Customer Reviews

The Wonder Years (1988-93 Television Series)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

As a huge fan of The Wonder Years, I was overjoyed when this soundtrack was released, but unfortunately it barely resembles the type of soundtrack I had envisioned at the time. The whole concept of this particular album is puzzling at best, as only a smattering of these songs were ever used on the show, several of them are inferior recordings by someone other than the original artists, and not one of the songs that really and truly define this wonderful television series are to be found here. You do get the show's theme song, Joe Cocker's version of The Beatles' With a Little Help From My Friends, but the album begins to lose focus as early as the second track, an unnecessary cover of Baby I Need Your Loving by Was (Not Was). This pattern continues itself throughout the rest of the album. On the positive side of things, Buffalo Springfield's For What It's Worth (Stop, Hey What's That Sound) is a welcome track, as it provided a most memorable opening for the show's second episode; other highlights include CSNY's Teach Your Children, Van Morrison's trademark Brown Eyed Girl, and Carole King's Will You Love Me Tomorrow.

The remaining tracks beg for some sort of explanation. The Escape Club's Twentieth Century Fox not only varies considerably from the other songs collected here, it has nothing to do with The Wonder Years or its era. The Indigo Girls do a good job with Get Together, but why do we have their version instead of the original? Having Julian Lennon perform the Stones' Ruby Tuesday is sheer madness. Then there are the two Debbie Gibson tracks; I for one have always liked Debbie Gibson, and I know that she was a big Wonder Years fan (Danica McKellar actually appeared in one of her music videos), but most people enjoy her rendition of In the Still of the Night less than I do, and even I would prefer to hear the original version of the song. Gibson's second track, Come Home, is actually a song she herself wrote many, many years after the time in which the show was based.

In the end, I can only recommend this soundtrack to devoted fans of The Wonder Years, as a select few of the songs do bring back memories of the show. For the casual fan, there's little point investing in an album that contains so few original versions of classic songs.

how can they produce a cd of "wonder years" music .. without W.J.Snuffy Walden .... he is clearly responsible for the warm, acoustic melody that underpinned the success of the wonder years...

Scott (aged 8 , Uk)

This is one of the most disappointing cd's that I have ever purchased. I was truly looking forward to listening to my new cd with so many wonderful tunes, only to find myself pressing the "skip" button hoping the next song would be better. I've played it twice (did I miss something the first time around?) and doubt if it will ever be played again.

I bought this CD to listen to one of my favorite songs from the show and what did I get nothing. It doesn't even have the songs that were in the show. It's just songs that they just copied from various oldies CD's. There are maybe a few songs that were in the show in there but most of them aren't. It's a good thing I get to hear the score piece in there it's beautiful but the rest of the songs sucks. Don't even waste your money on the other Wonder Years CD's because most of them are the same as this one. Good thing I got my Kazaa to look at the list of songs that were in The Wonder Years so I can make my own instead of buying these crappy CD's.

"The Wonder Years" is (in my opinion) one of the best shows ever made. The music was WONDERful as well. It's classic TV and if you want classic music, music that has already been around for a very long time and loved by many, then buy this CD. You'll be happy you did! :)

I wasn't a fan of "Wonder Years," but when I heard Richie Havens's version of "Peace Train" on XM's The Village, I had to find the recording. Frankly, this one song's worth the price of the CD and a 5 star rating from a non-fan.

The rest vary. "For What it's Worth" by the Buffalo Springfield's always a great addition and so's Joe Cocker's "With a Little Help from My Friends." I could have done without hearing Debbie Gibson singing anything and we get two whole songs from her.

"20th Century Fox" by The Escape Club was a lost treasure. So was hearing Carole King doing "Will you Still Love me Tomorrow."

Overall, I don't regret the purchase. Wish the album was available on a track-by-track purchase, though!

Rebecca Kyle, July 2009

The Wonder Years is a show where almost anyone will love it and the CD lives up to those expectations!

Full of old classics, it brings to you the music of a whole generation. A must buy.

This cd is a total waste of money. The only good song on the cd is the sublime theme song... joe cocker's "with a little help from my friends" you might as well dish out the extra (dollar amount) or so and get 4 more cd's with the 5 disc set, it has the original artists (including the theme song) and this one does not....enough said.

I was sent a refund because this was pirated off of the Family Channel including LOGO on Screen!!!!!!
Morons....