"It's no stretch to say Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings have had an interesting relationship. Bachman brought Cummings into the Guess Who before the iconic Canadian band hit the big time. Bachman's expulsion from the band in 1970 led to at least six years of acrimony before Cummings covered Bachman's BTO classic You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet on his 1976 solo debut. They played on each others' albums and on a TV special, then were part of the 1984 Guess Who reunion tour and live album (which has never been released on CD).
The pair toured as a duo in 1987 and even hit the studio together (now available as The Thunderbird Sessions), but fell out over ownership of their Guess Who songs and, as far as I know, didn't re-connect again until an impromptu Guess Who reunion at the 2000 (or was it 1999?) Pan American Games in Winnipeg. This led to another, more successful and critically acclaimed Guess Who reunion. That lasted several years and produced the excellent "Running Back Thru Canada" live album.
While often doing their own thing, Bachman and Cummings stuck together after that reunion ended, making a live DVD from a CBC TV special, a CD repackaging of their old hits as the Bachman Cummings Songbook and doing a nostalgia tour of their old material.
Which leads us to this package, their first time together in a studio in 20 years. Designed to look like an old-fashioned jukebox, it features 16 covers of their favourite songs from their early years (plus a cool shuffle arrangement of American Woman). Here's the full songlist:
Baby Come Back (first done by the Equals)
Who Do You Love (first done by Bo Diddley)
I'm Happy Just To Dance With You (Beatles)
The Walk (Jimmy McCracklin)
Don't Talk To Him (Cliff Richards & The Shadows)
Man of Mystery (an instrumental by The Shadows; Cummings doesn't play on it)
Ain't That Just Like A Woman (Fats Domino)
Little Queenie (Chuck Berry)
Good Times (Sam Cooke)
Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan)
Judy In Disguise With Glasses (John Fred & The Playboy Band)
Don't You Just Know It (Huey 'Piano' Smith & The Clowns)
Yeh Yeh (Georgie Fame)
Agent Double-0 Soul (Edwin Starr)
The Letter (Box Tops)
Ain't That Loving You Baby (Elvis)
American Woman 2007
As you can see, Bachman and Cummings rarely went for well known songs; this gives the album the feel of being all new, with a few covers thrown in. Even the well known songs often have a twist; the Dylan tune is done in the style of Jimi Hendrix's cranked up arrangement from his 1967 Monterey festival performance. And Who Do You Love contains snippets of Bo Diddley's other big hits (Not Fade Away and Hey Bo Diddley).
You won't get bored listening to Jukebox 'cause it contains so many styles. Baby Come Back rocks things up nicely, the Sam Cooke cover is the album's smoothest and most pleasing melody and Like A Rolling Stone is a thrashy rocker. This can be a little jarring, of course; right after Like A Rolling Stone comes Judy In Disguise, a certifiable, lighter-than-air pop ditty. Wow, what a shift! I think Bachman and Cummings really like that element of things; some songs have a party feel to them and you can just imagine Cummings grinning as he performs Starr's hokey take-off of the then-new James Bond movies.
The album, recorded with The Carpet Frogs, a Toronto band that backed the duo on their last tour, comes with a fantastic booklet; Cummings writes notes on every song and Bachman contributes an essay. Cummings is remarkably generous to his partner and sometimes rival; it's amazing to read his warm words and remember a 1988 Oshawa, Ont. concert where Cummings introduced Undun by telling the audience "this next song is written by the world's prized jerk". Ah, time heals all wounds, eh?
If you're buying this, I recommend getting the deluxe edition. It has a bonus DVD containing a very relaxed 20-minute black and white (why not colour? Hmmmm....) interview with the two, sitting in the recording studio and chatting up each song on the disc."
Lots of Fun
Chris Rowe | Raleigh, NC USA | 09/24/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"C'mon Amazon, the price is silly. Folks, if you want this cd, google the title and get it at a reasonable price (hopefully from the artist).
The album is great. It is so cool to see musicians of my generation that have continued to work at their craft. No retired comeback here, these guys have continued to play over the years. Cummings is in wonderful voice and is such an excellent piano player. Randy Bachman, in my opinion, has never been in better voice and his guitar playing is flawless and creative, very understated which has never been a trademark of his when he plays rock. Very nice record. I really like Cummings cover of "Don't Talk To Him". If it could get airplay, I really believe that it could be a hit record on adult listening charts. Bachman's cover of "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You" is also a gem. Not the only ones mind you, just my favorites today. If you are a fan of these guys (and I assume that you are because you are reading this) go out there and get the record, you will be very happy that you did.
