Feelin Groovy: Best of Featuring 59th St Bridge So

Harpers Bizarre | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 25, 1997)
• Original Release Date: February 25, 1997
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Warner Bros / Wea
• ASIN: B000002N83
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #239,894 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Careless presentation of of underrated 60s pop group July 6, 1999

By James M. Shertzer

Format:Audio CD

Warners screwed this one. The scraps assembled from the four Harper's Bizarre albums don't represent the group at its best and will likely infuriate the group's fans. There was plenty of room on the disc for ALL of the first and second LPs -- "Feelin' Groovy" and "Anything Goes" --and highlights from the lesser third and fourth sets. Instead we get a too brief, 37-minute run-through of their Top 40 hits --their amiable cover of Paul Simon's "59th Street Bridge Song," their brilliantly arranged, just-this-side-of-too-too-much versions of "Chattanooga Choo-Choo" and Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" -- plus a smattering of this and that. A rare coming-together of talents (among them folks prominent in the camps of Brian Wilson and Phil Spector), this was one of the most inventive, sophisticated and wittily produced pop groups of its time and recorded the earliest work of some of L.A.'s most intriguing young songwriters, among them Randy Newman and Van Dyke Parks. Other major talents included arrangers Leon Russell (yes, THAT Leon Russell) and Perry Botkin Jr. and, of course, flaxen-haired lead singer Ted Templeman, who went on to produce the Doobie Brothers, Van Morrison, Van Halen and others. The liner notes and photos are nicely done, I'll say that. And I'm thankful that a couple of tunes not available anywhere else on CD, like Newman's wistful "The Debutante's Ball" and droll "The Biggest Night of Her Life" and Parks' "Come to the Sunshine" and "High Coin," are included. But it's sad SO much was pointlessly left in the vault. And it's especially disheartening to see Templeman and the great Lenny Waronker, who produced all the original LPs, listed as co-producers of this set.... The heritage of well-crafted pop they left us with those nifty Harper's albums deserves a lot better. (NOTE: An equally disappointing import is available with four bonus tracks, at least three of which are lesser numbers from the third and fourth Harper's albums.) Read more ›

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Excerpts from concept albums are missing the mark. September 5, 1998

By A Customer

Format:Audio CD

This album would have been better if it had been released as a multi-album set. Many of the songs are excerpts from concept albums and this compilation is a fragmented group of tunes that go nowhere. The band was excellent for its time with "Anything Goes" recapturing the nostalgia craze at the time. A later album, "The Secret Life..." was excellent musically and lyrically, yet not one song appears on the compilation album from "The Secret Life of Harpers Bizarre". My copies of these albums are worn out now and I have to seek out imported disks from Japan & Germany to get albums. Warner released their full catalogue in both countries but will not release thhem here. This music is a fine example of Van Dyke Parks early work, before he joined Brian Wilson for the "Smile" sessions. Warner Brothers should release these CD's in America, as there were many genuine fans of the group even after they broke up. As for the Harpers Bizarre CD earlier mentioned, if you are a genuine fan of some excellent harmonies, tight orchestral pieces and are nostalgic about 1920's "pop" music, then buy it, but at the same time you don't know what your missing!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't even have to hear it... March 28, 2006

By Mr. R. J. Briggs

Format:Audio CD

I have been a fan of HB since hearing Feelin' Groovy back in '67 (or was it '68). The best thing I ever did was NOT buy their Feelin'Groovy album first. I remember being faced with the choice of Anything Goes or Feelin' Groovy. I opted for the former on the basis of Chatanooga Choo Choo and Anything Goes scoring together on points better than Feelin' Groovy. Anything Goes is just 150% excellent. I played that LP to death. I then bought the Secret Life. Arguably even better as a 'whole' even though it didn't have songs to match Anything Goes and Chatanooga Choo Choo. I then bought Feelin' Groovy and was dissapointed. I would never have bought the other albums on the strength of Feelin' Groovy.

As a previous reviewer pointed out, without even hearing this compilation I just knew they've got it wrong. What a waste.

My advice? Hunt out Anything Goes and The Secret Life or Harper's Bizarre rather than buy this. Also Harper's Bizarre 4 (which I've only just got from Amazon - March 2006!). Excellent, but not as good as Anything Goes and Secret.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Feelin' Groovy: The Best Of Harpers Bizarre May 2, 2000

By Gary E. Rivest, Sr.

Format:Audio CD

It brings back the best of memories. The mix of instruments, topped by the best harmonies, what a heavenly delight. Just close your eyes, sit back, and enjoy! There will never be this kind of magic, ever again. I also am trying to find the album or cd " Anything Goes". I can sing every song on that one. What I miss on the "Best Of", is the prelude to Anything Goes, where the tune of Anything Goes is being sung like Rudey Valley, and some lyrics like, Instead of landing on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock would land on them. For all the youngsters out there, Try it, you'll like it!

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Back In The Daze #5 February 20, 2000

By PC Fields

Format:Audio CD

Hailing from the mystery spot known as Santa Cruz, California, and previously known as "The Tikis," Harpers Bizarre was a clever work of experimentation, coyly disguised as a soft-rock combo. Harpers, boasting an editorial staff to the envy of any fan of the genre, would seamlessly blend innuendo, revivalism, and daring multi-track bombast, to turn any generation's ear sideways. Given that Warners has been the stingiest of the major labels to delve into its archives, fans will will find this tempting overview, "groovy," and newcomers may hear Harpers Bizarre for what they were, as pioneers of broad band Tiki-nology.