Very Best Of [Best of]

In contrast to Peter and Gordon, Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde (which is how they were dubbed on their earliest American singles) at times had a bit of a folkie edge to their sound. Their three neo-folk/pop tunes ["Yesterday's Gone", "What Do You Want With Me?" and Lennon/McCartney's "From a Window"] are marvelous, bouncy little genre pieces, which hearkened back to an earlier #1 chartbuster by the Rooftop Singers, the song "Walk Right In". The song "What Do You Want with Me" was one of the very first to have its mix flavored using a harpsichord instead of the usual acoustic/electric guitar (or piano) for the rhythm parts.

Then again, the duo was most well known for a brace of beautifully arranged (usually backed by a full stringed orchestra), beautifully sung and harmonized new ballads ("A Summer Song", "Distant Shores", Before and After", "I Don't Wanna Lose You, Baby"). Their recordings of a few old standards (e.g. "Willow Weep for Me" and "If I Loved You"), just as well done, were, nevertheless, much less interesting. The songwriters for the newer material, quite frankly, outdid the older writers in their ability to showcase the duo's considerable vocal talents. This is with the exception of one gorgeous, very moving old show tune, "I Have Dreamed", which unfortunately was left out of this compilation. This omission is the only flaw in an otherwise great production.

Their albums displayed a tendency to cover other artists' hits: Peter, Paul and Mary's "For Lovin' Me," the Byrds' "Mr. Tambourine Man," Stan Getz's "The Girl From Impanema" and Frank Sinatra's "It Was a Very Good Year." While none of those songs are on this CD, it clearly indicates Chad and Jeremy's taste when it comes to song selection: safe MOR pop. Like Peter and Gordon, their material (especially the hits) featured Everly Brothers-style harmonies, lush orchestration and folky guitars. Hits like "Yesterday's Gone" (their only UK hit at No. 37), "A Summer Song" and "Willow Weep for Me" are charming artifacts of the mid-Sixties. [And speaking of Peter and Gordon, I hope it was an inside joke and not a glaring mistake that one of the photos in the CD booklet was of Peter and Gordon!!!]

While this collection is very similar to One Way's "The Best of Chad & Jeremy," I give the nod to "The Very Best of Chad and Jeremy" for two reasons: 1.) Although it has two fewer songs, it includes all seven of their Top 40 hits. One Way omits their last three hits on Columbia: "Before and After," "I Don't Want To Lose You Baby" and "Distant Shores." 2.) This set includes the failed single "Teenage Failure" (written by Jeremy Clyde), the closest Chad and Jeremy came to recording a rock song. [Plus, I have fond memories of having seen them perform this song during an appearance on (I believe it was) "The Dick Van Dyke Show." I mean how cool was that to see a pop star on a hit sitcom! ]

While this CD will satisfy your hunger for the hits, what keeps it from being truly definitive is that it includes nothing from their two experimental albums from 1967 and 1968--"Of Cabbages and Kings" and "Ark." RECOMMENDED