LISBOA ABANOU!

Faz hoje 40 anos que ocorreu um violento abalo sísmico em Portugal (grau 7 da escala Mercalli), que sacudiu todo o País, lançando o pânico entre a população. Muitos milhares de pessoas passaram a madrugada ao relento, receando o grande, o decisivo novo terramoto que tudo desvastaria (e que nunca chegou a acontecer...)

GROUNDHOGS: "Thank Christ For The Bomb"

Original Released on LP Liberty LBS 83295 (June, 1970)

Let's not hog around here; Tony McPhee is probably the greatest living British bluesman of them all. Not only did he play great blues, he effortlessly churned out some of the best riffs ever recorded. A kind of Gallagher-meets-Blackmore, it took an unbelievable 30 years or more for people to begin giving him the credit he deserved. His group's third and best album, Thank Christ..., was a work of genius, with Ship On The Ocean and the controversial title track being particularly impressive.

The Groundhogs are currently back on the road.
(Barry Winton in Record Collector 354, October 2008)

PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY: SA SOUL

Original Released on LP CBS ASF 1627 (SA, 1971)

Not to be confused with the American band of the same name from 1966, this South African white soul group dominated the SA airwaves in the early 70s with songs like 'Amen', 'Give A Little Love', 'Hold On To What You Got', 'Part Of Someone' and 'Understanding'. Sung by the gravelly-voiced Brian Mulder, 'Understanding' is a powerful and imploring soul classic with a not so-subtle message for his cheating girlfriend. It reached #2 on the Springbok Radio charts in March 1971.

TERRY JACKS: "SEASONS IN THE SUN"

Original Released on LP Bell Records BELLS 239

(July 1974)

Canadian singer/songwriter/guitarist Terry Jacks was born on the 19th March, 1944, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. With his wife, Susan Pesklevits, he formed The Poppy Family in 1967, with whom he found worldwide success with his own song hit "Which Way You Goin' Billy", in 1970. It was #1 in Canada, #2 in The States and #7 in Britain.

During 1973, Terry's marriage to Susan officially dissolved, but not before they had collaborated in the recording of a pair of individual solo albums, in the form of Susan's "I Tought Of You Again" and this one, Terry's "Seasons In The Sun" (with Susan putting in a cameo appearance on "Sail Away"). The title track was an old French song, written and composed by Jacques Brel, for which poet/songwriter Rod McKuen had written an English-lyric adaptation. The song, about a dying man, had originally been entitled "Le Moribond". The first Anglicised version of the song had been recorded by The Kingston Trio in 1963, whilst British band The Fortunes had also released a version on single in 1968.

Terry had produced a version of "Seasons In The Sun" for The Beach Boys in 1972, although the recording was not deemed to be totally successful and was consigned to the filling cabinet. Encouraged by Susan, he recorded his own version of the song, for which the arrangement on the aborted Beach Boys version undoubtedly served as a template. Terry altered some of the song's lyrics for his own version to make the song more commercial and slightly less maudlin, particularly in the final verse.

"Seasons In The Sun" / "Put The Bone In" was released as a single at the end of 1973 on Terry Jacks' own Goldfish Records in Canada. The single not only went on to top the Canadian charts but also became the biggest selling Canadian single in history. This huge success attracted the attention of Bell Records who gave the single a worldwide release in early 1974. It remained in US #1 for 3 weeks and also topped the British charts for 4 weeks. The song gave Terry Jacks a #1 hit in many other countries, including Germany, where he released a German-language version under the title of "In Den Gärten Der Zeit". As a song, "Seasons In The Sun" has proven its popularity over the years by being perfomed by acts as diverse as Nirvana and Westlife (whose version gave them a UK #1 hit in 1999).

The original album is presented here with 4 bonus tracks: "Put The Bone In" (the B-side of "Seasons In The Sun") and also Terry's subsequent singles: "If You Go Away" (another Brel's composition, the imortal "Ne Me Quitte Pas") / "Me And You" (1974) and "Rock 'n' Roll (I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life)" (A-side single, 1975).

