Search - Spike Jones :: A Proper Introduction to Spike Jones: Thank You Music Lovers

Might be what you're looking for - or maybe not.

Ted Hering | Redding, CA USA | 05/31/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a mixed bag - but a pleasant mixed bag.The "Proper Introduction" title implies this is a "best of" collection to represent the artist to the one who has no Spike Jones CDs. But this is not the case. The titles are actually a scattering of some of the more obscure sides Spike recorded. And, I should point out, nothing on this CD is really new. Every track has been lifted from another CD, with most material coming from the Harlequin series, "The Man Who Murdered Music," and "The Masters" CD from Eagle. Furthermore, the notes look thorough and authoritative, but in fact, they are riddled with errors and typos. One of the tracks listed ("Knock, Knock, Who's There") is completely missing. That's the down side.On the positive end, the package is quite listenable. There is some good music here, and the sound quality is overall pretty good. The pictures and packaging are pleasing to the eye. So if you'd simply like something to augment your "greatest hits" collection CD, this is not a bad choice. 22 tracks for $11? Hey!"

The best of the rest...

Hoyle Osborne | Aztec, NM United States | 11/18/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The title is certainly misleading. Most of the biggest hits of Spike Jones & the City Slickers are included in the 4-CD Proper Box Strictly for Music Lovers, which is highly recommended.

After I acquired that set, I was aware that it was missing one of my all-time favorite Spike Jones tracks, "Ghost Riders in the Sky." Then I figured out that, rather than being an "intro," this disc is a supplement to the boxed set.

It includes several of the band's "original" novelty songs, which are hardly as interesting as their parodies. However, when you remember that these guys were on the radio regularly, and so they needed a steady stream of new material, you can't help being impressed that the originals work as well as they do.

The parodies here are as good as any of the more famous hits. "Fiddle Faddle" has impeccable vocals by Homer & Jethro (plus a mandolin solo by Jethro Burns) as a special treat. The "angel choir" radio performance of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" is brilliant, Doodles Weaver's "new" auto race version of "Dance of the Hours" comes close to topping the original, and the routine with Tommy Dorsey on "I'm Getting Sentimental Over You" is a choice bit.

These are not for the most part the "essential" Spike Jones tracks, but there is an awful lot of more obscure excellent material here."