shondells (tommy james) 'greatest hits'

so good

so fine

so easy

Crimson & Clover has my favorite slow yeah of all music

A hell of a lot great tracks not on there!

I still find it wild that not one, not two, but three acts had hits covering him in the '80s, at least a couple of them pretty convincingly.

cannot concur w/La Lechera's "easy" assessment -- TJ&tS have one of the deepest catalogues of any sixties act, as Tom sez there's a ton not on this that'd be fit to play ball w/any of them -

like "ball of fire" is immense!

the bass line in "gotta get back to you" is fire

the bass in "draggin the line" is incredible too - I started buying some of these albums on vinyl a couple of years ago and they're some of the best-sounding wax I own, the care taken in making these records is seriously A+

I still find it wild that not one, not two, but three acts had hits covering him in the '80s, at least a couple of them pretty convincingly.

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, October 24, 2017

two consecutive #1 covers in fall '87 alone

ha!

Tommy James made a rough mix of "Crimson and Clover" to show to Roulette Records executive Morris Levy for evaluation. The band was still intending to improve on the mix with ambient sound and echo. A few days later, James stopped at WLS radio station in Chicago – who he had previously had positive experience with – to get their reaction. After an interview discussing the single, he was convinced to play the rough mix for WLS off-air. Unbeknown to James, the station recorded the song, and they shortly played it on-air in November 1968 as a "world exclusive".

Morris Levy initially pleaded with WLS not to play the record prematurely before its release, but listener response changed his mind. Roulette Records produced a specially pressed single and shipped it to listeners who called about the song. Eight hundred copies of the song were also sent to WLS for promotional purposes. Levy refused to let James produce the final mix he wanted, and the single was released using the rough mix, with "Some Kind of Love" as its B-Side.[5][6]

i love lots of these songs but my vote must go to the most beloved slow yeah of all time
i was not trying to speak on anyone else's behalf

I still find it wild that not one, not two, but three acts had hits covering him in the '80s, at least a couple of them pretty convincingly.
strong memories of this time period! i was in 7th grade. i loved "i think we're alone now" but did not particularly like tiffany or her other songs bc i was a baby snob

great poll. "Crimson and Clover" is such a perfect song with all these great hooks, you have the garage-y three-chord (tremelo) riff, you have that slow yeah (imo there is a minigenre around this disaffected affectation, perhaps a market-friendly trope of drug culture, the Monkees also dabbled in it to great success), you have the chorus. the production is nice and varied throughout, the full length version having a fuzz guitar solo.

"Mony Mony" is a like the ultimately soulrock take on the psychedelic rave. it really captures that sound of a crowd of people singing all together. it sounds like a teenage symphony to heaven. it is almost produced like an Andrew W.K. song, the chorused vocals, the built-up multi-layered keyboards. a joyful rock orchestra ecstatically pulsing with life.

"I Think We're Alone Now". i love every version of this song. what a great song. the muted guitar on this - how influential is that (and would The Cars exist without this song?)? what a great recording and a great performance. it has a really futuristic sound to it for the mid-60s, it is a very minimal arrangement. the bass and the low end is produced so well here! it is at least the third perfect song they recorded. how many garage rock classics can one band write??? bonus points also for the b-side "Mirage" which takes the song and turns it backwards, almost like a mini-"Crimson and Clover".

"Hanky Panky" is cool but not quite as all-time as the previous 3. crazy that The Shondells recorded it in high school. "Hanky Panky" sounds way better than any high school band i ever heard. after high school the band broke up and the members went their separate ways, getting married, moving away. while the band was broken up the record started to be pirated and travel around the country, where it ended up being played by DJs in Philly, the cult hit getting them a new record deal. Tommy James used this momentum to get together a new Shondells to make studio psychedelic pop albums. and they went on to write "Mony Mony" and "I Think We're Alone Now". holy shit.

Isn't I Think We're Alone Now one of those singles that doesn't even hit the 2-minute mark?

close, it's a hair over two minutes.

crimson and clover

Which comp is this? Doesn't have "Mirage" or "Sweet Cherry Wine."

Voting for "Crimson and Clover" over "Crystal Blue Persuasion" and "I Think We're Alone Now."

Also really, really love "Do Something to Me" and "Out of the Blue."

Sentimental vote here for Crimson and Clover, which my girlfriend (now wife) dressed up as in a duo Halloween costume 10 years ago, me as clover and her in head to toe crimson satin and tulle. Totally top notch group, the deep cuts are bananas as much as the hits.

Three towering masterpieces:

1. "Crimson and Clover"
2. "Crystal Blue Persuasion"
3. "Draggin' the Line"

Also keep a Tommy solo song called "Meet the Comer," one of those early-'70s Jesus songs, on my hard-drive. Not that big on the hockey-arena stuff.

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

I think I voted for “I Think We’re Alone Now.”

Used to know a guy who played bass for him. Tommy told him, I believe regarding the bass break in “Crimson and Clover”: “You gotta play that right or you’re fired.”

Speaking of Morris Levy, I highly recommend Tommy’s memoir for an in-depth look at the guy and that side of the business.

Approve of "Hanky Panky"/"Mony Mony" at zero. "Crystal Blue Persuasion" used well in Zodiac...I always notice it; truthfully, right now, I don't remember details. (Maybe in the bar Downey drags Gyllenhaal to?)

0 for "Ball of Fire"?!??!? I didn't vote for it either though. The question surely is why isn't "Sweet Cherry Wine" on this greatest hits album? Or "Mirage". Or "She".

Alone among Tommy James singles I despise "Crystal Blue Persuasion".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJVbUs3YenI