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I could make a comment about how "The Very Best of Freddie & The Dreamers" has less tracks than "The Best of Freddie & The Dreamers," but who wants to take a shot at Freddie? Yes, it was hard to take Freddie & The Dreamers seriously simply because they were pretty much the self-appointed clowns of the British Invasion, just along for the ride with no desire or pretensions of making anything other than pop music. No messages here, just fun and laughs, probably best represented by the song "If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody" and, of course, the group's infamous appearances on American television with "Do the Freddie." Freddie, as you might remember, was Freddie Garrity, who moved from skiffle groups to rock 'n' roll in the early Sixties, adopting the Merseybeat sound when the Beatles led the British Invasion of America. Freddie & The Dreamers, like many of the Merseybeat groups, were more successful in England than there were in the United States, although the group did have their only #1 hit, "I'm Telling You" on this side of the pond. "You Were Meant For Me" and "How About Trying Your Luck With Me" are probably the best other pair of tracks on the album. More pop than rock to be sure, but then somebody needed to balance Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones in the eyes of American parents, and Freddie and The Dreamers certainly fit the bill in that respect. However, the best reason to pick up a Freddie and The Dreamers collection is because they are still quite representative of the Merseybeat sound that the early Beatles epitomized and which still resonates with those of us who remember the British Invasion, which came in the wake of JFK's assassination, with special fondness.

COME ON NOW! All you blue-nosed critics who are putting down Freddie Garrity and co. need to LIGHTEN UP! This music is about having FUN! When Freddie "Did the Freddie" on Shindig, Hullaballo, Ed Sullivan, etc. it was all about LAUGHS and having a GOOD TIME. Yes, it's so OUTRAGEOUSLY stupid that it's good. I would recommend that you rent a video of Freddie and co. on Shindig doing their outrageous dances before you listen to this, so that you'll REALLY be in on the joke. "I'm Telling You Now," it's time to "Do The Freddie."

Freddie is the God of the British Invasion. He was a musical Genius and a wonderful performer that took America by storm in an orgy of light hearted and semi-geeky songs. He truly was a great man and deserves more recognition. I strongly urge all good citizens to listen to his music and sport this man. His songs will lead the into a new golden age of music if he makes a comeback...

Freddie and the dreamers liked to have fun, yet they were competent musicians ant their music stands the test of time. In their British homeland, they had four top five hits, two other top twenty hits and three minor hits. They never made the top spot in the UK but they did in America. Their UK hits were a mix of original songs and covers of American songs.

The group's career began with If you gotta make a fool of somebody (originally recorded by James Ray) and I'm telling you now (an original song), both of which made number two in the UK during the summer of 1963 Their next single, You were made for me, peaked at number three in December 1963. The first two singles of 1964, Over you (an original song) and I love you baby (a cover of a Paul Anka song) both made the top twenty but failed to reach the top ten. It seemed that Freddie and the dreamers were fading fast, especially when Just for you (another original song) was only a very minor hit. However, they finished 1964 on a high when I understand (a cover of a G-clefs hit of 1961) made the UK top five.

1965 proved to be disappointing for them in the UK, yielding only two minor hits, A little you and Thou shalt not steal - the latter being a cover of a Dick and Deedee song that was banned by the BBC. However, Freddie and the dreamers toured the world that year and had several American hits including I understand (a number one hit) and Do the Freddie (which never charted in the UK).

Realizing that their pop hit days were over, Freddie and the dreamers switched to club and cabaret work, eventually joining the sixties revival circuit.

This compilation contains all the essentials by a group that was far more talented than their image might suggest.

Pay no attention to the reviewer who puts this CD down - it's great. No pretentiousness, just 25 songs that are fun to listen to, three of which were never released in the U.S., and a few others only available if you can find the 45's. Freddie and the Dreamers are one of the groups that put the fun in rock & roll and deserve to be better known today. This may be the only way to hear them, most so-called oldies stations don't play much of anything that came before Woodstock.

You gotta smile & sing along (and maybe dance, too) when you hear a tune like "Do the Freddie". F-U-N!!! Worth it for this terrific tune alone. One of the best from 1965.

this is a good CD. Has Freddie and the Dreamers biggest hits on it seems to be a good recording of the hits, too.

i recently saw a clip of these guys playing on Shindig! in part of a British invasion episode. All i can say is that these guys changed my life. i have never EVER heard music like this. i would have to say this sets the standard for popular music: a new nadir has been reached. The dance routines these guys did were so unbelivably embarising i had to restrain my self from assaulting the telivision screen. A fine piece of work from one of the most important and seminal of British invasion bands. Oh wait, one of the most trivial and insipid of British Invasion bands.

When Dean Martin made fun of the Rolling Stones during their appearance on his TV show in 1964, it was only because he was lumping all the British Invasion bands together. He only saw stereotypes. Freddie & the Dreamers WAS that stereotype. Can't think of a worst British Invasion band than this, they make Herman's Hermits sound good. At least their 15 minutes of fame in 1965 ended swiftly. "Do the Freddie" indeed!