DONOVAN'S SECOND ALBUM

Original Released on LP PYE NLP 18138

(UK, 1965, October 22)

Released in October 1965, Donovan's 2nd album for Pye Records is represented here by Tracks 1 to 12 and it's something of a lost Sixties Folk/Rock classic. The album's opener "Colours" is a balls-to-the-wall 60's classic - it truly is. "Fairytale" features a lot of tracks like that - just Donovan and his acoustic guitar - more Folk than Pop really. In fact, when you hear almost any track on this very hard-to-find LP, it's easy to see why Donovan was often referred to as Britain's Bob Dylan. And it wasn't just because of the similar vocal styles - they were both such good songwriters and commentators on the times. Highlights include "The Ballad Of A Crystal Man" which is represented on this disc twice - the full album version and the edited EP version - it's a fantastically strong and emotive anti-Vietnam piece equal to anything his Bobness put out on the other side of the pond. Lyrically the other songs are equally clever and even witty too. There's a "violent hash smoker" in "Sunny Goodge Street", while a quietly sinister "Jersey Thursday" gives us sly white powder references, "on a tiny piece of coloured glass, my love was born - and reds, and golds and yellows were the colours of the dawn..." Oh yeah!! The extras (13 to 18) also make the purchase so worthwhile for fans. "Turquoise" and "Hey GYP (Dig The Slowness)" are his 3rd 7" single for Pye Records and both tracks are non-album. The last four songs, "Universal Soldier", "Do You Hear Me Now", "Ballad Of A Crystal Man" and "The War Drags On" are again non-album and make up the 4-tracks of the rare UK-only "Universal Soldier EP" from September 1965. ("Universal Soldier" and "Do You Hear Me Now" were released as a 7" in the States on Hickory). So - a good album bolstered up with relevant bonuses. And the remastered sound quality on all is excellent too - very clear and not excessively hissy like some Sixties recordings can be. "Fairytale" is a snip at any price for fans and a great way of discovering the wildly underrated Donovan for the uninitiated - especially those who want to veer away from his better-known hits. Highly Recommended. (Mark Barry)

FOUR JACKS AND A JILL (1967)

Original Released on LP RCA Victor 32-310

(SA, 1967)

AL STEWART'S LOVE CHRONICLES

Original Released in January 1969

UK: LP CBS 63460; US: LP EPIC BN26564

Glasgow-born in 1945, Al Stewart has been an amazingly prolific and successful musician across 40 years and counting (as of 2009), working in a dizzying array of stylistic modes and musical genres — in other words, he's had a real career, and has done it without concerning himself too much about trends and the public taste. He's been influenced by several notables, to be sure, including his fellow Scot (and slightly younger contemporary) Donovan, as well as Ralph McTell, Bob Dylan, and John Lennon — but apart from a passing resemblance to Donovan vocally, he doesn't sound quite like anyone else, and has achieved his greatest success across four decades with songs that are uniquely his and impossible to mistake.

This Al Stewart's second album is most renowned for the 18-minute title track, an autobiographical recount of different love affairs with guitar by Jimmy Page. That track was also quite controversial for its day in its use of the word "fucking" at one point in the lyrics, though that's not typical of the tone of the composition. It's actually not the best of the six songs on the record, which saw Stewart wisely discard the orchestration of his debut in favor of fairly straight-ahead folk-rock backing. "Ballad of Mary Foster" is Stewart's best early song, as a two-part suite neatly divided between brusque cynical commentary on a bourgeois English family and the introspective musings of the ravaged wife. That second part bears considerable similarity in melody and tempo, incidentally, to sections of the far more famous Stewart song "Roads to Moscow." The rest of the album has additional solid vignettes in the standard gentle yet detached Stewart mold, the best of them being "Life and Life Only," which exploits his knack for insistent, repetitive minor-keyed hooks. (in AllMusic)

TEN YEARS AFTER: "STONEDHENGE"

Original Released on LP Deram SML 1029

(UK, 1969, February 22)

«Everywhere they go they receive standing ovations and wide public acclaim. The musical press of the world are hot on their heels. Likewise the audiences, the numbers of which are incresing in almost overwhelming proportions at every new appearance. Ten Years After have most decidedly made an indelible mark on all who have heard or seen them.

STONEDHENGE was not a hustle and bustle 'factory-made' product. The sessions ranged over a period of some three weeks during which time much ground was covered - some not even evident here. And as Alvin, Chick, Leo and Ric will agree, we've taken a few sizeable steps these last months. But the climax is still some distance away. When Ten Years After finally arrive, watch out baby! The whole world will know and hear of it!»

