Customer Reviews

Why Pick on Me

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Looks to be the garage band's third(?)actual lp. May be a compilation,sort of hard to tell. Either way,'Why...' is a good fifteen track CD reissue. Tunes I was quite impressed with were the title cut "Why Pick On Me",their Stones-inspired "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" (like the Cramp's cover of this song as well),"Black Hearted Woman","Mr.Nobody",the catchy "Mainline" and the somewhat humorous "Have You Ever Spent The Night In Jail (Well I Have)". Overall,a worthy catalog title by the Standells. In this fan's personal opinion, they never did get their 'just due'. A definite should-have.

The Standells were one of the best, if not the best, garage bands of the 1960s. This was their second album for Tower Records. It features two of their great singles that should have been hits, but weren't; "Why Pick On Me" and "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White". Besides those classics, there are some other great songs like "Black Hearted Woman", "Mr. Nobody", "Mainline" and "Have You Ever Spent the Night in Jail". Most of the songs are good, but the group doesn't fare too well on the ballads, including (oddly enough) an Italian ballad which was written by the group's guitarist (it's called "Mi Hai Fatto Innamorare", which means "You Enchant Me"). Overall, this is a very good album which fans of the '60s garage band sound will enjoy.

these guys were the Stars of the Palladium in Hollywood in the 60's... a friend of mine wrote "Blackheated Woman" (Mike)he was also in an LA group called "Chosen People" see Mark Spiwak at West LA music, bass player in same band many light years ago.... any fans of early LA rock needs this album next to "psychedelic collections" also any attendants of the Original Monterey POP festival can comment Happy Trails... Don and if you know his whereabouts, plese have him contact me email doninaustralia@yahoo.com

The Standells never recorded their ultimate album, their choice of songs were uneven and their general musical direction was wobbling. Should you pick out a best album, the choice could well fall in this their second, released in 1966.

Highlights are several, not least the garage classic "Some Time Good Guys Don't Wear White" written by the group's producer, Ed Cobb, who was also the man behind their only real hit "Dirty Water".

The group members also helped writing songs, and keyboard player Larry Tamblyn's "Mr Nobody" is among the group's very best recordings. Ed Cobb's second title track, also falls nicely into the group's pre-punk style.

Both "Mainline" and "Black Hearted Woman" are solid rockers and very worthwhile.

The group released an entire album of cover versions of contemporary classics, and on this album there are a few pieces in the same genre. Their bid for Stones' "Paint it Black" and Bacharach's "My Little Red Book" may not be original, but both have been given the group's characteristic sound.

The rest of it, incidentally very short album, are at best forgettable. Who needs an inconsequential pop ballad sung in Italian?

Ed Cobb's country-like "Have You Ever Spent the Night" is outright weak both musically and lyrically.

The bonus-tracks on this version are all great additions; all of them a lot better than some of the original tracks.

The Standells is a group you can always get the urge to return to. There is some basic honesty to their best numbers.

The Standells were one of several hundred (thousand?) garage bands that sprung up in the mid to late sixties. However, unlike a lot of these bands, the Standells actually released several albums. This one is their best and actually holds up quite well. The Standells don't pummel you with fuzz guitars and are not overly psychedelic, they just write great songs. This album contains two hits-Why pick on me and Good Guys don't wear black. Both are essential garage punk anthems of the era. Many other songs are minor keyed and have a moody menacing feel. The group also covers the Stone's Paint it Black and Love's My Little Red Book. Both are done quite well. Only a few clunkers on the album prevent it from being a 5 star record. Anyone interested in 60's garage bands or 60's music in general should buy this album.