Customer Reviews

Toga Rock

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Okay, I will admit this is a really dumb title for an album, and a really stupid album cover. Forget all that. The fact of the matter is, this is a really great collection of '60s rock songs. The emphasis here is on "fun" rock songs, with many of the groups here being "one hit wonders". The rarest song here is "La La La La La" by The Blendells. They did an excellent job of mastering this CD, and the sound quality is great. Highly recommended.

Toga Rock: This is indeed the Party album I was always looking for! It is a Whole lot of FUN! Now for those of you who still have not figured out what the Kingsmen are `supposed' to be singing in "Louie Louie", here are the actual lyrics as written by R. Berry in 1955:

Louie, Louie, Me Gotta Go
Louie, Louie, Me Gotta Go

Fine Little Girl She Waits For Me
Me Catch The Ship For Cross The Sea
Me Sail The Ship All Alone
Me Never Thinks Me Make It Home

(Chorus)

Three Nights And Days Me Sail The Sea
Me Think Of Girl Constantly
On The Ship I Dream She There
I Smell The Rose In Her Hair

(Chorus - Guitar Solo)

Me See Jamaica Moon Above
It Won't Be Long, Me See My Love
I Take Her In My Arms And Then
Me Tell Her I Never Leave Again
----------------------------
(But, this isn't exactly the Kingsmen version anyway, or is it?)

This fantastic compilation focuses on the sort of songs that filled American frat houses in the closing days of the 1960s. All of these tracks were released between 1959-1969. As such, you get to revel in some of the most amusing and raw (yet still somehow innocent) songs you can imagine.

Kicking off with the garage rock classic "Louie Louie," this set pummels through one awesome classic after another. "Wooly Bully," with its weird Spanish intro and crazy yelps, will easily bring a smile to the listener's face. More classics follow, such as the Bobby Fuller Four's version of "I Fought the Law" (a tune that was given a punked-up rebirth in 1979 by The Clash). Later, the made-up group Steam's 1969 song "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye" kicks into full gear. Irresistibly catchy, and its only one of the many highlights on this set. Immediately after that, the disc gives us the American psych classic "Pushin' Too Hard" by The Seeds. By the end of the disc, we get some more songs that were later successfully covered: "Twist and Shout" (Isley Brothers, not The Beatles!, "Land of 1000 Dances" (Cannibal & the Headhunters, not Wilson Pickett or Patti Smith or any other artist!) and "Mony Mony" (Tommy James & the Shondells, not Billy Idol!).

This set is an excellent value. The song selection itself is practically flawless. Carrying 16 tunes, one artist is repeated in the entire collection (Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels). The liner notes are generally informative as well. The 1988 remastering is quite decent, but it may or may not conform to the modern audiophile's standards. My only qualm with the set is that it only uses up 43 minutes out of the CD's potential 80. Imagine having 80 minutes of music like this! That would've been great.

Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend this package to those who dig the fantastic energy of 1960s pop rock songs.

I bought this disc on the strength of Steve Hoffman's production record as well as the uniqueness of this collection. Many if not all of the tunes hail from early introduction to mid-sixties experiments rock n' roll. I, simply, loved that period. I was a high energy, pop-cultural curiuos twelve year old who just couldn't get enough rock n' roll. Many of these tunes were by early psychadelic one-hit wonders .... but what tunes!! They just jumped off the platter at you as they attempted to pioneer new grooves. A great saturday morning 'kicking-out-the-jams' listening experience.