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Up-Up And Away: The Definitive Collection

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It is about time the 5th Dimension received the kind of representation their music truly deserved. For years us die hard fans had to settle for the overly limited "Greatest Hits On Earth", or simply revert back to the old vinyl albums, worn as they now are.

This collection features almost all of the 5th Dimension's singles (with the exception of "Harlem") as recorded by the original 5. It also features a few strong album cuts. The usual hits are all here, "Up-Up And Away", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Wedding Bell Blues", "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In", "One Less Bell To Answer", etc., but the real treat is in tracks which have recieved little, if any, play since back in the day. Songs like "Paper Cup", "The Girls' Song", "Flashback", and the medley "The Declaration/A Change Has Got To Come/People Gotta Be Free" are all very welcomed returns. As mentioned, some key tracks from albums are included here. Songs like "Learn How To Fly", "The Worst That Could Happen", "Black Patch", and even "Orange Air" probably could have been singles in thier own right. The album has a special treat for die hard 5th Dimension fans, it features "I'll Be Loving You Forever", the very first 5th Dimension single which has not been seen since it's ill-fated release.

There are some songs I would have loved to have seen on this collection, such as the beautiful ballad "This Is Your Life", or the funk laden "Lovin' Stew", or the wonderful cover of the Eagles' "Best Of My Love", or perhaps edits of the live versions of "Stoney End" or "MacArthur Park", but for the most part, this is a collection to be thankful for. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the execs at Arista will find it within themselves to release the entire 5th Dimension catalog on cd, but for now, I'm thankful for this collection.

I have always felt that the Fifth Dimension were gruesomely underrated. I always felt they were truly one of the greatest bands of the 1960s' as well as one of the best vocal groups ever. Yet, with the exception of an occasional appearance on an oldies station, their music goes virtually ignored.

Well, "Up-Up And Away: The Definitive Collection" may be the right tool to expose a new generation to the Fifth Dimension and their wonderful music. On these two disc are all of their classic recordings, from their biggest hits to a bevy of unknown tunes, some of which weren't even singles.

Disc 1 is from 1966 to 1970. This is when just began to blossom into a major force on the music scene. Between 1967 and 1969, they created a string of major hit records, which included "Go Where You Wanna Go", "Up Up And Away" and "Stoned Soul Picnic", all among the finest pop records of the decade. However, it was not until 1969 that the group made their mark on the music scene. Kicking off with the number one smashes"Wedding Bell Blues" and their best known song ever "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In", the group began a stunning streak of hits, continued by such hits as "Blowing Away" (a terribly underrated number and one of my favorites) and the Neil Sedaka - penned "Workin' On A Groovy Thing". Desparate for more, their next album was a rerelease of a 1967 flop, and is highlighted by such great numbers as "The Girls Song" and the Brooklyn Bridge hit "Worst That Could Happen' (superior to their version). Closing out the disc is their first single "I'll Be Lovin' You Forever".

Disc 2 kicks off with their 1970 smash, "One Less Bell To Answer". This single started a new trend for the group's sound. Rather than focus on the group's intricat harmonies, the majority of their subsequent singles (or at least the big hits), would feature Marilyn McCoo on lead vocals while the group did backup vocals. This would be most evident on songs like "If I Could Reach You", the beautiful cover of "Never My Love", and my favorite 5D song ever, "(Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep At All". But they still managed to create fine efforts as a group, as songs like "Save The Country", "Time And Love", "Black Patch" and "The Declaration/A Change Has Gotta Gome/People Gotta Be Free" (the latter highly controversial) rank among their finest work. I also really enjoyed "No Love In The Room", the last single by the original members (unfortuneatlely, their original ersion of Diana Ross's classic "Love Hangover" is absent).

The liner notes are beautiful, complete with track listing, info, rare photographs, and a host of other goodies. If you are into some great music for your listening pleasure, this cd will do the trick. Plus, they made someg reat tunes for summer.

