Dixie Cups - Chapel of Love Very Best of (16 tracks) +Album Reviews

Best Dixie Cups collection by far

Zub | Forks Twp., PA | 11/23/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"While best known for their signature song, "Chapel Of Love", the Dixie Cups placed several tunes on the pop charts during their stint at Leiber-Stoller's Red Bird label in the mid 60s. While not nearly as popular in its original release, their quirky "Iko Iko" has become nearly as well-known in subsequent years, challenging "Chapel..." in popularity. This set includes all their other charting singles - "People Say", "You Should Have Seen The Way He Looked At Me" and "Little Bell" - all Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich compositions. As well as the hits, there are several b-sides and other singles that didn't see the light of day. The disc finishes up with alternate versions of "People Say" and "Iko Iko". Some of the additional tracks are of a-side quality and could have been hits in their own right - "Girls Can Tell" and "I'm Gonna Get You Yet" for instance. Previous Red Bird collections have been mediocre soundwise and with Collectables spotty reputation in this regard, at first this piece may be viewed with some suspicion. Somewhat surprisingly, it turns out to be an excellently produced CD. Most of the tracks appear in stereo (4,10 and 12 being the exceptions), having been taken from recently uncovered multitrack masters. The sound rates up there with the recent high-quality Taragon and Varese Vintage Red Bird collections as opposed to the muddy mono of earlier Red Bird reissues. A two-page history of the group is included in the six-page flopover liner notes booklet. An excellent compilation of the music of this mid-60s forefront girl group."

The only Dixie Cups collection you will ever need to own

Lawrance M. Bernabo | The Zenith City, Duluth, Minnesota | 05/31/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Dixie Cups were a Sixties girl group from New Orleans made up of sisters Barbara Ann and Rose Lee Hawkins, and their cousin Joan Marie Johnson. Actually, the trio started off as the Meltones and then Little Miss and the Muffets (winner: worst name for girl group ever) but in 1964 when they had their mega hit with "Chapel of Love" (written by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector) they had settled on the Dixie Cups. That one song was enough to assure the group of musical immortality, but the Dixie Cups were more than one hit wonders putting out "People Say" (#12), "You Should Have Seen the Way He Looked at Me" (#39), "Iko Iko" (#20), and "Little Bell" (#51); the best of the non-hits is "Another Boy Like Mine," one of several Barry/Greenwich compositions in the collection. Unfortunately, after two years of success the group's record label went out of business and songs like "Girls Can Tell" and "Gee the Moon Is Shining Bright" failed to get them back on the charts. "The Very Best of the Dixie Cups: Chapel of Love" is the proverbial one album you will ever need for this group, especially since there is a very nice a cappella version of "Iko Iko" written by the girls and their producer Joe Craig Johnson, which reflects their New Orleans roots. The liner notes are excellent in recounting the group's history and only three of the 16 tracks are not in stereo, which is rather surprising. Everything you want to own by the Dixie Cups although the competing collection of "The Complete Red Bird Recordings" does offer up a couple of more tracks. You really cannot go wrong with either collection."

Classic preserved

D K Uselding | Zionsville, Indiana United States | 06/03/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD presents classic pop/rock from this all girl band while preserving the original SOUND as recorded by the original aritists. A must for the true audiophile looking for vinyl on CD effects."

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