Customer Reviews

Gitarzan

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

 

 

There are at least two separate CD's titled "Gitarzan," the original on the Varese label and another on Laserlight (Delta Music.) At one time both were lumped together in one listing. However, when Amazon.com clarified and broke them into two separate listings with proper labels and song listings, the reviews were repeated for both entries, which is confusing. I am adjusting my original review to clarify.

The Varese CD is is the concert album released in 1969 on the Monument label and later on Ray Steven's Barnaby label. It includes the original 11 songs, Yakety Yak, Little Egypt, Mr. Custer, Freddie Feelgood, Sir.Thanks-a-Lot, Gitarzan, Along Came Jones, Alley Oop, Harry the Hairy Ape, Bagpipes-That's My Bag, and Ahab the Arab, plus bonus tracks The Streak, The Moonlight Special, and Bridget the Midget.

This has to be best album Ray recorded--at least in impact. These live versions of some of his previous hits have become as familiar as the originals, and his cover of other acts' hits are as good, or better, as the originals, especially Mr. Custer and Alley Oop. The single Gitarzan reached the top 10, while Along Came Jones made the top 30 in 1969. For some reason, this CD and other re-releases of Along Came Jones have all cut the tag line "never mind!" His popularity from this album, hit singles from it, and his hot night-club act led to his own summer TV series, with regulars Lulu and Mama Cass, and to his number 1 hit, Everything Is Beautiful, in 1970. This CD also includes his number 1 song, The Streak, from 1974.

Although some of the lyrics may have dated references, the songs are as fresh as ever. It would be hard to evaluate Ray without considering this album.

The "Gitarzan" CD, Laserlight 12821 (Delta Music), only has a few of the same songs as the other. I only rate it 3 as opposed to 5 for the Varese.

CAUTION: When ordering, be sure you know the difference between the two CD's and are ordering the one you actually want.

I love the CD re-issue of this 1969 Ray Stevens album. I have the vinyl version and have this CD release. The inside fold-out cover allows consumers to see the back of the album...the various shots of Ray and the back-up singers. The liner notes are a welcome addition as are the pictures of the album promo posters. This album came along on the Monument label, originally. It was Ray's answer to the runaway success of GITARZAN, the single. The 11 song album, which now includes 3 bonus songs, is all comedy and it came during a very good year for Ray. Ray's top years if one only wants to go by chart numbers of his singles, was anywhere between 1968 through 1980. He continued having big selling albums on into the late 1980's for MCA...and then in the 1990's he became famous for his music video albums...

But this 1969 album runs the gamut of humor. One of my favorites is the Andy Griffith-like narrative called "Sir Thanks a Lot" which is a satire of sorts on Lancelot and other knights of the round table in Camelot. Ray delivers a folksy almost Andy Griffith-inspired narrative as he tells us about the "pride of ol' Camelot was Sir Thanks a Lot". I like his female damsel in distress voice...it's just a funny song is all i can say.

Ray put a lot of his vocal acrobatics into these recordings...a lot of covers of Coasters songs...which isn't a shock to those who are Ray fans to know that the Coasters were a big music influence for Ray. One of the two singles from this album, "Along Came Jones", was a previous hit for the Coasters...and Ray's version tops the original because of the inclusion of the female falsetto voices and of the over-all production. That recording was a Top-30 pop hit for Ray. 1969 is the year he joined the Andy Williams show as a recurring cast member/singer...which ultimately led to Ray hosting the 1970 summer show, which ultimately led to Ray writing "Everything is Beautiful".

"Mr Custer" was a previous hit for Larry Verne, one of the examples of the down-side of novelty recordings. 90% of novelty songs or artists have one or two hits and then fade away or vanish...such is the case with Larry Verne. Another song on here that i like that's better than the original is "Alley Oop" which i believe was recorded first by the Hollywood Argyles. Ray covers the Coasters as well on the opening numbers, "Yakety Yak" and "Little Egypt". There are two songs on here that were included that were recorded a few years before this album came along. "Freddy Feelgood" charted pop in 1966 and "Bagpipes That's My Bag" was featured on an early Monument single before being added as a b-side to "Gitarzan". The album originally closed with his re-recording of "Ahab the Arab", originally a pop hit for Ray in 1962. Ray re-records another of his earlier hits, 1963's "Harry the Hairy Ape". One this recording, some of the dances that Harry performs are up-dated from the 1963 version to include 1969 dances. The bonus songs were hit singles spoofing pop culture as he often does...these particular recordings were aimed at go-go dancing, "Bridget the Midget the Queen of the Blues", streakers, "The Streak", and popular TV shows, the Midnight Special is transformed into "The Moonlight Special", complete with a dead-on impersonation of Wolfman Jack plus a broad exaggeration on a Gladys Knight R&B group and Jerry Lee Lewis. A highly entertaining album by one of the legend's in novelty music and music in general.

This cd takes me back 25 years to a time when parents didn't have to screen the cd's their kids wanted. Its fun to listen to, and my 8 and 11 year olds loved it. Its a "must have" for long car trips!

After jumping through many of Amazon's hoops and repeating the same information over and over I was finally able to complete (more or less) my order. I live in Arizona during the winter months "a snowbird". After going around and around with Amazon trying to get my order sent to my winter address they proudly announced to me my order was on the way to my home in Minnesota. I needed the music album for a drama club presentation here at the Arizona resort. There's no way now I can use the music album for the resort show. Amazon wins. I lose.