Mercy, Mercy, Mercy: A Collection

Buckinghams

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 27, 1991)
• Original Release Date: August 27, 1991
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000027PL
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #11,048 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

These clean-cut Chicagoans were unrepentantly commercial popsters whose wholesomely catchy, horn-laced '60s hits retain their bubblegum charm three decades after the fact. The 18 track Mercy, Mercy, Mercy is an exemplary best-of disc, collecting all of the group's major hits, i.e. "Kind of A Drag," "Don't You Care," "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)," and "Susan." Meanwhile, less familiar numbers like covers of Lloyd Price's "Lawdy Miss Clawdy," the Beatles' "I Call Your Name," and a vocal interpretation of the Cannonball Adderley jazz tune that provides the collection's title suggest that there was more substance to the band than its squeaky-clean hits let on. --Scott Schinder

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MERCY MERCY! A GREAT CD!, July 23, 2003

By	R. Barnes "Music Collector" (Ft. Lauderdale, Florida) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is one of the late 60's bands that Columbia Records pushed heavily, along with Paul Revere and the Raiders, The Union Gap, and others. This tight pop-rock band was originally from Chicago, and contains the trademark vocals of Dennis Tufano and the licks guitarist Carl Giammarise. This core still tours today, and have not aged at all. Live they are still excellent.

About that time, Al Kooper and James William Guercio were asked to produce a then known just-got-famous band just "bought over" from USA Records and their first and only number 1 hit "Kind If A Drag" in January 1967. All Kooper started Blood Sweat and Tears in 1967, and Mr. Guercio tackled the Buckinghams and Blood Sweat and Tears before he hit REALLY big with Chicago in 1969.

You can hear the Producers brass influence immediately with their second hit "Don't You Care". It was followed by the crossover hit "Mercy Mercy Mercy" (also successfully done earlier that year by Cannonball Adderly).

That was there last top ten hit. They did hit top 15 twice in succession with the well known "Hey Baby(They're Playing Our Song)" and the much more progressive "Suzanne". "Back In Love Again" and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" Rounds out the top thirty stay.

Whats amazing is that all there top 15 hits occurred in rapid succession in the January 1967 - December 1967 time frame.

This collection is one of the best out today, with all their hits plus some, many cuts for a CD this cheap, and from a distinctively unique sounding group who were one of my favorites and hopefully yours. In their short time frame, they produced excellent and well crafted Pop, remembered today and instantly identifiable.

This is a great CD at a great price, and a superb addition to any 60's library. Very "MOR" sounding, and worth listening too. Highly recommended. Good Listening!

30 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Have Mercy! The Best of the Buckinghams, January 30, 2000

By	Steve Vrana (Aurora, NE) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

For one brief moment--1967--the Buckinghams were as popular as any band on the planet. Their first chart success, "Kind of a Drag," spent two weeks at No. 1. It was followed quickly by "Don't You Care," "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" and "Susan."

Producer James Guercio (who would go on to produce Chicago) gave the band a brass-rock sound and powerful lead vocals by Dennis Tufano defined the group's sound.

In addition to the hits, this collection includes the band's first three USA singles(all of them covers): James Brown's "Ill Go Crazy," the Beatles' "I Call Your Name" and the Hollies' "I've Been Wrong Before." While these songs did well locally in Chicago, it took "Kind of a Drag" to break the group nationally.

After "Susan," their fifth hit, went to No. 11; the follow-up, "Back in Love Again," was a disappointing No. 57. Their next album had an eerily prophetic title: In One Ear and Gone Tomorrow. There would be no more hits.

This album gives you the hits, the misses, key album tracks and one previoulsy unreleased song: the Dennis Tufano original "You." While the band continues on the oldies circuit, this CD stands as a testament of the high-energy rock 'n' roll they unleashed. RECOMMENDED

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome single CD compilation, April 21, 2008

By	Matthew G. Sherwin (last seen screaming at Amazon customer service) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy: A Collection is a very strong single CD compilation by The Buckinghams; they were a famous group with a lot of hits in the 1960s. The sound quality is excellent and I love that artwork!

"Kind Of A Drag" is definitely one of the best rock and roll torch songs of the golden era of rock and roll. The Buckinghams harmonize very well and the music that goes with their singing fits in perfectly! "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" is a catchy cover of Lloyd Price's tune that belies the seriousness of the lyrics; you'll be dancing in the aisles over this one! The harmonica works well for this number and the brass is used to great advantage while The Buckinghams again harmonize wonderfully.

"I'll Go Crazy" has complicated tempo changes but the group handles these seemingly effortlessly. Of course, we know it really wasn't all that easy; but The Buckinghams were so talented they made it look as easy as breathing! "Makin' Up And Breakin' Up" gets a snazzy interpretation from The Buckinghams who deliver this way beyond perfection! "Makin' Up And Breakin' Up" is a major highlight of this album. "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," the title track of this album, sounds new and fresh whenever I hear it! I love every minute of it; these guys sure could sing!

"Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" is one of the greatest hits ever for The Buckinghams; the melody is very pretty and the keyboard work enhances the natural beauty of this ballad. This torch song rocks and The Buckinghams bat this one straight out of the ballpark! In addition, there's also "Back In Love Again." "Back In Love Again" is a poignant ballad and they really rock hard on this magnificent tune. I'm very impressed.

"Where Did You Come From" is a beautiful song that tugs at my heartstrings whenever I hear The Buckinghams sing it; the musical arrangement is particularly lush and it all works wonders for this tune. "It's a Beautiful Day (For Lovin')" features The Buckinghams squarely front and center--and that's right where this group belongs! They sing and play "It's A Beautiful day (For Lovin')" so well that I play this a second time on my CD player when I get a chance to hear it.

"I Got A Feelin'" shines like silver and gold when The Buckinghams perform it so well; and the album also ends well with The Buckinghams performing "You." "You" is a strong ballad to end this album and that works great!

The Buckinghams were truly a great group and this CD shows you why! I highly recommend this for fans of rock and roll from the 1960s.