Search - Spike Jones :: Spike Jones - Greatest Hits

Alison J. from OREFIELD, PA
Reviewed on 6/23/2006...

Classic parodies!

More than meets the eye!

Ted Hering | Redding, CA USA | 12/23/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you think there's nothing here but the same old songs in yet another package, you're in for a surprise! Rather than using the echo and filter processed LP masters, the engineers went back to the metal parts -- and accidently released several alternate versions of these standards in the process. "Hawaiian War Chant" is the 1945 "lower plate wobble" version (in pristine sound, unlike the Harlequin release transferred from scratchy test pressings). "Der Fuehrer's Face" is the legendary trombone take. And "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" contains an unedited conclusion, with minor bloopers such as a bumped music stand, a "clam" on the chimes, and an almost maniacal laugh from Rudolph. And yes, there are a few tracks that are making their first showing on CD. I was going to give this CD four-and-a-half stars, but the system doesn't permit it. One weakness in planning: "Dance of the Hours" is placed BEFORE "William Tell Overture," spoiling the comic sequence."

Timeless Musical Mayhem and Madness !

Eddie Landsberg | Tokyo, Japan | 08/16/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"o.k. two of my faves are missing from this one... LAURA, and Spike Jones version of Carmen.... also interestingly, the versions are different than the ones on some other CDs currently available... but who's to complain... ? Spike Jones is Spike Jones and he was brilliant... What cracks me up is the way he can go from playing a tune so straight that you'd never guess that a few minutes later midgets'll be jumping out of tubas, air raid sirens going off, and all mayhem will be breaking lose. In fact, I love seeing the reaction of people who might really get into the "straight" intros to the tunes, and their face change colors when suddenly the madness begins. - - as "cornball" as some of the comedy is, some of it has a level of surrealistic irreverance and musical calculation that i takes the music to level of high art... I mean... Its one thing to fire shotguns in the air, break glasses and belching... but to have the band doing it in perfect time and key ? No wonder FRANK ZAPPA actually sited Spike Jones as a primary influence in his autobio... and he wasn't the only modern musician who's been influenced by Spike... I'm a straight Jazz organist... I recorded a new CD recently... I do a very NORMAL version of LAURA, but the truth is, in my head when I was playing it, maybe the other musicians were hearing Charlie Parker's version... but whenever I play LAURA, or even MY OLD FLAME its Spike I hear !"