For all of their hits in the `60s and `70s, the 5th Dimension were woefully under-represented on CD with only the eleven track Greatest Hits On Earth available for the longest time. When the folks at Arista finally woke up, it must have been with a clear head. Up-Up and Away is almost the definitive collection it claims to be. The two-disc, thirty- six track collection is neatly divided into two eras (1966-69 and 1970-75) covering two record labels (Soul City and Bell).

Disc one (the `60s Soul City years) contains the stronger singles lineup. The initial hits Go Where You Wanna Go and Another Day, Another Heartache presented the 5th as folk-rock clones of the Mamas and the Papas. With the follow-up singles, the 5th created their own niche by frequently utilizing the exceptional songwriting talents of Jimmy Webb and Laura Nyro. Webb upped the emphasis on pure pop by providing the 5th with the soaring title track and Carpet Man. When the 5th moved on to the Nyro material like Stoned Soul Picnic and Sweet Blindness, a good deal of soul entered into the mix. By 1969, the 5th Dimension sound hit its apex as the Hair medley Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In and cover of Nyro's Wedding Bell Blues dominated the airwaves. Aside from the McCoo-led Wedding Bell Blues, these `60s singles were very much a group effort and a lesson in harmonic bliss. Every single on this disc grabs the listener and there isn't a dud in earshot until the final two tracks, Webb's bizarre Orange Air and the uncharacteristically rough Billy Davis-led I'll Be Loving You Forever (countless other album tracks would have been better choices for this disc).

Disc two (the Bell era) opens with the 5th's biggest hit of the `70s, One Less Bell To Answer. This moving ballad was practically a solo Marilyn McCoo recording and signaled a strong change in direction for the group. Thereafter, all of their most successful singles would be easylistening McCoo-dominated numbers like Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes, Never My Love, (Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep At All, and the stirring If I Could Reach You. Great performances all, but they sadly wasted the group's greatest strengths: their peerless harmonies and their adeptness at various musical styles (they weren't originally called the Versatiles for nothing!) The singles which featured the entire group during the `70s may not have been as prosperous at radio, but they have their moments, particularly the glorious Light Sings. This second disc alternates the McCoo ballads with the lesser-known group gems for maximum listening euphoria.

The ample attention paid to the track selection and sequencing carries over to the packaging. Its booklet includes extensive track information, photos, and a comprehensive history of the 5th from their separate musical beginnings through the departure of Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr and beyond. My only complaint (which keeps this collection from being "definitive") is the exclusion of the classic lineup's last chart single, Bill Wither's Harlem, which offered a taste of the 5th at their funkiest (a word rarely associated with the 5th). Still, Up-Up and Away is so strong that it was ALMOST worth the long wait and ultimately, exemplifies how a multi-disc anthology should be done.

When it comes to underrated bands, few artists are more underrated than the 1960s'/70s' pop group The Fifth Dimension. They have created some of the greatest pop classics of all time, but many people tend to remember the songs and not them. In 1997, Arista Records released "Up - Up And Away: The Definitve Collection", a 2 - cd sampling of their biggest hits plus their more obscure numbers.

Disc 1 contains almost all of the monster hits that launched their career. Here's where you'll find "Up - Up And Away", "Stoned Soul Picnic", "Aquarious"/"Let The Sunshine In", "Wedding Bell Blues" and "Working On A Groovy Thing" all nicely put togther in order. Here is where you'll also find a number of less popular songs that are just as good - "Go Where You Wanna Go", "Learn How To Fly", "Another Day, Another Heartache", the bouncy "Paper Cup", the old time romp "Sweet Blindness" and their very first single, "I'll Be Lovin' You Forever", just to name a few. This disc tends to focus on the group's best strength - their unforgettable harmonies. A cross between The Mamas And The Papas and The Beach Boys, their voices blended together in a way few other groups can. Listen to it espcially on "Go Where You Wanna Go" and the "Aquarious"/"Let The Sunshine In" medley.