Update: $9.99 om iTunes"
Old Tunes Live On!
J. Rose | Moultonboro, NH USA | 09/24/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This release is an absolute gem. Although all of the songs are familiar, I can't get them out of my mind. The CD rocks. "The Walk" is first rate and the less familiar Cliff Richard tune "Don't Talk to Him" is just great. Rock music has a tendency to either throw great songs away or to insist on listening to "the original artist/recording" etc. This disc says loud and clear that there is more to rock than that."
Jukebox brings back the old days
William E. Goodsene | Knightstown, IN | 08/31/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This one hits the mark! You could take away half the songs on this release, replace with filler, and it would still be a great compilation. This disc reminds me so much of growing up when I used to ride my bike miles to the nearest record shop to get the latest album from many of the bands I enjoyed in the 60's and early seventies. Seldom anymore do we get a release such as this that takes you back. I'm not talking about re-issues however, this disc gives new breath to these classic songs as if they were being done yesterday. Randy and Burton know how to cut loose when the time comes and their take on these songs is great!!! I have enjoyed the Guess Who since being in my teens, I'm now 50, and always admired the way these two gentlemen could compliment each others writing skills along with arrangement abilities such as that exhibited here. Buy this one and let that feeling of music enjoyment take you in, your feet will be tappin' I'm sure."
About: "Cover Versions"
PHILIP S WOLF | SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA. USA | 08/29/2008
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Opinions do indeed vary about the subject of an Musical Artist covering a song that is already well known to the World, as made popular or even {Gasp!} composed by that Artist. So, the question that I will throw out is that if the New Artist can not improve or re-invent a Song that is already well established to our ears, why ruin that Song forever with the "New" {Crummy} version.
Case Number One: The Who cover: "Young Man Blues" on their "Live at Leeds" LP in 1970, ever heard the original version as performed by Mose Allison? Most folks have not heard this original version, so the Brain-Fried Long Hairs of 1970, are about dumb enough to think that: "Young Man Blues", is a new Pete Townshend original 'Who' song.
Case Number Two: "Highway to Hell" by AC/DC is an established Ear-Crunching Classic of Hard Rock Land. Ever heard: "Highway to Hell", as performed by Celine Dion on that VH1 Diva-Dog-Dregs-Honors Broadcast? Short answer; "You don't want to!"
Well after all that we arrive at the Band: The Guess Who, and two former members of that Band...Randy Bachman & Burton Cummings. They have brought forth this CD of covers known to the World as: "Jukebox". Some of it is good and some of it is not so good. If you look up, you are gonna see some 5-Star Reviews posted here, well folks, 5-Stars means that this CD is the End-All, Best of the Best, Classic, Classic, Classic. It is time to be honest, this ain't no 5-Star CD!
Randy & Burton have selected some songs that mean something to each of them, that is a GOOD thing. But alas, lots of these tunes when transformed into music by Mr. Bachman and Mr. Cummings fall way short of the original versions, and that is a BAD thing.
The Bad: There are ton's of versions of: "Who Do You Love" out there already, the World does not need this Limp White-Bread-Souless version, that causes my poor ol' hound dog to howl. "Little Queenie" sounds like the cast of "Happy Days" is performing this at Arnold's Malt Shop. This is Lifeless Junk, that isn't even saved by Burton's fine piano work {Mixed into the background anyway.} "Good Times" is not doing Sam Cooke, any favors {hope for him that there are no CD players in Heaven!}
More Bad: "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You", this was a lousy Beatles tune, why would you wanna bring back a lousy song when The Beatles composed so many great songs, that you could have covered. First rule of picking a 'Cover' song...Pick a GOOD song to cover boys. "The Letter" isn't that BAD unless you play the original version by The Box Tops right after you have heard this...
There are some GOOD things included here: "Like a Rolling Stone" has some balls, it's no Jimi Hendrix, but it's good. "Judy in Disguise", is an improvement over the original {that one, I had no stomach for!} "Agent Double-O Soul" is very cool, this 'Cover' is by far the best track on: "Jukebox" {even Download worthy!} So it's not all BAD here, but it's mostly BAD.
And Randy & Burton have saved the Best for last...Listen to what they do to their own song, Track 17, on: "Jukebox" is from; "The Guess Who" in 1970 and it is called; "American Woman!!!" This cover by itself just about sums up the entire CD for me.....the original is great, this is...AAAARRGGGHHHH !!!!
Look, I like Randy and Burton, I'm glad that the feud is over and they are friends and musicial partners once more, this is a GOOD thing. When it comes to "Jukebox" there is a lot more BAD than GOOD to report, and that's a fact.