Charlie H. from HOUSTON, TX Reviewed on 11/23/2012...
This is an excellent collection of mid-sixties hits, 32 songs, some big names are represented (Beatles, Who, Hollies, Donovan, Zombies)but is more worthwhile purchase for the songs of other artists known for having only one or two major hits. If you are missing a few of the following from your cd collection I would recommend the purchase: "You've Got To Hide Youe Love Away" by The Silkie, "Yeh Yeh" Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, "To Sir With Love" Lulu, "Needles And Pins" The Searchers, "Here Comes My Baby" The Tremeloes, "Love is All Around" The Troggs and "The First Cut Is The Deepest" . There are almost no duds but there are a few that have been played to death over the years. Nicely packaged and 16 page booklet with liner notes and color pictures are a nice touch.
3 of 3 member(s) found this review helpful.
CD Reviews
Great compilation including some hard-to-find tracks
pm444 | Okemos, MI USA | 02/18/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I originally ordered this as a gift for a friend, but after listening to her copy, bought it for myself. The 2 disc collection offers an excellent compilation, including some that are indispensible and others that are very hard to find without buying an entire album by the artist. Most of the tracks sound as good as you're likely to ever hear them, considering their age and the technological limitations of the time. As always with such compilations, one can quibble over the inclusion or exclusion of certain songs, but this collection is essential for any fan of British rock of the 60's and 70's."
Great Music from a Great Era in Rock `n Roll
Robert Huggins | Suburban Philadelphia, PA United States | 01/09/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This 32-track, 2-CD collection from Hip-O Records is, for all practical purposes, a stripped down version of Hip-O's 54-track, 3-CD collection titled "British Invasion: 1963-1967" that was released in 2004, and which Amazon also carries. The only tune here that does not appear on the earlier collection is The Who's "Happy Jack." As one might expect, recordings from The Rolling Stones, Herman's Hermits, and The Dave Clark Five are not represented here due to rights issues, but the collection does manage to squeak in one non-EMI/Capitol Beatles song from their early years in Hamburg, Germany. What is somewhat surprising is that The Kinks, Manfred Mann, and The Yardbirds, all staples of British Invasion collections over the years, are not represented on this set.
The song selection is mostly on target and provides a nice sampling of the various styles that made the British Invasion years so exciting musically. Pop is represented by Tom Jones, The Seekers, and Lulu; group harmonies are typified by Peter & Gordon, Chad & Jeremy, The Searchers, and The Hollies; straight ahead rock is provided by The Troggs, The Spencer Davis Group and The Who; we even get a sampling of psychedelia courtesy of Donovan and some very early prog rock from Procol Harum. It's also good to see some groups and performers from the era that are typically not represented on these collections like Georgie Fame, The Merseys, The Merseybeats, and The Silkie. The only real disappointment for me on this collection is the track selected for Eric Burdon & The Animals, probably done so for rights issues. But, for a 2-CD set, "British Invasion: Gold" is a terrific collection, one of the best available.
"
Great Overview of The Beatles'Fellow Travelers
Timothy Schubert | Chicago,IL USA | 01/09/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD contains many of the best songs and artists from the tidal wave that followed the Beatles' Invasion of American airwaves in 1964.The lone Beatles track is from their German sessions with Tony Sheridan.Then you have a great variety ranging from the pop of the Hollies,Lulu and the Zombies to the blues tinged music of The Spencer Davis Group and Eric Burdon & the Animals.You also get a couple of lesser known gems by The Merseybeats and Wayne Fontana.Very highly recommended!"
CHEAP, RARE,GREAT!
videogamer | Lockport,NY | 09/24/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This CD is awesome! I bought it mainly for "You've Got Your Troubles" (took three months to find the ORIGINAL), but almost all the others are good, too. I've never seen (or heard) some of these songs,like Cat Stevens' "The First Cut is The Deepest" and am surprised because these songs are awesome! "Aint She Sweet" and "Bad to Me" are rare, too. I've never seen this CD at regular stores, for some reason. So anyway, order this CD if you want good, rare, and cheap music. You won't be sorry (I can't see why I'M first to review)!"
Cool tunes
Ramone Renoir | Texas | 02/21/2007
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This album has really hip sounds and the lyrics are far out. It has a groovy beat and it's easy to dance to....
Seriously, I really dig John Lennon's vocal on "Ain't She Sweet." This is very classic ultra-Early Beatles. This track was the first thing about this disc that got my attention, but there are also many other great hits, absolute staples of the British Invasion era music:
Freddie and the Dreamers' "I'm Telling You Now", The Hollies' "Bus Stop" and "Game of Love", "Groovy Kind of Love," "Ferry Cross the Mersey"....This CD has many of the most important recordings of that magical era. Essential
And the CD quality of the music means this is the best I've ever heard some of these songs sound. It's also interesting to hear Cat Stevens doing his own version of his "First Cut Is the Deepest" hit.