Disc 2 begins with 1970's huge hit, the Marilyn McCoo - led "One Less Bell To Answer". This stirring ballad was practically a solo number for McCoo, with the group being relegated to sparse backgroun vocals. This song is a sign of the direction they'd end up taking. "Puppet Man" is a great rocker while "Save The Country" is a great patriotic number. I think this is the last single to feature the original Fifth Dimension sound, as their harmonies shine. The controversial "Declaration" medley remains one of their finest hours on record. I love Billy's vocals on "A Change Is Gonna Come". Singles like "Love's Lines, Angles And Rhymes", their beautiful version of "Never My Love" and my all time favorite 5D song "(Last Night) I Didn't Get To Sleep At All" gave Marilyn a little more attention than she needed, but they were still great song. The best album track here is "Black Patch", one of their last collaborations with the late, great Laura Nyro. Towards 1973 - 75, their career hit the skids. Their final single as an original band, "No Love In The Room", showcases a stunning Marilyn vocal and was a great swan song for the original quintet (the group hired two new members after McCoo and Billy Davis, Jr. left and made it to nunber 80 with "Love Hangover", a number one smash for Diana Ross).

This cd contains classic pop music. I highly suggest picking it up because you will not be disappointed with what you hear. Let's that a boxed set of the work of The Fifth Dimension comes out in the future. Can't wait for that, but until then this will certainly satisfy all 5D fans.

Music fans in their mid-forties must remember the light and breezy pop confectionery of the Fifth Dimension that dominated the airwaves in the late 60s & early 70s. Chartbusters like Jimmy Webb's "Up, Up And Away" and "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" (from the rock musical "Hair") were anthems in their day. Yet despite their huge success between 1967 and 1973, the Fifth Dimension has been largely ignored or relegated to the tiniest footnotes by black music historians today. Why ? Perhaps the vocal quintet's brand of light pop choral music was aimed too much at light entertainment for most black music fans to take seriously. Their sweet, jolly, sophisticated and polished sound may have been too polite and genteel for some tastes. The Fifth Dimension have even been referred to as the Ray Coniff Singers of black music. A horrible insult and totally unjustified in my view. Marilyn McCoo, Billie Davis Jr, Florence LaRue, Lamonte McLemore & Ron Townson may not be purveyors of nitty gritty soul, but they made some of the most joyously sung sweet soul music in their day. Just listen to this wonderful two-disc anthology and see what I mean.

The early Fifth Dimension hits were mostly first rate Jimmy Webb or Laura Nyro compositions produced by Bones Howe featuring a choral group sound which, with the exception of an occasional step-up lead by Marilyn, was a glorious harmonic blend of five voices that was distinctive and unique. The best of these early hits include "Stoned Soul Picnic","Wedding Bell Blues", "Sweet Blindness", "Carpet Man", "Working On A Groovy Thing", "California Soul" etc, all timeless songs. "The Girls' Song", a relatively minor hit for them, is a gem and a personal favourite of mine. All the hits are here and more, including a couple that showcase their vocal harmony if nothing else.

By the time the Fifth Dimension switched label and scored a smash hit with Burt Bacharach's "One Less Bell To Answer", a gorgeous ballad, it became obvious that Marilyn's beautifully sophisticated, well modulated, yet emotional lead vocal was an asset they could exploit commercially. From then on, it would become the centrepiece of the group's future recordings. While many fans and critics lament the gradual decline of their famous group sound, it was, in my view, a step forward in the right direction. Their choral sound would have sounded passé and out of place in the rock heavy 70s. For me, the latter phase of the Fifth Dimension's career produced some of their most memorable recordings ever. "Love, Lines, Angles & Rhymes", "If I Could Reach You", "Never My Love", "Last Night I Didn't Get To Sleep At All", even the end-of-career "Everything's Been Changed" all feature the gorgeous voice of Marilyn McCoo and without taking anything away from the rest of the group, it is her voice that carries these songs. Me, I love this Marilyn-led period of the Fifth Dimension. Unlike most other acts, the quality of their product remained undimmed even as their career slowly ground to a halt by the mid-70s.

