Customer Reviews

A Golden Classics Edition

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a 40 year old housewife and I grew up listening to "Young Girl", "Lady Willpower", "Woman, Woman", "Over You", and "This Girl Is A Woman Now." I still stop what I am doing when I hear one of Gary's songs on the radio. Gary's songs take me back to a simpler and more innocent time. I tried Amazon.com to see what I could find of his music and chose "A Golden Classics Edition" and couldn't be happier with my decision. All of the songs I grew up with are there along with some I had never heard, which have become instant favorites. I prefer Gary's versions of the Glen Campbell, Bobby Goldsboro, Tom Jones and even The Beetles songs on this CD. I love all of the songs on this CD but my new favorites are "M'Lady", "Paindrops", "You Better Sit Down Kids", "My Son" (which breaks my heart), "Don't Give In To Him" and "Honey". I don't consider myself to be a music fanatic but I cannot stop listening to this CD. My husband asked me how long it will take me to wear out the CD. I don't know the answer to that but if it does wear out, I will definitely purchase another one to replace it. The only way to listen to these songs is to put on a pair of headphones, turn the music up as loud as you can take it and let Gary's voice carry you away. This allows you to hear each and every syllable he sings and you can put yourself into the story each song is telling. Gary's voice has the sweetness, sadness, power and vibrato like no other. The power in his voice is phenominal and can match the horns (which are also amazing) and the strings like nothing I've ever heard. Someone obviously knew what they were doing when they arranged the instruments to match Gary's beautiful voice. I will never tire of this music. Gary puts his entire heart and soul into every song he sings. A five star rating is not nearly enough for a singer who brings as much pleasure as Gary Puckett does. I hope that Gary will come out with a new CD with some new songs. I will definitely buy it. Thank you for some of the best music ever, Gary!!

Although at first glance this is just a twofer, it is better than a greatest hits, because all the hits that weren't on the two original LP's have been added as bonus tracks. Apart from the hits (Young girl, Lady willpower, Woman woman, Over you and This girl is a woman now), there are many more original songs and covers.

The covers include Lady Madonna (Beatles), Kiss me goodbye (Petula), Honey (Bobby Goldsboro), Kentucky woman (Neil Diamond), To love somebody (Bee Gees), Mighty Quinn (Manfred Mann) and two Glen Campbell songs (By the time I get to Phoenix and Dreams of the everyday housewife). I don't think any of Gary's versions are preferable to the originals, but they are extremely well done and well worth hearing.

Gary and his band, the Union Gap, did not have a long period of success, but they left their mark in these brilliant recordings. I would be interested in buying more of their music if it were available, but everything essential can be found on this CD.

Gary Puckett's songs are the ones you crank up the moment you hear the opening strains on the car radio. Sure, they may be considered schmaltzy by today's standards, but he sings as passionately and earnestly and breathes this honest sincerity into his songs that make you take a mental trip back in time to when you felt this way. Don't be surprised if you start singing along, or even get a chill. We were all young once, and we have all felt these passions at one point or another in our lives. Thanks to Gary, we can relive them.

I love the oldies. My collection attests to this. Trouble is, a lot of the music from the 60's and 70's sounds very dated. NOT THIS SELECTION! These songs could've been recdorded yesterday. Gary Puckett could've gone schmaltzy on some of these tunes but chose to sing it straight. That's not an easy thing to do, given some of his material. "Young Girl" could've been a joke- Gary made sure it wasn't. These songs are sang and played beautifully. This is a very romantic set. Very heartfelt. The best of what's out there! This set is A plus.

Throughout their career, they have recorded 7 top 40 hits and they are all on this twofer of his "Woman Woman" and "Young Girl" albums both released in 1968 and 4 bonus tracks added for good measure all in their original mixes. Throughout the compilation, he has added some Puckett styled covers of songs such as "Honey," "By The Time I Get To Phoenix," "The Mighty Quinn (Quinn The Eskimo)," "Lady Madonna," "Kiss Me Goodbye," "Kentucky Woman," "Dreams of The Everyday Housewife" and other hits of the time period this was originally released as well as some classic album tracks such as the earlier mentioned "Don't Make Promises," "My Son," "Paindrops," and others. If you want to buy another disc to compliment the greatest hits compilation you have in your collection or if you only want to buy one CD of Gary Puckett's music and want more than a greatest hits package, this or the Looking Glass CD.... What we should have on CD is the followup album to these 2 albums entitled "Incredible."

I looked all over town for a CD on Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. I tried "A Golden Classics Edition" and the "Greatest Hits." My favorite is "A Golden Classics Edition". It has all my old favorites I remember plus a few more. This website is great!

Gary Puckett's soulful and torment singing voice, to me is very compelling and can cast a spell on you. You can really be hooked to Gary's songs instantly. Young Girl, and Woman Woman are the classics songs which are still getting a lot of playing time by the oldies radio staion, in this day.

My wife and I grew up listening to Gary Puckett - having these albums on Cd is a great collection for us. I've heard Gary live in the last few years and he's still 'got it'- he has recorded new material and has a new live CD out that's fantastic.
He's got the chops and can soar when he needs to. Having met him after one concert I can tell you, there's nothing arrogant about him, nor is he a has-been.
Puckett fans will love the memories, the voice and the CD turned up in their car.

I have seen these guys years ago in concert, and over the years I bought some "rearranged released" cd's that were not very good.... UNTIL I bought this cd!

This is the "IT" cd to have if you love Gary Puckett & The Union Gap in their best quality, sound, arrangement and musical ability ever and want a great overall discography of music they played. Gary's unbelievable powerful voice and octave levels for these songs is not to be outdone by anyone to this day nor probably ever will. The 60's showed so much "American" raw talent and energy in music and songs unlike any other time in our history, and this cd blew me away the first time I put it into my car cd player. The clarity and pureness and richness was so good, it was almost like I was at some private taping for them way back when doing these songs in a sound studio!

If you truly love GPUG and this man's singing voice, it will move you. I mean a couple songs might even bring a tear to your eyes, especially hearing him sing "My Son" or "You Better Sit Down Kids" as both songs are about "reality" and probably are why they were not heard a lot on the airwaves, but rightfully are due for applause and should have gotten more air time, as Gary sings about truth and real life on both of them and I guarantee (if you had children or went through a divorce) it will bring a tear to your eyes hearing them sung in his powerful rich voice with the band's unforgettable supporting sound they had.

This is Puckett and the Union Gaps best (best of) series.I often find that best of collections are found on either the bear,rhino,or the collectables labels are the truley finest sets available..This set is on the collectable label and there in all it's glory..(and i do mean glorious)... is the finest, and most gut wrenching recording of..You better sit down kids,that i've ever heard..bar none! of course all the other greats are here also ,but the collection alone is worth the money because of the afore mentioned song...give it a listen...a fine Gary Puckett greatest hit gem...