1965-1969: Dick Bartley Presen [Compilation]

As other reviews have stated, this is another excellent compilation from Dick Bartley and Eric Records. As mentioned, while some are available in many other places, ("Keep On Dancing") many others are pure gems or re-issued in vastly superior sound quality.

First, a big reason to get this set is the superior sound quality and original mixes. The "Long Version" of the Righteous Brothers "Soul and Inspiration" is a revelation, with its original longer intro and stereo separation which makes me use this one vs my other versions.

This carries on to Desmond Dekker's "Israelites" one of the first Ska/Rock Steady songs to hit the charts. Its like hearing it again for the first time with its clean mix and true stereo.

Another is the Troggs "Love Is All Around" in stereo for the first time. Older versions seemed a little fuzzy with not much gain, but this one is classic and makes the disc worth it alone. This is true also with The Fortunes' "You've Got Your Troubles" and especially The Sir Douglas Quintets "Mendocino".

A track highlight is the Ides Of March's "You Wouldn't Listen". This was more of a regional hit, but I have not heard it in many years and recognized it immediately! A true find fo any collector and another reason for 5 stars. You catch a small glimmer of the group that brought us "Vehicle" in 1970 and later lead vocalist for Survivor (Jim Peterick).

Some songs are available on limited group compilations, such as the New Colony Six, American Breed, and Dee Jay and the Runaways, but why pay about $16 bucks each when the target tunes are here in argueably a cleaner form?

Another plus is the true single in stereo mix of "Whiter Shade Of Pale", and as mentioned by another reviewer, you will NOT go back to the old mono version. While the Procol Harem compilation has a longer mix with intro, this is the true single mix, without the intro talk and such.

Maybe his best compilation yet. As usual, great liners notes, with the major details included. Its great to see more and more of this type of release of the great tunes of the 60's.

A must buy.

What makes an essential oldies CD compilation? First, a great track listing, full of songs you love but aren't sick of hearing on oldies radio, movie soundtracks or TV commercials. Second, great remastering from original sources to get the best sound quality. Third, something that hasn't been found elsewhere. Collections that are compiled by disc jockey Dick Bartley always hit the nail on the head in all three of these crucial areas. This disc is the best collection he's come up with (and that's really saying a lot!). The sound quality of this CD is excellent and the track listing is incredible.
To finally have stereo mixes of Procol Harum's "Whiter Shade of Pale" and The Troggs' "Love Is All Around" is enough to warrant purchase of this disc. To have the restored original instrumental intro to The Righteous Brothers' "Soul and Inspiration" is also worth buying this disc for. To have so many other great tunes on the same disc ("I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight", "The Clapping Song", "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine", "I Will Always Think About You", "Fire", "Mendocino", etc.) makes it even more worth the dough. Throw in a cool tune that's never been on CD before (Dee Jay & The Runaways' "Peter Rabbit") and you have a perfect oldies compilation. I've had this disc in my car for weeks now and keep playing the Boyce/Hart and Procol Harum tracks over and over and over.
I don't think I could ever be satisfied by the mono version of "Whiter Shade of Pale" again.
Besides all of the above, how cool is it to have The Righteous Brothers and The Walker Brothers back to back?

Dick Bartley is THE master at playing "Oh-Wow Oldies"...Eric is the master at finding the highest quality source of them. This collaboration has yielded what may be Eric's best release yet!

Bartley's "Classic Oldies 1965-1969" comes packed with many elusive tracks from the bygone MGM-Fontana-Mercury and UNI (MCA-Universal) catalog. New Colony Six fans-read on with glee...BOTH of their desperately sought after Mercury-era pop hits are here! Not since Rhino axed the "Colonized" compilation several years back, have "I Will Always Think About You" and "Things I'd Like To Say" been available on CD outside an inflated online auction.

This collection includes essential British "Oh-Wows" from The Walker Brothers, Fortunes, Troggs, and Silkie that disappeared many years ago--again, courtesy of Rhino--when they discontinued the nine-CD "British Invasion" series. Also in attendance are several "delicious" out-of-print Top-10 tracks including: Desmond Dekker & The Aces' "Israelites" from the UK-Island label's prog-reggae period in the late 60s; A rare stereo mix of Shirley Ellis' sound-alike follow-up to "The Name Game"--"The Clapping Song"; and The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown's #2-charting "Fire"--one of the initial introductions of R&R psychedelica to a broader Top-40 audience.

While there are a few easily-available staples here, much of this disc truly meets the "hard-or impossible to find" standard, including: The Sir Douglas Quintet's final 1969 #27 hit--"Mendocino"; The Ides Of March first chart appearance in 1966--"You Wouldn't Listen"; and yes...Dee Jay & The Runaways' 1966 oldie from hell week--"Peter Rabbit"...Your frat reunion will thank you! Finally, as a nice bonus, the "extended intro" alternate take of The Righteous Brothers' "Soul And Inspiration", and a STEREO version of The Trogg's "Love Is All Around" are EXCLUSIVE to this compilation.

EVERY one of the 18 tracks on "Bartley--Classic Oldies 1965-1969" exhibits audio quality that is equal to-or better than any previously-released source material. The Gentrys' "Keep On Dancing" (never a protege amoung hi-fi master tapes) featured here, is the finest currently available. Only a long-unavailable version on Mercury's "45s on CD" series (1988) is comparable in fidelity.

Eric's latest offering is EXCEPTIONAL, and requires a special, rarely-bestowed "SIX-STAR" rating!

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