While CD1 is where fans would automatically dip into for a taste of the famous Fifth Dimension sound, CD2 is packed with outstanding ballads that showcase Marilyn McCoo at her best. "The Definitive Collection" is exactly that. Digipacked with informative liner notes and comprehensive record sleeve illustrations, it's hard to imagine a more thoughtfully assembled product. An absolute must for Fifth Dimension fans.

I agree that this disc set is the closest thing to a truly "definitive" release, and Arista should be commended for compiling an excellent collection. I would guess that most casual fans of the group are completely satisfied with this career summary. But....it's obvious that 5D fans want (and are more than willing to pay for) more, and there is plenty of material that is languishing in storage that has not been digitally "revived." A TRULY definitive set would have snagged "Earthbound," some cuts from the two Motown releases, and possibly some of the solo cuts from Marilyn/Billy and Flo. It's true that Arista owns the lion's share of 5D's output (and just about all of it's true successes), but I believe a real musical summation will require a little more "leg work" on Arista's part. Until they release a Volume 2, or perhaps a more exhaustive box set, I'll keep humming along with this album, no less grateful for wanting a little more.

This collection has all of the 5th Dimension songs I was looking for and plenty more to spare. I would have bought a single disc collection if I had found one that covered most of their well known hits, but this double disc set turned out to be the best purchase. Their music was released before my time (I'm in my early twenties), so there is a chance that I might not notice if some important works are missing. On the other hand, the set introduced me to many great songs that I had never heard before.

I agree with most everything written here. The Fifth Dimension was a phenomenal group, and this collection is superb. But why so few mentions of The Girls Song? I have to chime in here because I think that it is one of the most awesome songs the group ever did. First of all, it works perfectly on a rhythmic basis: that pounding rhythm piano and powerful bass line are immediate and exquisite. It's one of the heaviest songs the group ever tried. Then come smoky verse vocals followed by the soaring chorus vocals--heavenly. In addition, the guitar harmonics that seem to mimic a telephone signal are oh so perfect--and welcome inasmuch as there is usually not much guitar in Fifth Dimension songs. The best part is the outro, which is introduced by those guitar harmonics again and then erupts into a beautiful ensemble of voices, scratchy distorted guitar chugs, and reverberated drums that lead the song out. It's perfect! As said, I love all the songs on this collection, but do yourself a favor and check this one out again. It's amazing!

If you want to hear the Fifth Dimension, you have two choices: To buy this album, which is the complete collection (but costs more), or buy the Greatest Hits collection, which costs less, but does not have the number of tracks this album has. If I were to recommend a choice, this is the album I would purchase, as it has all the greatest hits, many other hits not included on the greatest hits album, and is not that much more expensive. There are 36 tracks on this two-disc album.

In the late 1960's, 5 musicians (Billy Davis, Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamonte McLemore, and Ron Townson) came together and formed a singing group with a unique sound, the Fifth Dimension. They had a string of hits, which were played on all the AM top-40 radio programs of the day.

At their peak, they were one of the most popular groups in the US. Marilyn McCoo, who helped start the group, ultimately became the lead singer and the most recognized vocalist in the group. Her voice is as good as it gets, and her work stands up today as a testimony to her beautiful renditions and sound. In the early 1970's the group suffered a great blow when Marilyn McCoo and Billy David Jr. broke away and started solo careers of their own. This effectively ended the Fifth Dimension.

I never tire of their unique blend of harmony and soul. I wish today's musician's would take a lesson from the Fifth Dimension and learn the art of harmony.

Jim "Konedog" Koenig

One great track after another. Nothing bad or even close on this set. Imagine over 40 years later, and it still sounds amazing. But the best thing about their music is that they used real musicians, real strings, real players, real singers... no echo machines, no synthesizers, no drum machines... it's all real here. Incredibly talented all around... singers, writers, arrangers, everything.