Customer Reviews

Legendary Masters Series

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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

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.

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!

Despite his lightwieght status - Gary made some excellent records back in the 60's that stand as some of the best Pure Pop records of that era. This is the best sounding collection and compiled CD of his music. Most of the other "Greatest Hits" CD feature the original Liberty Stereo albums mixes in a horrible split-track mix simular to the early Beatles albums. These new ADD remixes (Especally "Green Grass" and "My Heart's Symphony") sound 1000 times better than those poorly mixed, sequenced and mastered albums. Great Liner notes, excellent packaging - get this one!

My only gripe is that many great tracks like "Ice Melts In The Sun", "Moonshine" "Lets Be More Than Freinds Tonight", "Has She Got The Nicest Eyes" (which was written by Russ Titleman and Little Feat's Lowell George!), "Main Street" and "Mister Memory" are not here! Someone reissue company like Sundazed or Rhino needs to dig through Gary's Catalog and put together a compilation of his lost gems, theres a LOT of them!

This collection contains everything they released on single 45s, including the "doin the flake" cornflake commercial that came inside a cerial box and "Time stand still" featureing Gary immitating his father Jerry. The collection also includes most of the better B sides. These are from the original tapes used to master the the 45s, not re-recordings.

Many of those supposedly in the know during the mid-60s heyday of pop dismissed Gary Lewis and the Playboys as lightweight pretenders rather than serious performing artists. As evidence, they point to the fact (which it is) that following the tremendous success of This Diamond Ring, the Playboys' releases topped out at progressively lower positions in the Top 40.

What the naysayers fail to take into account was that the group's downward spiral was not due to a lack of talent or a lack of solid material. They simply found themselves recording at a time when the pop industry was glutted with outstanding groups and individual artists.

This collection brings back all of Gary's biggest hits and many of his lesser ones. Listen and enjoy the memories that revive with Save Your Heart for Me, Count Me In, She's Just My Style and Everybody Loves a Clown. Then take the time to listen carefully to the catchy uptempo Without a Word of Warning, the bittersweet ballad Tina, and an excellent cover of Brian Hyland's Sealed With a Kiss. The variety of styles and consistent excellence of presentation in these cuts will demonstrate just how versatile Gary Lewis & the Playboys were.

Equally important is the pristine quality of the mastering. There are no annoying tonal dropouts, the vocals and accompaniments stay in proper relationship to each other, and the sound is crisp and clean.

If you love the sound of clean-cut, teenybopper romantic angst, this collection is for you. The music of Gary Lewis and the Playboys will bring back the memories of summer vacation, gentle breezes and Green Grass round your window!

This is the best sounding and most complete Greatest Hits package for Gary Lewis and the Playboys. An unedited "Miss Go Go" and a longer version of "My Heart's Symphony" is included, as are rarities "Doin' The Flake," "Way Way Out," and "I Don't Wanna Say Goodnight." Some of the studio banter before several songs is a nice addition too. Most of the songs feature Gary's best line up: John West-Keyboards, Carl Radle on bass (who later played bass for Eric Clapton for 8 years), Tom Tripplehorn on lead guitar, and Jimmy Karstein on drums. Great arrangements by Leon Russell. This is just good, clean, harmless 60's pop music.

Gary Lewis and the Playboys were hardly an innovative or leader in the music world. However, their music has a certain innocence and happiness to it that can't help but make you smile. This album is by far the best collection of Gary available, with 25 tracks: all the Gary Lewis you would ever want, plus more. "Doin' the Flake," for instance, is an atrocious dance number intended for a Corn Flakes promotion. There's also a song, "Time Stands Still," in which Gary produces a wicked imitation of his father, comedian Jerry Lewis.

This stuff is pure pop, but it's good pop. The hits are, as expected, the standouts: "This Diamond Ring," "Everybody Loves a Clown," and "She's Just My Style." Of the others, "Autumn" and "I Don't Wanna Say Goodnight" stand out as excellent tracks that should have been hits. Most tracks on here are enjoyable, and this would be a worthwhile purchase for any fan of 60's pop.

Who Gary Lewis is should already be known by many. The son of Jerry Lewis started with a bang with THIS DIAMOND RING, a number one smash at a time were American Rock and Roll was just starting to revitalize itself, (Lovin' Spoonful, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Buckinghams, Association, etc.... Of course, "This Diamond Ring" is usually all radio plays now. This is sad, because "we" children of the sixties do remember his many top ten tunes, all unique, all different, all pure pop.

"Count Me In", "Save Your Heart For Me" (makes you want to swing), "Everybody Loves A Clown" followed in rapid succession, all top 5, and all classic 60's. If a DJ doens't have these, he is not a 60's DJ.

The hits continued, but top ten, as he released "She's Just My Style", "Sure Gonna Miss Her" , "Green Grass" (one of my favorites), " My Heart's Symphony ", "(You Don't Have To) Paint Me A Picture" and "Where Will The Words Come From". THESE ARE ALL EXCELLENT TUNES, and considering the times, this is a substantial string of hits.

Also during this time, his flip sides and other album cuts are a cut above the normal group of the 60's "I Don't Wanna Day Goodnight" and "I Can Read Between The Lines" are excellent flip sides. Then he served time in the Armed Forces. This left him out of the mainstream to long, and his career never fully recovered.

He did have two minor hits with Brian Hylands "Sealed With a Kiss" followed by "Jill". Gary Lewis continues to tour today with oldie shows and is quite popular.

This CD is similar to the others in the Legendary Masters series. with outtakes and background chatter which make it interesting, as well as commericals. For the price, its much better than the other collections. It does miss out on some good album cuts such as "One Track Mind" and "Heart Full of Soul", but overall, is a great buy and for 11 bucks you get more top ten hits then most others. A "Highly Recommended" CD.

Not to slight Gary but this record is mostly Leon Russell. If you've not heard of him search the internet. What you will see mostly is Russell from the 70's on: Mad Dogs And Englishmen, Concert For Bangladesh, but from ~ 62 to 69 he was a go to LA session player, producer and arranger. Russell also wrote a handful of the best songs on this album, but as told by others, not only produced, but also arranged and played filler parts on everything. (Gary provides great detail in the liner notes.) When you listen you will hear excellent backing harpsichord on many of the songs - but especially on 'Just My Style', and 'Green Grass'. And the piano work on 'Without a Word of Warning' is really good. All in all, GREAT work.

Note also that Russell wrote many other songs you already know: Superstar, A Song For You (to name a couple).

While you're on Google also search The Wrecking Crew. Then I recommend you fill out your music library by getting Russell's great independent work and the new album he did with Elton John - whom he heavily influenced ... along with countless other musicians... titled 'The Union'. An instant classic. Leon Russell is indeed a national treasure.