Search - Gary Lewis & the Playboys :: Complete Liberty Singles

Top-of-the-line singles collection

Zub | Forks Twp., PA | 07/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As A&R man at Liberty Records in the early 60's, Thomas "Snuff" Garrett was behind a string of successful hits with the likes of Gene McDaniels, Johnny Burnette and Bobby Vee. In 1965, teaming up Jerry Lewis's son with a song originally intended as an r'n'b tune for the Drifters, Garrett launched Gary Lewis' pop music career with the chart-topping "This Diamond Ring". Lewis, with Garrett as producer, went on to have an uninterrupted string of top-20 hits for the next two years. But almost as quickly, due to a break with Garrett, induction into the army and with the fickle and ever-changing music-buying public, Lewis' chart successes diminished and by the end of 1969, he was gone from the top-100 forever. Before it was all over though, Gary Lewis and his Playboy band racked up an impressive 15 top-100 hits, half of which made the top 10.



Gary Lewis and the Playboys compilation CD's run the gamut from skimpy, budget pieces to comprehensive, career-spanning collections, the best of which has been EMI's "Legendary Master Series" CD. Here from Collectors' Choice however, is a complete singles collection, a feat heretofore not achieved. This two-disc set also distinguishes itself by presenting all the original mono mixes, many of which have not ever been available on CD. The degree of appeal of this set rests somewhat on the mono-purist, stereo soundstage debate but, for those demanding the original AM mix, this is the place to look.



The two discs with a total of 45 tracks contain all the a- and b-sides of Lewis' top-100 singles. Also included are a few intended-as-singles unreleased tunes, alternate b-sides and Lewis' remaining non-charting singles. While the sound quality has all the advantages of digital-age clarity, the feel of the original AM radio mixes is retained for the die-hard fan of the original sound of the 45's. Complementing the package is a 12-page liner notes booklet containing a detailed history of Lewis' stint at Liberty, some product illustrations along with production acknowledgements and additional background on some of the tracks.



Short of a complete box-set style anthology, this new set gathers up the musical legacy Gary Lewis and the Playboys better than any previous reissue available. While the casual fan may be satiated by one of the many other Gary Lewis collections available, this new piece from Collector's Choice goes beyond the usual and raises the bar a bit higher especially for the die-hard collector."

The last time i buy a gary lewis compilation

Micheal Yates | lexington, ky United States | 08/30/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"others have done a fine job summarizing the merits of this set.



it is a big deal that these are mono mixes because that's how they sounded and should sound.



that aside i bought this set because of the inclusion of a short little not very successful single--"hayride". i always loved it and have babied my 45 all these years and now it's on cd and i'm a happy guy.



lastly, since i grew up listening to this stuff and started work as a dj at 16 in 1968 i like to think i am a decent judge of pop music and there are some great "singles" here that hold up very well and don't sound like anybody else."

Dancing Under Starlit Skies

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 06/11/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gary Lewis & the Playboys captured my imagination back in junior high. I bought all the LPs and have bought a few re-releases of their music. This is the third compilation I have after the "Legendary Masters Series" and the "Complete" Gary Lewis discs. Surprisingly, Collectors Choice has brought something new. The two B-sides for "This Diamond Ring" were not tracks I'd previously heard. Liner notes relate how the original "Hard to Find" instrumental was replaced by the in-house "Tijuana Wedding" to save royalties. The hits sound fresh here from the addictive "Count Me In" to the single I wore out, "Save Your Heart for Me," "When the summer moon is on the rise & you're dancing under starlit skies, please don't let the stars get in your eyes." "Green Grass" never fails to bring forward hopeful emotions and "The Loser" rocks hard. On the second disc, "Mister Memory" sounds like a missed opportunity since it is a great song that was not released as a single. Although Gary Lewis & the Playboys time to record was over five years after it began, they produced an amazing quantity of music that made a joyful noise. I find myself popping the discs in the changer every few months, still striking a chord I want to hear. Enjoy!"