Search - Gene Chandler :: B.O. Gene Chandler: Duke of Earl

Pretty Good, Your Eminence

Eclectic Revisited | Arizona | 11/17/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"As I write this, the compilation is not available but I'm familiar with most of the songs, having heard them in other venues. Let me start by saying, no GC compilation is complete without his "later" hit, "Groovy Situation", but this one comes close. This one has his big one plus the follow-up, "Walk on With the Duke" (done under the name "Duke of Earl; guess that didn't catch on). It also has the "answer" to Mary Well's "You Beat Me to the Punch" (it was Mary's year, 1962), "You Threw A Lucky Punch". Notably, "Nite Owl" is on here released at about the same time as "The Duke of Earl" single; story goes, Gene was the lead singer of the Dukays under whose name "Nite Owl" was released but opted out of the "group", giving them the song. All in all, with his version of the Limelites' "Daddy's Home" and a mild hit, the B-side "Festival of Love" and others, this is a pretty good compilation for you (if these are the original recordings and if you can find it)."