Mike Vernon, Producer (London, 1969)

THE MANY FACES OF GENE ROCKWELL

Original Released on LP Gallotone GALP 1453

(SA, 1966)

Gene Rockwell was born Gert Smit in Krugersdorp, South Africa, on the 27th December 1944 and sadly passed away on the 3rd July 1998. He won his first talent competition at the age of 15, in Durban’s “Little Top”. Still in his teens, Gene formed The Blue Angels, later to become The Falcons, in 1963, with whom he played guitar and sang his famous gritty-blues-style songs.
The year 1965 saw the birth of one of the biggest ever South African pop hits. “Heart” made it straight to the top of the LM Radio Top 20. Backed by The Dan Hill Orchestra, the single has sold over two-and-a-half million copies. He has continued to score hits in SA ever since, though no subsequent single of his has equalled the success of “Heart”.
In 1973 Gene Rockwell was invited to sing at the Sir Walter Raleigh Club in Vancouver, his month-long stint proving so successful, he stayed on for another two. Meanwhile, his style had changed to country music, with songs like “Rosie”, “Busted” or “Torture”.

Gene Rockwell’s contribution to the SA Music Industry was honoured in 1976 when he was awarded The Shure Golden Microphone Award. He is now a legend in South African pop and country music. But personally I prefer the pop years from which this album is picked up.

SOUTH AFRICAN BEAT COLLECTION 5

Here is the Number Five! If anybody needs some of the previous volumes, just send me an email and I'll provide you the links.

DANA VALERY

Original Released on LP CBS ALD 6747 (SA, 1964)

A TRIBUTE TO THE HURDY GURDY MAN

HEDGEHOPPERS ANONYMUS

Banda inglesa formada em 1963 e composta por Mick Tinsley (vocais), John Stewart (guitarra solo), Alan Laud (guitarra ritmica), Ray Honeybull (guitarra baixo) e Leslie Dash (bateria). Começaram por se chamar The Trendsetters, mas devido ao facto de, com excepção de Alan, todos eles trabalharem nas instalações da Royal Air Force em Peterborough, resolveram alterar o nome para Hedgehoppers (uma das características dos pilotos da RAF era o voo a baixas altitudes, em inglês “hedge hopping”).
Na primavera de 1965, Jonathan King, produtor da Decca Records, tinha composto uma canção de protesto sobre a bomba atómica e os seus efeitos devastadores chamada “It’s Good News Week”, e procurava um novo grupo que pudesse interpretar esse tema. Viu os Hedgehoppers a actuarem num bar chamado “Cambridge Corn Exchange” e contratou-os, acrescentando a palavra “Anonymus” ao nome do grupo. A gravação teve lugar num estúdio londrino, com direcção musical de Arthur Greenslade (consta que Jimmy Page participou também na sessão), e a canção tornou-se rapidamente num grande sucesso (que seria o único da banda), chegando ao nº 5 das tabelas de venda inglesas. A versão original que foi distribuida pelas estações de rádio continha um verso alusivo à matança de vacas sagradas na Asia, o qual foi posteriormente retirado pela editora, por ser considerado ofensivo. E foi já sem este verso que o single chegou às lojas.

O tema, numa outra versão, foi usado nos finais dos anos 90 num programa cómico da televisão Australiana, intitulado precisamente “Good News Week” (1996 – 2000).
Devido a compromissos profissionais Dash e Honeybull abandonam o grupo, sendo substituídos por Tom Fox e Glenn Martin. Gravam mais 4 singles, mas sem o sucesso do primeiro, o que leva ao desmembramento do grupo nos finais de 1966, não sem antes terem participado no filme “Run With The Wind”, juntamente com The Nashville Teens e Sean Phillips. Mike Tinsley compôs ainda diversos temas interpretados por Joe Dolan e Kelly Marie, entre outros.

