Search - Josie & The Pussycats :: Stop Look & Listen: The Capitol Recordings

A dream come true....if you can find it!!

Matthew, Josie and the pussycats fr | 03/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Josie and the Pussycats was always one of my favorite cartoons and still is, it was just fun to watch, and just made me feel good afterwards, maybe because of the whole "good guys win" vibe. I know a lot of people consider it a Scooby doo clone, but so what? The Flintstones was a Honeymooners clone, so why not? I guess I can see the Scooby similarities, Alan the roadie was Fred on steroids, and Alex the band manager was Shaggy with shades (both voiced by Casey Kasem), but Scooby and the gang were always running after some villan in a mask whereas Josie and the gang were on tour most of the time in crappy places that Alex booked them in, always mixed up with some over the top villan trying to take over the world. Also, there were three good looking women playing rock and roll, Josie the lead singer, guitar player and straight main character, Valerie, the smart one and first african american character in a cartoon show and Melody the ditzy blond drummer who had some of the best lines as well as Alexandra, the bitchy sister of Alex who hated Josie and wanted to be the lead singer of Josie and the pussycats and also wanted the affections of Josie's boyfriend, roadie Alan. But, I always loved the music too which was played during the chase scenes (am I the only one who thinks the chase scenes are a little like the Monkees romps?) so when I had heard that Rhino hand made was putting out a cd of music from the cartoon, I couldn't believe it, I didn't think it would ever happen in my lifetime. I thought it was kinda sneaky it was only available through Rhino hand made, but the fact it was available at all was great, because there seems to be nothing for Josie collectibles.

Anyways, why the long introduction? Just wanted to explain in case you haven't heard of the show and because i figure the cd is out of print now (which sucks) so this review might be a little obsolete (and probably never be read), but I love the cartoon and the cd so here goes. Here is a list of all the songs:

1. Every beat of my heart

2. La La La (If I had you)

3. Stop Look and Listen (Bobby Sherman cover)

4. Hand clapping song

5. I'll be there (Jackson Five cover)

6. You've come a long way baby

7. (They long to be) Close to you (Carpenters cover)

8. Roadrunner

9. Lie, Lie, Lie

10. It don't matter to me (Bread cover)

11. Every beat of my heart (Single version)

12. It's alright by me (b side)

13. Stop look and listen (Single version)

14. You've come a long way baby (Single version)

15. A letter to mama

16. Inside, Outside, upside-down

17. Josie and the pussycats (Long version)

18. With every beat of my heart

19. Voodoo

20. If that isn't love

21. I wanna make you happy

22. It's gotta be him

23. Lie, Lie, Lie (Alternate mix)

24. You've come a long way baby (Alternate mix 1)

25. You've come a long way baby (Alternate mix 2)

26. Together

27. Dreammaker

28. The time to love

29. Josie and the pussycats theme (hidden track)



The first ten tracks are from the long lost 1970 Josie lp that Capitol released (try to find it, I usuallly see it on ebay for some rediculous amount), and has some songs from the cartoon in slightly different versions as well as four cover songs. Tracks 11-14 are singles released by Capitol also in different versions than on the show (some of the tracks have horn and string overdubs, again slightly differing from the versions heard on the cartoons).

Tracks 15-22 were only available through Kellogs cereals, so you had to send away for them, these include the groovy Voodoo and Inside outside upside down (two of my favorite tracks on the cd) as well as a longer version of the Josie theme.

The last 6 tracks are also a dream come true, unreleased Josie tracks! An alternate version of Lie Lie Lie (the original version is also a favorite) as well as two versions of You've come a long way baby (neither sound like the version that was on the cartoon, oh well, just nice to see them here). The last three tracks have been on the cartoon at one point or another and was blown away when they were included. The last track is unlisted, the Josie theme without Sebastion's snicker (Sebastian was Alexandra's cat, who always got the gang out of tough spots in case your wondering).

Anyway, I love this cd, but I kinda wish the tracks "Clock on the wall" and "I think i love you too much" were included, both were on the cartoon show as well as anything from the Outer space cartoon (the theme would have been nice but oh well, probably lost of something, the fact that this cd was even available is cool!) Oh yeah, Cheryl Ladd (from Charlie's angels) is also one of the singers on here. I kinda have a hard time telling the difference between her and Cathy Dougher (one of the other singers), I kinda wish they put in the liner notes who sang lead on what, but oh well.

The sound quality is excellent, and the booklet is really nice featuring stills from the show as well as the original lp cover from the 1970 album.

Despite some of my complaints, this is a fun cd and a dream come true. Now, If they would release a dvd of all the Josie and the pussycats cartoons, that would be awesome.

"

Great Cartoon Fun ---- But Great Classic Music Too!

Jeffrey G. Rhodes | 09/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Love this CD - Wish it was more widely released... it should have been? I wish that Rhino could have also discovered the last missing song (from the original show) "Clock on the Wall" to include on this disc! oh well!

The addition of the "Josie and the Pussycats in Outter Space" songs would have been nice too! --- to make this collection a "COMPLETE COLLECTION"!



All in all.... Fantastic Booklet with interesting notes, art work and photos topped off with A+ sound quality... mix in loads of memories of Saturday mornings past with a bowl of Quisp Cereal and it all adds up to = F.U.N. for your ears!

No Pussycat's Fan should be with out this CD! Bravo Rhino Handmade Records!"

Come on, watch the good guys win!

Johnny Heering | Bethel, CT United States | 07/12/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Josie and the Pussycats was a Hanna-Barbera cartoon from 1970, based on an Archie Comic. It starred an all-girl musical trio, so naturally, they needed some music for the show. Producers Danny Janssen and Bobby Young were put in charge of the music. They hired three beautiful girl singers to provide the Pussycats singing voices, including future Charlie's Angel Cheryl Ladd. The music was the type of bubblegum music you would expect to hear on an early '70s cartoon show. The music was not only featured on the cartoons, it was also released on records. There was a Josie and the Pussycats album, featuring seven original songs, plus cover versions of songs by the Jackson 5, the Carpenters and Bread. It apparently didn't sell very well, because it's almost impossible to find nowadays. There were two commercials singles released, which flopped. And there were four singles that were released as cereal premiums. All those tracks are one this CD, plus some previously unreleased material. There are some good pop songs here, with "Inside, Outside, Upside Down" being a song I loved since I heard it on the show when I was kid. But there are also some pretty bad songs, sad to say. I guess you have to take the good with the bad. It also gets a bit repetetive hearing multiple versions of the same song, including four versions of "You've Come a Long Way, Baby" (thank goodness that's one of the good songs). The CD includes an unlisted bonus track, which is "Josie and the Pussycats (Main Theme)", as featured during the opening credits of the show. This CD will be a dream come true for fans of Josie and the Pussycats."