (Check out Paul's great cover version of this song on his Russian album). "Summertime Blues" is another outstanding song which is as vibrant as it was when first released 45 years ago.

Eddie Cochrane is sadly under-appreciated today, but this album will give you an idea of his talent and foresight. He wrote his own songs, played a pretty mean guitar and was a pioneer of rock. This is a feel good album and highly recommended. However, the sound quality here is not the best, there are still annoying background hiss on some songs. Also, it's a completely incomplete look at Cochrane's music. If you just want a sampling, this will do, but look elsewhere to listen to his whole repertoire.

Though not comprehensive, this CD captures 12 of Cochran's best-known songs, including the big hits "Summertime Blues" and "C'mon Everybody." Serious fans will need more than this CD offers, but Cochran newbies should be satisfied.

This is a GREAT c.d. that includes all 7 of Cochran's charted singles.
Eddie Cochran had only 7 singles chart from 1957 to 1959 before he was killed
in a car crash in Chippenham, Wiltshire, England in 1960, he was 21.
Even though his career was cut short
he is considered one of "Rock and Roll" early iconic figures.
Several of his songs have become R&R Classic's.

He is best known for:
1. "Sittin' in the balcony" in 1957.
2. "Summertime blues" in 1958.
3. "C'mon everybody" in 1958.
4. "Somethin else" in 1959.

Here on this 12 track c.d. is 5 other songs, although not charted singles,
they have over time become well known to many an oldies buff.
Eddie Cochran was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 1987.

This c.d. with only 12 songs, was what I was looking for.
I really only wanted the Cochran hits and a few other of his better tunes.
All original recordings, and great sound!

Eddie Cochran--Greatest Hits is best described as a budget CD for people who want nothing more than a small sampling of his really fine art. As Amazon correctly notes, Curb Records has a marvelous track record of turning out budget CDs that have way too few tracks on them; they could easily have added a couple more songs onto this album without too much trouble. However, the quality of the sound is quite good and the artwork is good although it is somewhat standard for this "Greatest Hits" CD series by Curb.

Many of these tunes are early rock and roll but at least some of these tracks could rightfully be referred to as rockabilly. Whatever you call it, though, this is some really fine music.

"Summertime Blues" is an excellent early rock and roll tune that still sounds great today; Eddie sings this with a lot of feeling and that guitar work really shines! The beat is good for dancing and "Summertime Blues" was easily a huge hit for Eddie. "C'Mon Everybody" also has Eddie's signature sound as the beat changes a bit here and there throughout the song. Eddie handles subtle tempo and key changes like the pro he always was and this makes him a true champ of the early rock and roll/rockabilly era.

"Sittin' In The Balcony" has an early rock and roll ballad flavor to it with an incredibly fine use of the electric guitar. Eddie and the backup singers perform "Sittin' In The Balcony" without a hitch and we can really see just how talented Eddie Cochran was. I love it! In addition, there's also "Somethin' Else" which really rocks; and listen for "Teenage Heaven." "Teenage Heaven" is another tune that will have you tapping your feet along to the beat; and the guitar work along with Eddie's wonderful singing makes this a fine track for this album.

"Twenty Flight Rock" really took Eddie Cochran places; this tune is an excellent example of terrific early rock and roll; Eddie bats this straight out of the ballpark with his incredible sense of timing and a voice that sounds very strong. Wowzer! "Hallelujah, I Love Her So" is a fine tune I have heard elsewhere; but Eddie's rendition is certainly ranked very high in my book. "Hallelujah, I Love Her So" is clearly a major highlight of this CD. "Three Steps To Heaven" is another ballad style song that Eddie croons to perfection--and I like those backup singers, too! "Three Steps To Heaven" has a good beat and it's quite catchy, too. The album then closes with Eddie Cochran performing "Cut Across Shorty." This'll leave you wanting more; Eddie does this all THAT well.

This album is great for people on a budget and people who just want a very few broad brush strokes of Eddie Cochran's artistry. Eddie's fans should skip this and head for much more substantial albums like the twenty track Eddie Cochran Singles Album or the CD entitled Somethin' Else: The Fine Lookin' Hits of Eddie Cochran. Diehard fans will want to consider the pricey but extensive eight CD box set entitled Somethin' Else! The Ultimate Collection.

Eddie Cochran / Greatest Hits (Curb): Eddie Cochran made some great music. I've had this Curb version for many years now and I've appreciated having it but this CD has seen it's day and it's time to find a better source. I discovered here in Amazon that there is a Bear Family Records CD of Cochran's best songs (called "Rocks") and since I have come to trust the great quality of their productions, I'm gonna replace this one for that one. 5 stars for Eddie Cochran, but only 3 stars for this Curb CD.

Eddie Baby ... what a legend. Eddie was a precious talent. 21 when he exited this mortal coil but such a mature performer already. Along with Gene Vincent, Chuckle Berry, The Kingster, and others, Eddie really helped defined a time in space ... that time being late 50s America when they'd just nuked the Japs and were feeling pretty darned fine about themselves. And why not, the youngsters had the cash for the first time, they had the hotrods, and the chicks were getting it on! It was a time of optimism and youthful rebellion. Bursting out, one might say. And Eddie knew what it was all about. Summer Time Blues is of course the definitive Eddie tune but for my money, the tune that really rocks for me is Something Else. Terrific beat, terrific vocal delivery, terrific attitude. Eddie too was no slouch on the old six string chickadee slayer. He really was an all-round accomplished singer-songwriter. He could also mimick the crooning style of the older generation, just as The Kingster could so effectively. A precocious talent indeed and one that had all the potential to mature in interesting ways if the Grim Reaper hadn't decided to intervene at that very early juncture. This disk itself disappoints a little in two respects: a) its brevity - not really a whole lot of Eddie's oeuvre on display here and b) the sound quality - a good remastering would really lift these tunes from the zang to zing.

CD was excellent quality, exactly as described, and delivered in good time. Thank you for the wonderful transaction!

If you, like me, are an oldies fan who was born in the 70s, you probably only know "Summertime Blues" since that's the only track oldies radio really plays. Hearing these songs for the first time is a revelation. It's one thing to know that Paul McCartney mentioned his "Twenty Flight Rock" as a crucial influence and that he's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's another to hear the music.

While what's here won't make me want to elbow Elvis or Buddy Holly aside to accord Cochran their place, it's plain that he was a superlative talent. I'm often reminded of a cross between Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis.

His most well-known material is here according to the Amazon reviewer. Being a newcomer to Cochran I can't vouchsafe for that, but I can say there's a lot of good stuff here.

HIGHLIGHTS:
"Summertime Blues", of course, is an alltime classic. It's been a hit at least 2 times that I know of and probably any number of people have covered it. (For cryin' out loud, OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN did a version!) "Somethin' Else" snaps and pops. "Teenage Heaven" is every teen boy's fantasy. "Twenty Flight Rock" deserves its annals in rock history (the frantic guitar solo is great). "Skinny Jim" sounds like a long lost track from the Killer. "Cut Across Shorty" is a nice underdog Aesop's fable.

LOWS:
I know it's one of his classics according to many, but I was bored by "Three Steps to Heaven". It reminded me of one of Elvis' lesser ballads.

BOTTOM LINE:
If you claim to love oldies and haven't heard this, you need to.