THE SINGLES:
- "It's Good News Week" / "Afraid Of Love"

(Decca F 12241, 1965/09) UK#5
- "Don't Push Me" / "Please Don't Hurt Your Heart For Me"

(Decca F 12298,1965/12)

- "Baby (You're My Everything)" / "Remember"

(Decca F 12400, 1966/05)
- "Daytime" / "That's The Time"

(Decca F 12479, 1966/08)

- "Stop Press" / "Little Memories"

(Decca F 12530, 1966/12)

Das cinzas dos Hedgehoppers Anonymus e depois de sucessivas entradas e saídas, é formado um novo grupo que adopta o nome inicial (já sem o “Anonymus” portanto) que depois de algumas digressões pela Europa chega à África do Sul nos finais de 1968, onde começam por tocar numa boite de Durban, antes de se fixarem definitivamente em Johannesburg. No ano seguinte conseguem um hit local, “Mary, Mary” e dois anos depois gravam um album intitulado “HEY!”. Nesta altura, Julho de 1971, o grupo é constituído pelo seguinte quarteto: Andy Ioannides (vocalista), Mick Matthews (guitarra), Colin Turner (guitarra-baixo) e Bill Honeyman (bateria). O single “A Song For Pete”, extraído do album, chega ao nº 5 da LM Radio, mantendo-se no TOP 20 durante oito semanas. O segundo single do album, “Hey!” faz também sucesso, atingindo o 6º lugar da mesma tabela de venda e torna-se o maior êxito do grupo em terras sul-africanas. Em 1972 é ainda editado o single “Blue, Blue, Blue”, mas Bill Honeyman e Colin Turner morrem num acidente de carro, e o grupo acaba de vez. Mick Matthews ainda se junta aos Ballyhoo em 1975 com os quais toca alguns anos antes de iniciar uma carreira a solo. No início da década de 80 participa ainda da Millar-Matthews Band.

Nesta compilação, e apesar de se tratar de dois grupos totalmente distintos, reúnem-se os 5 singles dos primeiros Hedgehoppers Anonymus e o album “Hey!” dos segundos Hedgehoppers.

JOHNNY AND THE G-MEN

Original Released on LP Teal TL 1001 (SA, 1962)

Mais uma preciosidade rara, "made in South Africa"

UNA VALLI: A SENSATIONAL TEENAGER!

Original Released on LP CBS ALD 6758 (SA, 1964)

Para quem desconhece a música pop que se fazia na África do Sul nos idos de sessenta, esta Una Valli será certamente mais uma ilustre desconhecida. Quando gravou este primeiro album a solo tinha apenas 14 anos. Descoberta em 1963 por um tal John Walker durante uma actuação ao vivo, foi de imediato convidada a participar em "Stars of Tomorrow", um programa radiofónico da Springbok. Nesse mesmo ano grava o 1º single, "Dreamboat"/"My Dream" (com o conjunto The Tempos). Segue-se esta estreia em long playing, de onde são extraídos vários singles de sucesso. De assinalar que Una foi a primeira pessoa a gravar o hit "Do-Wah-Diddy", célebre em todo o mundo na versão de Manfred Mann (também de origem sul-africana - nasceu em Johannesburg com o nome de Manfred Lubowitz, em 1940).

Participa no filme "Africa Shakes" e em 1965 são editados "There Goes The Boy I Love With Mary"/Let It Happen To Me" e "Send It With A Kiss"/Red Letter Day"(ambos com o conjunto The Valiants) e mais dois singles aparecem em 1966: "Here I Stand"/"Love Is You, Love Is Me" e "I'll Coming Running Over"/"Not In This World". Nessa altura Una Valli é já considerada a melhor voz soul de toda a África do Sul. Tem 16 anos, é fã dos Beatles (cujas canções conhece de cor e salteado) e ainda frequenta o liceu, em Forrest Hill. Mais um single, em 1967, "Why Don't I Run Away From Me"/"Try To Understand" e mais um album em Abril de 1968, "Soul Meeting" gravado com os conjuntos The Flames e Peanut Butter Conspiracy e no qual se podem ouvir magníficas versões de clássicos como "Satisfaction", "Tell Mama", "Yesterday", "You Are My Sunshine", "Respect" ou "My Guy" (se alguém conseguir arranjar este lendário album, que também foi editado em Inglaterra, agradecia que me informasse). Chega ainda a colaborar no album "The Love Power", de Wanda Arletti (Maio de 69), e a actuar com os conjuntos The Hustlers e The Dominoes, antes de deixar a África do Sul e se radicar definitivamente na América.

DOES ANYBODY HAS THE LEGENDARY ALBUM "SOUL MEETING" (1968), BY UNA VALLI, THE FLAMES AND PEANUT BUTTER CONSPIRACY? I'M LOOKING FOR IT A LONG LONG TIME...

Walk Right In... To the Swingiest Bash on Record!

