Search - Johnny Cymbal :: Very Best of

I knew Johnny Cymbal

Karen L Herrmann | Olmsted Falls, Ohio USA | 09/20/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is very good, a good indication of what his talent was. However, people think only of Mr.Bassman, and Cinnomin as his big hits, and then disapearing. He recorded another album,under Wes Farrell, called Cymbal and Clinger, which is great also, but never really made it past the West Coast. I would like to see this work reproduced on C.D"

Johnny Who?

Karen L Herrmann | 10/07/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Johnny will forever be remembered as a one hit wonder with Mr. Bass Man. . . if remembered at all. None the less, there are a couple of other cute songs on this CD if you like this type of oldies from the early sixties.This CD is produced by Taragon which has established a well deserved reputation for using the highest level master tapes in existence. This CD is no exception. All 12 tracks are in flawless true stereo. A note on the back of the CD states the following:"Tracks 1-11 are stereo ADD from the original 4 track session tapes, all other tracks are stereo AAD from the original 2 track mixdown master, tracks 5-11 appear in true stereo for the first time".The part of that statement that is a little confusing is "all other tracks". If 1-11 are from the session tapes then only "one" other track (12) is from the stereo mixdown master. Right? Go figure."

Not Quite A One-Hit Wonder

Karen L Herrmann | 08/05/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Technically, the reviewer from Beaverton is incorrect because, while Johnny Cymbal may not have exactly become a household name, he did produce five hits before fading into the woodwork.



From Cleveland, Ohio, and while under contract to the Kapp label, his novelty hit Mr. Bass Man rose to # 16 Billboard Hot 100 in April 1963, featuring ex-Cadillacs and Valentines bass Ronald Bright in the key parts (he had also performed a similar task on Who Put The Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp), a # 7 Hot 100 by Barry Mann in 1961). The flipside was Sacred Lovers Vow.



In June, Teenage Heaven made it to # 19 on the new Adult Contemporary charts as well as # 58 Hot 100 b/w Cinderella Baby. and that August he had Dum Dum Dee Dum top out at # 77 Hot 100 b/w (Surfin' At) Tia Juana.



Then, following a five-year absence from the charts, he resurfaced on the Bang label with the hit Cinnamon under the single name Derek, taking it to # 11 Hot 100 in December 1968 b/w This Is My Story. Not in this compilation, Cinnamon can be found on the CD Dick Bailey's 1-Hit Wonders Of The 60's Vol. 2. Once again, however, it seems as if Bailey overlooked the fact that Derek & Johnny Cymbal were one and the same. And even if he was referring only to his new persona, Cymbal returned to the charts in 1969 - again as Derek -with Back Door Man which peaked at # 59 Hot 100 in March b/w Sell Your Soul. After that he went into the record producing field. So, to pass him off as a one-hit wonder is unfair.



As for this compilation, since many earlier 10- to 12-tracks CDs are being re-issued with additional selections, it would be nice to see the one missing flipside [(Surfin' At) Tia Juana], and all four sides of his Derek hits included. In the meantime, the sound quality as excellent, as is the case with all Taragon releases"