Customer Reviews

Kansas City

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

 

 

The Songs on this cd show the scope of Wilbert Harrison's career. The "Kansas City" cut is the one that almost everyone is familiar with and is the original FURY recording. The rest of the cuts on this cd were taken from various other companies that Wilbert recorded for from 1960 thru 1972. The cuts that are not included are his FURY/FIRE and SSS International Cuts. If you're looking for the best WILBERT HARRISON package, this is not the one.

Here's one more case where Collectables releases a multi-track compendium of the "greatest" or "legendary golden classics" of a singer having but a handful of hits (in Harrison's case 3) - and then contrives to leave out one of those hits.

Wilbert, born in Charlotte, N.C. on January 5, 1929, first tried his hand [unsuccessfully] with the small Rockin', Savoy, and DeLuxe labels, including a stint with the W.C Baker band, before turning to Fury and the 1952 Leiber & Stoller composition K.C. Lovin' [first recorded by Little Willie Littlefield in 1952 for the Federal label]. Renaming it Kansas City, and b/w Listen, My Darling, it became an instant mega-hit by surging to # 1 on both the R&B and Hot 100 charts in May of 1959, spending seven weeks at # 1 R&B and two weeks at # 1 Hot 100.

It then appeared as if he might be counted among the many one-hit wonders of that era as nothing else recorded could make either of the two charts, one of those being a tune released in 1962 called Let's Stick Together, not once but twice on Fury 1059 and Fury 1063. On this disc he performed literally as a one-man band since he couldn't afford side men.

In late 1969, however, the small Sue label decided to try it again, this time as Let's Work Together, and in the early part of 1970 the A-side (Part 1) climbed to # 32 Hot 100. Later that same year a cover by Canned Heat made it to # 26 Hot 100.

It was also in 1970 that he recorded My Heart Is Yours for the Wet Soul label, but it wasn't until the following year, after being picked up and released by SSS International, that it managed to dent the charts, reaching # 98 Billboard Hot 100 in March. That is the hit missing from this collection, an oversight compounded by the inclusion of the uncharted flipside, Pretty Little Women. Why one and not the other? Makes no sense at all.

Unlike some others with limited chart success, Harrison always displayed a unique inventiveness that, unfortunately, seemed to work better for those who copied his style. Sadly, he died of a stroke on October 26, 1994.

If you don't want to buy an entire CD to get two hits, I would suggest Best Of Sue Records and I Love Rock & Roll: Hits of the 50's Vol. 1 to get, not only his two original hits, but also quite a few other fine recordings from the Golden Era. And if you're at all curious about the original version of K.C. Lovin', try Going Back To KayCee by Little Willie Littlefield.

In 1959 I was a young guy that I heared an AM Radio 9.80 in Guatemala, C. A. and the song "Kansas City" was a top hit, but I never knowed who has the singer....until 47 years later. Good remembrance.

The songs on this CD brought back so many happy memories of when I was a teenager and was just starting to love music and dance. The quality was great, sounded better than my old record player.

Contrary to another review post, this is the best collection available of Wilbert Harrison's early sides. The recordings range from 1954's 'Don't Drop It' (for Savoy label) to almost 20 of his Fury recordings (some unissued), then on to sides for Vest and Sue labels during the 60s. Another poster bemoans the fact that 'MY HEART IS YOURS' is missing from this collection, whereas the flip - 'Pretty Little Women' is included. The reason for those inclusions/exclusions is very simple - Collectables was unable to license 'My Heart Is Yours' for their comp. On the other hand, 'Pretty Little Women' (an unissued 1961 Fury recording leased by Wet Soul for one side of their single), was available for license, and what a great track it is!
Unlike an earlier CD comp put out by Relic, this one contains the correct version of 'Goodbye Kansas City'. Simply essential!