Customer Reviews

Gene Pitney - Greatest Hits [Curb]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you want a quick earful of Gene Pitney, the songs here are good. That said, there are much better compilations of Gene Pitney's work on CD. This may be a good budget-buy CD, but you miss out on such great tunes like "Something's Got a Hold Of My Heart" or "That Girl Belongs To Yesterday."

The ultimate Gene Pitney collection, in my opinion, is the 2 CD compilation "Looking Through." Not only do you get the abovementioned songs, but you get scores of Pitney's lesser known tunes like "Billy You're My Friend." Even cooler, it contains Pitney singing several of his hits in Italian, and also includes his duet with Marc Almond.

This CD is OK for the price, but the extra cost in buying a more thorough Gene Pitney collection is well worth it.

For the money, it is tough to beat Gene Pitney's Greatest hits issued by Curb Records. Pitney was a successful song writer in addition to recording his own hits. Only Love Can Break a Heart, Town Without Pity, and Half Heaven Half Heartache are outstanding ballads. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Twenty-four Hours From Tulsa show off Pitney's energy and outstanding voice and vocal range. Yes, there are a ton of other Pitney songs not on this CD. But, what do you expect for this kind of money?

Curb is infamous for putting out "greatest hits" CDs containing re-makes or "live" versions and not telling you so on the front or back of sealed products [see their Bobby Darin CD as a classic example], and for providing no liner notes whatsoever.

This one is different in two respects. All ten selections are the original renditions, and they tell you so in big, bold letters. And the sound is very good to boot.

It does not, however, have any liner notes. Also, you might think that, for a guy with 24 charted hit singles, by limiting the CD to ten and calling it "Gene Pitney Greatest Hits" they would have at least included the TEN BEST. Instead they give us eight of his best and two - (I Wanna) Love My Life Away [# 39 Billboard Pop Hot 100 in early 1961] and Every Breath I Take [# 42 Hot 100 in August 1961].

True, those two were his first and second charted hits, but even so, in the overall scheme of things they were marginal hits in relation to, say, True Love Never Runs Smooth, which scored at # 5 on the Adult Contemporary (AC) charts and # 21 Hot 100 in late summer 1963, and Last Chance To Turn Around< which topped out at a solid # 13 Hot 100 in June 1965.

That may appear to be, on the surface, a minor quibble, especially for a CD that doesn't cost all that much to begin with. But where is "truth in advertising?"

If you're only looking for a specific Pitney song or two, and they happen to be in this CD, don't be afraid to get it. As I say, they are the original hits. Otherwise, you'd be better off spending a few bucks more by going to one of the bigger, more professional compilations which contain liner note background details and discographies.

I have everything Pitney recorded(several times) records worn out, cassettes now CDS. I have own two reincarnations of this album. That said, there are several much better and wider range "best of anthologies" some with 50 songs on it. You are must better off buying them.

This one is fine, just a very limited collection of a singer long neglected.

This is fine CD to purchase when you want just the big hits. Its plain & simply just that. I am a fan of Mr. Gene Pitney's great vocal ability. You can feel for character he sings about. He is truly 1-of-a-kind!!!

Every song on here is as great to listen to now as it was back in the 60's.Gene had a great voice a very unique voice and he will be missed.But he still lives on in his music.

1. Only Love Can Break A Heart 2. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance 3. Town Without Pity 4. Twenty-Four Hours From Tulsa 5. Mecca 6. It Hurts To Be In Love 7. Half Heaven - Half Heartache 8. I'm Gonna Be Strong 9. Last Chance (To Turn Around) 10. True Love Never Runs Smooth