VA - Better Than The Beatles! (1963-1966) @320

 

What a GREAT idea for a compilation!! find a ton of 'answer' songs to the Beatles and put 'em all on one cd!

contrary to what most people believe, not Everyone liked the Beatles when they first invaded america in 1964. in fact, many guys felt mighty threatened by the massive adoration their girlfriends suddenly bestowed upon the fab four.

many of these guys wrote and recorded songs in direct response to this affront. most, of course, date from 1964, when the invasion must have seemed quite a force to contend with indeed. though Gary Usher and beloved british harmony group Tony Rivers & the Castaways (the lone brits on this compilation) each have one cut on this cd, this album is by and large populated by impossibly obscure american bands.

in fact, i'm not really sure why the Tony Rivers track is even included here, as it is Not an 'answer' song like the rest. it must be present only because the song ( i love you --- the b-side to their 2nd single) has a sound that is so remarkable to that of the Beatles of 1964. the pleasant surprise is that its almost as good as anything the Fab Four was putting out at the time!

the best way for me to describe this compilation is to quote some lyrics from a couple of the songs. this will probably give you the best idea of what you're dealing with here! from the Weavils, a houston,TX band who recorded just one 45 (both sides are included here), we have 'we're the weavils' (track 2) which contains these lyrics: 'the beatles are good but we don't care, 'cause it only takes a minute to comb our hair!' and how about cleveland, oh band Bocky & the Visions, who on their song 'the spirit of '64' (track 7) ask the Beatles to: 'move over, don't be so selfish---we did the twist and sang the shout long before you ever sung it out!'

okay, you get the idea. and if that's your bag, well, this whole cd is chock-full of such lyrics. i can't end this review without mentioning the very optimistically- named all-girl band THE BEATLE-ETTES who weigh in with their great response to beatlemania, 'only seventeen', from their lone 45. this is much more than just a novelty album, i think it really captures a bit of what it must have felt like to be in the midst of the beatle frenzy of 1964, and if this sounds like a fun album to you, then i highly recommend it

Tracks;

01 Brad Berwick - I'm Better Than The Beatles.mp3

02 Weavils - We're The Weavils.mp3

03 Weavils - Here I Am In Love Again.mp3

04 Buggs - Buggs Vs. Beatles [I Want To Hold Your Hand].mp3

05 Gary Sanders - Ain't No Beatle.mp3

06 Exterminators - The Beetle Bomb.mp3

07 Bocky & The Visions - The Spirit Of '64.mp3

08 Bobby & The Blue Jays - It's Comin Thru The Doors [The Windows & The Floors].mp3

09 Ray Ruff & The Checkmates - Beatle Maniacs.mp3

10 Outsiders - The Guy With The Long Liverpool Hair.mp3

11 Pacers - You Got Me Bugged.mp3

12 Tony Rivers & The Castaways - I Love You.mp3

13 Chug & Doug - Ringo Comes To Town.mp3

14 Dorie Peyton - Ringo Boy.mp3

15 Bobby Comstock & The Counts - The Beatle Bounce.mp3

16 Gene Cornish & The Unbeetables - I Wanna Be A Beetle.mp3

17 Gene Cornish & The Unbeetables - Oh Misery.mp3

18 Ernie Maresca - The Beetle Dance.mp3

19 Gary Usher - The Beetle.mp3

20 Beattle-ettes - Only Seventeen.mp3

21 Vulcanes - Liverpool.mp3

22 Murry Kellum - I Dreamed I Was A Beatle.mp3

23 Swans - The Boy With The Beatle Hair.mp3

24 Bobby Wilding - I Want To Be A Beatle.mp3

25 Motions - Long Hair.mp3

26 Dick Lord - Like Ringo.mp3

27 Mr. Rek-O-Cut (bonus track).mp3

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