Very Best of the Yardbirds [Import]

Yardbirds | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 24, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Neon Netherlands
• ASIN: B00004SATQ
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #148,034 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Wish You Would

2. A Certain Girl

3. Good Morning Little School Girl

4. I Ain't Got You

5. For Your Love

6. Got to Hurry

7. Heart Full of Soul

8. Steeled Blues

9. Evil Hearted You

10. Still I'm Sad

11. Shapes of Things

12. Mister, You're a Better Man Than I

13. I'm a Man

14. New York City Blues

15. Train Kept a Rollin'

16. Paff... Bum

17. Mr. Zero

18. Sweet Music

19. Someone to Love, Pts. 1-2

20. Stroll On

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Solid Yardbirds comp, but there's better available., June 10, 2005

By 

Shotgun Method (NY... No, not *that* NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Very Best of the Yardbirds (Audio CD)

The Yardbirds were one of the most influential British Invasion groups, alongside The Who, Kinks, and (duh) The Beatles. This band, founded originally in 1963 and ending in 1968, was a revolving door and launchpad for three of the hottest guitarists in England at the time (in chronological order)--Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page. Also of note was a solid, tight band in the form of Chris Dreja (rhythm guitar), Jim McCarty (percussion), and the very underrated frontman Keith Relf. While not a great belter in the vein of, say, Roger Daltrey, he had a distinctive and pure voice that worked well with The Yardbird's unique style.

The Clapton era (1963-1965) was probably the least interesting period, though I find their singles to be stronger than most of their contemporaries at the time (that includes The Beatles)--an adventurous concoction of bluesy proto-hard rock and pop. Wish You Would, I Ain't Got You, and hit single For Your Love (which sounds surprisingly fresh for '64) are all here representing this period.

The band really took off when Clapton left for John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Jeff Beck stepped in, adding his own highly inventive approach to guitar that resulted in awesome tunes like Heart Full Of Soul (my pick for best Yardbirds single with its raga-like Beck leads), Shapes Of Things, Bo Diddley cover I'm A Man, and Mister You're A Better Man Than I. Also notable were psychedelic experiments like Still I'm Sad with its weird Gregorian chant-esque vocals. Single for single in 1965-66, The Yardbirds were easily the equal of other better-known British bands.

Jimmy Page entered the band in '66 after their original bass player left, and played on the second Yardbirds studio album Roger The Engineer and on several singles, most notably Happenings Ten Years Time Ago (which isn't here, regrettably). Shortly after Beck called it quits and the Page-led band eventually imploded, Page formed a new band titled The New Yardbirds, later known as Led Zeppelin. We all know how that turned out.

Anyway, this is a solid import that features some fairly rare Yardbirds tracks, including Italian single Paff... Bum (decent, but generally forgettable), Someone To Love (Parts 1 & 2), and the Keith Relf track Mr. Zero. Unfortunately, two crucial singles (Happenings Ten Years Time Ago, Over Under Sideways Down) are missing. So instead of buying this, I'd spring for the import best-of single disk Over Under Sideways Down (which includes pretty much everything here plus those two singles) or the Ultimate! two-disc comp. Then get Five Live Yardbirds and Roger The Engineer to complete your Yardbirds collection.

4.0 out of 5 stars Yardbirds - 'Very Best Of The Yardbirds' (Neon), October 5, 2010

By 

Mike Reed (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Very Best of the Yardbirds (Audio CD)

Good, solid twenty track compilation of the Yardbirds repertoire. Don't get me wrong, I've always been a major Yardbirds fan - always will be. However, I truly believe their 'Ultimate' 2-CD pick on the Rhino label cannot be beat. Still, it's great to hear tunes on this budget-priced CD like "I Ain't Got You", "Steeled Blues", "Shapes Of Things" (loved hearing this song on the radio when I was like ten), "Train Kept A Rollin'" and a couple that I didn't immediately recognize like "Sweet Music" and "Stoll On". Handy to play while on the road.

5.0 out of 5 stars Yardbirds rock., May 10, 2010

By 

Mister Tomatoe - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Very Best of the Yardbirds (Audio CD)

We were discussing "Shapes of Things" at band practice one night, and I knew I had to purchase a Greatest Hits compilation. This one fit the bill. The price was right and it contained all the tunes I was looking for. I think we will attempt a "cover" of "Shapes" based on this CD.
PS: Their version of "I'm a Man" is one of the greatest rock tunes of all time.