This is an original and exciting collection of South Africa Beat Music, edited in 1965 on LP EMI-Parlophone (PMCJ 12026). See back cover for details and... HAVE FUN!

GOODBYE TO CREAM

Original Released on LP Polydor 583-053 (1969/02/05)

Gravado em parte ao vivo, no Forum de Los Angeles, em Outubro de 1968, e em parte nos estúdios IBC de Londres, em Dezembro de 1968. Último album do grupo, e por isso mesmo com um título a condizer, atingiria o 1º lugar britânico e o 2º lugar norte-americano nas respectivas tabelas de venda.

After a mere three albums in just under three years, Cream called it quits in 1969. Being proper gentlemen, they said their formal goodbyes with a tour and a farewell album called — what else? — Goodbye. As a slim, six-song single LP, it's far shorter than the rambling, out-of-control Wheels of Fire, but it boasts the same structure, evenly dividing its time between tracks cut on-stage and in the studio. While the live side contains nothing as indelible as "Crossroads," the live music on the whole is better than that on Wheels of Fire, capturing the trio at an empathetic peak as a band. It's hard, heavy rock, with Cream digging deep into their original "Politician" with the same intensity as they do on "Sitting on Top of the World," but it's the rampaging "I'm So Glad" that illustrates how far they've come; compare it to the original studio version on Fresh Cream and it's easy to see just how much further they're stretching their improvisation. The studio side also finds them at something of a peak. Boasting a song apiece from each member, it opens with the majestic classic "Badge," co-written by Eric Clapton and George Harrison and ranking among both of their best work. It's followed by Jack Bruce's "Doing That Scrapyard Thing," an overstuffed near-masterpiece filled with wonderful, imaginative eccentricities, and finally, there's Ginger Baker's tense, dramatic "What a Bringdown," easily the best original he contributed to the group. Like all of Cream's albums outside Disraeli Gears, Goodbye is an album of moments, not a tight cohesive work, but those moments are all quite strong on their own terms, making this a good and appropriate final bow.

(Stephen Thomas Erlewine in AllMusic)

VIRGINIA LEE: HER "EARLY RECORDINGS"

Esta compilação (1961 - 1964) reúne algumas das primeiras gravações de Virginia Lee, cantora sul-africana que começou a sua carreira como artista convidada em albuns de Archie Silansky ou Dan Hill. Como peculiaridade assinala-se a sua capacidade em cantar em diversos dialectos, muitas vezes sem sequer os conhecer. Nesta coletânea podemos ouvi-la cantar em 8 diversas línguas, mas ao longo dos anos chegou às dezasseis! Refira-se "A Noiva" e especialmente "Coimbra" (uma fantástica versão em ritmo de cha cha cha), nas quais canta em português (ou será "africanês"?).

Does anybody has the 1st volume?

O "MÉDICO" E O "MONSTRO" DOS BYRDS

Dez anos depois de o Rock ‘n’ Roll ter perdido um dos seus mais carismáticos percursores – Buddy Holly, com 22 anos – num desastre de aviação ocorrido a 3 de Fevereiro de 1959 e que também vitimou Ritchie Valens (17 anos) e Big Bopper (28 anos), Eduardo Mondlane, primeiro líder da Frelimo era assassinado pela PIDE/DGS e a OLP elegia Yasser Arafat para seu presidente. Em Inglaterra Allein Klein tornava-se o empresário comercial dos Beatles, contrariando Paul McCartney que nesse mesmo dia participava na gravação do tema “My Dark Hour”, dos Steve Miller Band, nos Air Studios, em Londres, tocando guitarra-baixo e bateria, e fazendo ainda parte dos coros.

Do outro lado do Atlântico os Byrds editavam o seu sétimo album de originais, este “Dr. Byrds & Mr. Hyde”, em que a vertente rock é bastante mais acentuada do que no seu predecessor, “Sweetheart of the Rodeo”, cuja tónica country tinha decepcionado muitos dos originais fans do grupo.

MONSTROS E MONSTROS

Faz hoje 40 anos que desapareceu um dos grandes ícones do cinema de terror. Nasceu em Londres, a 23 de Novembro de 1887, com o nome de William Henry Pratt, mas desde os 22 anos que adoptou o nome pelo qual seria mundialmente conhecido: Boris Karloff (segundo ele, o nome Karloff veio dos ancestrais russos pelo lado da sua mãe e Boris foi escolhido ao acaso). Foi durante uma digressão com uma companhia de Ontário, Canadá, para onde emigrou depois de ter frequentado uma Universidade londrina com a intenção de se tornar diplomata.

