Search - Dovells :: Best of 1961-1965

All The Dovells' Parkway hits are now here!!

sixties4ever | Salinas, CA | 02/18/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is part of Abkco Records' Cameo/Parkway series.

Along with Chubby Checker, The Orlons, Bobby Rydell, Dee Dee Sharp, The Tymes and ? (Question Mark) & The Mysterians.......The Dovells were part of the missing Philly recordings in the CD era.



But now they are all here in clear, clean, crisp digital sound!



The Dovells were: Len Barry (lead singer) Jerry Gross (first tenor) and Mike Freda, Arnie Satin & Danny Brooks. By 1962 they were reduced to a quartet.



The Dovells' first chart record narrowly missed the #1 spot on Billboard. It rested at #2 in 1961. That record was "Bristol Stomp".



This package contains all their hits including: "Do The New Continental", "Hully Gully Baby", "You Can't Sit Down"....and surprisingly "1-2-3" the solo hit by Dovells' lead singer Len Barry that reached #2 in 1965 after the Dovells chart run was over.



The mood is upbeat for the most part here. The "do-the-dance" songs are many.



Listening to the better Dovells' hits like "You Can't Sit Down" and "Do The New Continental" it is clear that given their unique blue-eyed soul approach, they could have easily been as successful as The Four Seasons. Unfortunately, unlike the Four Seasons, The Dovells were supplied with a lot of substandard material: "Bristol Twistin' Annie", "Dance The Froog" et al.



They were at their best wailing on R&B tinged numbers....not trite dance songs. Their version of "Baby Workout", included here, is the equal of Jackie Wilson's original!

Len Barry's feel for R&B is evident throughout this material. His voice backed by the other Dovells had a definite polished soulfulness.

This CD is highly recommended to any fan of good time '60s pop music.







"

WE HAVE WAITED A VERY LONG TIME FOR THIS GEM TO BE RELEASED

stewart L | flushing ,ny | 11/03/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I GREW UP WITH THE MUSIC.I AM VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE DOVELLS,WITH LEN BARRY,FINALLY RELEASED THE SOUND OF THIS ALBUM IS TERIFFIC,AND AT THE ALBUMS ASKING PRICE,A REAL STEAL.YOU CANNOT GO WRONG WITH THIS ALBUM."

The Best of the Dovells

T. E. Meadows Sr. | 01/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The music quality is better that now than in the 60's. The Parkway set of oldies are the best for their grougps such as Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell, Orlons, Dee Dee Sharp and the Tymes."