Search - Drifters :: Very Best of

Their seventies recordings

Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 02/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There were several phases to the careers of the Drifters, but this compilation focuses on their seventies music. In Britain, they were much more successful in the singles charts than they had been in the sixties, when many of their best songs were hits via British cover versions. Their only major sixties hit in Britain was Save the last dance for me, here represented via a re-recording. A re-issue of At the club / Saturday night at the movie made the UK top three in 1972 and was followed into the top ten by a re-issue of Come on over to my place, though none of those songs is reprised here. In America, it was altogether different - they had plenty of major hits there up to 1965, after which they disappeared almost totally from the singles charts.



Following the success of those re-issues, the Drifters secured a British recording contract on the Bell label. Some of the best British songwriters of the time (Tony Macauley, Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway) provided the Drifters with songs stylistically reminiscent of their sixties hits, updated just enough to suit the customers of the seventies.



Kissing in the back row of the movies, Down on the beach, tonight, Like sister and brother, Can I take you home little girl, There goes my first love, Hello happiness, Every night's a Saturday night with you, Love games and You're more than a number in my little red book all made the British charts, most of them reaching the top ten. This compilation also includes several covers including Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond), Something tells me (Cilla Black), Always something there to remind me (Sandie Shaw), Summer in the city (Lovin' Spoonful).



This is an excellent collection of the Drifters' seventies recordings."

Track listing wrong

Larry Nelson | Santa Monica, CA United States | 06/12/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is more a note than a review: the track listing given above for this album is wrong. CDDB has the correct tracks, matching what's listed on the CD itself. In other words, if you're looking for "Up On the Roof," this CD does not have the song."

Diamonds in the rough

Larry Nelson | 09/09/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It has been said (and I largely agree) that the early years of the 1960's, the period between the birth of rock and roll and the coming of the Beatles were mediocre times indeed for popular music. This collection proves that there are exceptions to every rule. The group of studio musicians who recorded these gems as the Drifters kept us all going while we unknowingly awaited the "British Invasion", and these classics stand well the test of time. One has to be careful in selecting "Best of" compilations, rest assured these are the original recordings excellently remastered."