Durante dez anos viveu uma vida de saltimbanco sem eira nem beira até chegar a Hollywood no início da década de 20. Começou então a desempenhar pequenos papéis, em filmes e séries de orçamento reduzido, até que em 1931 lhe saíu a “sorte grande” ao ser escolhido para desempenhar o papel do monstro de "Frankenstein" (o filme foi um grande sucesso de bilheteria e arrecadou cerca de 12 milhões de dólares, superando em muito a modesta produção de 250 mil dólares). A partir daí nunca mais deixou de povoar os medos das audiências através das muitas dezenas de filmes que interpretou ao longo de mais quatro décadas (isto apesar de apenas cerca de 1/3 dos filmes que rodou terem sido do género que o celebrizou).

Na intimidade foi o prototipo do refinado gentleman inglês, sempre rodeado de amigos (foi vizinho de Christopher Lee durante muitos anos) e sobretudo de crianças, no meio das quais se sentiu sempre muito à vontade, e para as quais gravou muitos albuns de histórias. Bobby Pickett, que gravou o original de “Monster Mash”, ficou deliciado quando o actor interpretou a conhecida canção durante um programa especial de televisão. Aqui ficam os posters de alguns dos seus filmes:




Neste mesmo dia, em 1969, outra criatura que também nos deu muitos pesadelos, de seu nome Yoko Ono, consegue finalmente o divórcio do primeiro marido, Anthony Cox, ficando com a custódia da filha, Kyoko, e também com as portas abertas para o ataque final a John Lennon.

HAIR - ORIGINAL LONDON CAST (1969)

HAIR was created by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, two out-of-work actors who, according to Rado, "were aware of the traditional Broadway format, but we wanted to create something new, something different, something that translated to the stage the wonderful excitement we felt in the streets." This "excitement" was that of the long-haired, peace-loving, freewheeling hippies of New York's East Village.

Though HAIR is known as a musical of the late 60's (it was subtitled "The American Tribal Love/Rock Musical"), it questions the standards of morality, sexuality, individualism, racism, violence, drug use, loyalty, and social acceptance.

The show opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theater on April 29, 1968. It closed on July 1, 1972 after 1,742 performances.

Not long afterwards, on September 27, it opened in London at the equally respectable Shaftesbury Theatre, where it swiftly became the most popular show in the West End - 1,998 performances until closure was forced by the roof collapsing in July 1973 (I was lucky enough to see it just a month earlier...)

The show challenged many of the norms held by Western society at the time. It caused controversy when it was first staged, and much publicity was provoked by the Act I finale which included male and female nudity. This became a legal issue when the show left New York on tour. Stage nudity was acceptable in New York at that time but was unknown elsewhere in the U.S. The show was also charged with the desecration of the American flag and the use of obscene language. The case eventually went to the U.S. Supreme Court. The show also effectively marked the end of stage censorship in the United Kingdom.

This original recording from January 1969, featuring the London Cast (The first-release original London tribe included Paul Nicholas, Richard O'Brien, Melba Moore, Elaine Paige, Tim Curry, Marsha Hunt and Alex Harvey), captures all the wild excitement of a very special opening night. It's got everything - great songs, superb perfomances and a real sense of occasion. That's what great musicals are all about.

DUSTY IN MEMPHIS

Original Released on LP Atlantic #8214

(1969, January 17)

Sometimes memories distort or inflate the quality of recordings deemed legendary, but in the case of Dusty in Memphis, the years have only strengthened its reputation. The idea of taking England's reigning female soul queen to the home of the music she had mastered was an inspired one. The Jerry Wexler/Tom Dowd/Arif Mardin production and engineering team picked mostly perfect songs, and those that weren't so great were salvaged by Springfield's marvelous delivery and technique. This set has definitive numbers in "So Much Love," "Son of a Preacher Man," "Breakfast in Bed," "Just One Smile," "I Don't Want to Hear About It Anymore," and "Just a Little Lovin'" and three bonus tracks: an unreleased version of "What Do You Do When Love Dies," "Willie & Laura Mae Jones" and "That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-De-Ho)." It's truly a disc deserving of its classic status. (in AllMusic)