Legendary Masters Series

Gary Lewis & the Playboys | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 16, 1990)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Capitol
• ASIN: B00000DRAS
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,556 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sunshine and Happiness!, June 13, 2004

By 

Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Legendary Masters Series (Audio CD)

This AWESOME CD is my introduction to Gary Lewis and the Playboys--and it should be YOURS, too! Their sound is crisp, upbeat even when singing of the lows in life "(You Don't Have To) Paint Me a Picture" and always full of youthful naiveness that makes you want to embrace them as well as their music. (The song, "Count Me In," for example.) The sound quality is excellent and the liner notes extensive. The liner notes also include great photos of what their record albums looked like when they were released. There is also great nostalgia in such songs as "Doin' The Flake" and "Little Miss Go-Go." In short, this CD is a great beginning for anyone who hasn't yet discovered this wonderful group and their great work. In addition, I agree with the reviewer listed here as "A Music Fan some somewhere in Texas:" I only wish there were even more material here for us to enjoy! This is A BUY! GRIN

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A triumph of clean-cut, youthful exuberance, June 20, 2003

By 

Phil Rogers (Ann Arbor, Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Legendary Masters Series (Audio CD)

It is undeniable that Gary's music is a lot like that made by those fun-loving Monkees. And a few of these songs are REALLY nice-sounding as songs go ["This Diamond Ring", Count Me In", "My Heart's Symphony", "Save Your Heart for Me"] - the melodies and chord progressions border on being truly great, and the performances channel and display genuine emotion.

At least for some of us, much of the rest of their output is merely pleasant - nothing to be overly critical of, but nothing at all exciting, either. But there are people for whom these guys undoubtably represent a pure fountainhead of youthful spontaneity, and would vote them as a 5-star phenomenon without even a second thought.

A top-10 reviewer once stated that Garry Lewis and the Playboys founded their sound on the Liverpool group Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas. If so, Lewis and company's sound is a sanitized version, as it has eliminated the twangy guitars reminiscent of rockabilly (and even Ricky Nelson and the Brothers Everly). There's also none of that slight but ever-present syncopated lilt that's present in pretty much all the Merseybeat music. Though GL&TP's overall sound is quite warm/friendly, Lewis' beats are nothing if not machinelike, like much of American pop-rock at the time, exclusive of various islands of sanity such as found in the Motown sound, etc.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A+ 4 Fun, October 24, 2002

By 

Lee Armstrong (Winterville, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Legendary Masters Series (Audio CD)

This is my favorite of the various compilations of Gary Lewis & the Playboys' records. It is delightfully dated, taking us back to a time of relative innocence. All of his hits are here including "This Diamond Ring" that took him to the top of the charts. "Count Me In," "Everybody Loves A Clown" & "She's Just My Style" are as much fun today as they were when released. Even the songs that weren't such big hits found a special place in my musical heart with "Girls In Love" and "Jill" being particular favorites. "Autumn" is the song that should've been top ten with it pulsing guitar and beautiful melody. I still get a kick out of the rocker that barely brushed the charts, "Loser With a Broken Heart." Whether it was uptempo pop like "Green Grass" or those gorgeous ballads like "Save Your Heart for Me" or the unusual record such as the pop polka "You Don't Have to Paint Me A Picture," Gary Lewis graced the charts with fun and a good time. While not the best singing voice, Gary connected joyfully and created a great legacy of classic pop. Don't miss this excellent collection!