Midnight Ride [Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered]

Paul Revere & The Raiders | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 1, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sundazed Music Inc.
• ASIN: B000046PUD
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #244,841 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Kicks

2. There's Always Tomorrow

3. Little Girl In The 4th Row

4. Ballad Of A Useless Man

5. I'm Not Your Stepping Stone

6. There She Goes

7. All I Really Need Is You

8. Get It On

9. Louie Go Home

10. Take A Look At Yourself

11. Melody For An Unknown Girl

12. Shake It Up

13. Little Girl In The 4th Row (Italian Version)

14. SS 396

15. Corvair Baby

Editorial Reviews

Paul Revere and the Raiders were at their hitmaking peak when they released 1966's Midnight Ride, which offers a massive dose of the band's tough, infectious trademark punk-pop sound. Highlights include the immortal AM classic "Kicks" and the garage-rock standard "Louie, Go Home," alongside such lesser-known but equally notable winners as "Little Girl in the Fourth Row," "There's Always Tomorrow" and "Ballad of A Useless Man." Also featured is the Raiders' original version of "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone," which predated the Monkees' hit version and is considered by many to be the greatest existing version of the song. In addition to being one of the Raiders' best-loved albums, it's also their most democratic, with all five members making songwriting contributions. Sundazed's expanded edition adds three rare bonus tracks, and new liner notes by Raiders Drake Levin and Phil "Fang" Volk.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars another favorite !, November 25, 2001

By 

Alejandra Vernon "artist & illustrator" (Long Beach, California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: Midnight Ride (Audio CD)

I know...I have a lot of favorite Raider CDs...but this one has to be a top 5 favorite.
From '66, it was their 3rd LP for Columbia, and a big transition, as 9 of the 11 tunes were written by them...the exceptions: The terrific Mann/Weill "Kicks", which was a big hit for them, and the Boyce/Hart "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone", which The Monkeys did a cover of and had a hit with...but this is the original version, and it's a knockout.

Drake contributed "Ballad of a Useless Man", which is a compassionate look at the homeless (and in the '60s this wasn't a common point of view), along with 2 other songs, and the other 5 are by Mark and Paul. Perhaps the most interesting musically on the entire CD is "All I Really Need is You", with its many time/rhythm changes...it ends with the lovely instrumental, "Melody for an Unknown Girl", with Mark doing a smooth sax solo and the spoken parts.

The bonus tracks: "Shake it Up", another Mark/Paul piece that's a rousing instrumental, and the Italian version of "Little Girl in the 4th Row". I feel the inclusion of "SS 396" and "Corvair Baby", which were recorded earlier ('65) and are in a "Beach Boys style", though neat songs, just don't fit in with the mood of the rest of this CD, and are kind of a jarring finish to an otherwise unique and excellent recording...(...)

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rockin' Paul Revere, April 6, 2004

By 

Ron (Tacoma, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Midnight Ride (Audio CD)

1966 was possibly the greatest year in rock & roll history. The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds", Bob Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde", "Revolver" by the Beatles, and "Face to Face" by the Kinks were all released in 1966. I add to that list"Midnight Ride" by Paul Revere & the Raiders. It was their third album for Columbia (fifth overall), and the first not to rely heavily on cover versions of other people's songs. "Kicks" and "I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone" were supplied by the songwriting teams of Mann-Weil and Boyce-Hart. Paul Revere and Mark Lindsay wrote six of the songs on the album, and one of the CD bonus tracks, "Shake it Up". Guitarist Drake Levin contributed "Ballad of a Useless Man" and collaborated with drummer Mike Smith ("There's Always Tomorrow") and bassist Phil Volk ("Get it On"). Most of the songs have the basic sound of the band playing together. Revere's Vox organ is prominent in the mix, and Levin's rhythmic guitar is unmistakeable. Also of note is the strong bass lines from Volk. 60's recordings usually buried bass guitar in the mix, unless it was a Motown record. Maybe the Raiders learned a few tricks from them. The clarity on this CD is eye opening. I've never heard "Kicks" sound as good as it does on this CD. "I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone" will have you forgetting all about the Monkees version - Mark growls out the lyrics like nobody's business! "Louie Go Home" is a killer Revere - Lindsay collaboration that should have been a single. It would have been a smash. "Take a Look at Yourself" is another killer rocker with strong lyrics. On the lighter side, there's Mark singing to the "Little Girl in the 4th Row" - some of the band members hated it, but Lindsay's teen fans loved it; "Melody for an Unknown Girl", an instrumental featuring Mark's sensitive sax; and "There She Goes", an up pop number with producer Terry Melcher on background vocals. The Raiders were to go on to make more sophisticated pop albums (with practically unlimited studio time as they desired), but it doesn't get any better than this: one of America's greatest bands rockin' it out with a great batch of songs.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Real Trip!, July 19, 2007

By 

gootch "EJ'ER" (Bartlett, Illinois United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Midnight Ride (Audio CD)

The Raiders were hitting their Rock & Roll stride. 1st song is the Anti Drug Anthem called Kicks. Then There's Always Tomorrow/Mark's soothing Little Girl in the 4th Row. A stomper called Ballad of a Useless Man. A Remake of I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone(as great as the Monkees)a shorty called There She Goes. Side 2:A neat beat called All I Really Need Is You. Then Get It On! The sequel: Louie Go Home, then Take A Look At Yourself then Mark's ballad called Melody for an Unknown Girl. The CD add ons:the 45 Shake it Up. an Italian of Little Girl in the 4th Row & the rare 45's of SS 396 & Corvair Baby. ENJOY!!!