Chuck’s Record Collection: “Today’s Super Greats”

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When I think of “boxed sets” of LP’s, my mind usually goes to the ’80s and ’90s, often greatest-hits collections like Elton John’s To Be Continued … or concert sets like Bruce Springsteen’s Live 1975-1985.

But the earliest boxed set I remember was a K-tel set, Today’s Super Greats, from late 1973.

It was a collection of music from 1967-72, much of it available on earlier K-tel collections including “20 Power Hits,” the one I reviewed in this column’s first installment. And it was quite the pop feast: 40 songs by 39*, or 38*, or 37* different artists.

(Why all the asterisks? Well, there’s one track by the Osmonds and another by Donny Osmond –technically two different acts, but one essential to the success of the other. And then, there’s a track by Derek and the Dominos, and a separate track by Eric Clapton: Do they really count as two separate acts?
(Hmm … let’s get metaphysical.)

Whatever the case, you certainly were getting your money’s worth by buying this set. And because there were fewer songs pressed into the vinyl than the typical K-tel album, the listening experience might be a little closer to what you’d hear with these artists’ own releases, rather than what often sounded a bit speeded up, chopped up, or otherwise different from the experience of owning, say, The Raspberries on vinyl. (Not to mention that this collection didn’t make anyone pass out from its scent as that one did; a great Casey Kasem story.)

“And that’s the story of how The Raspberries’ record company learned their lesson, and will never sell albums exclusively at car washes, ever again.”

“And the countdown rolls on…”

And let’s talk about that cover! K-tel’s covers were never groovier than this – a collection of
photos colored in a very watercolor-meets-Warhol style of, clockwise from upper left, Olivia Newton-John, Lobo, Sammy Davis Jr., Cher, and Mouth and MacNeal.

As to the guitar-slinging white guy in the upper right corner: from the songs collected, I’d have to guess at Jud Strunk? It’s certainly not Rod Stewart or Eric Clapton, and I don’t think Wayne Newton or Brian Hyland play guitar. (Honestly, I’d have guessed Rick Nelson, but “Garden Party” isn’t in this box, alas.) Your guess is as good as mine.

I’ll take a shot: James Hetfield, The Early Years? -mt58

There are several versions of this collection out there. As with most of the K-tel collections, there’s a Canadian version that subs out some of the lesser hits with tracks from homegrown artists. In addition, the company provided single-disc versions of the three albums for those who didn’t want to shell out the $7.99 (I’m guessing) for the 3-disc set. The version heard on this Mixcloud podcast is disc two of the 3-disc boxed set:

https://www.mixcloud.com/VinylVoyageRadio/adventures-in-vinyl-todays- super-greats-part-2-1974

So how does this shake out in terms of quality? (You may have some déjà vu, as some of the “20 Power Hits” songs are here as well.)

Here’s my take:

Top-shelf:

• Wadsworth Mansion’s Sweet Mary
(side note to Aaron – K-tel must have realized “Family” was no longer relevant if it ever was; it’s not on this album cover);
• Brian Hyland’s Gypsy Woman
• Dawn’s Candida
• Shocking Blue’s Venus
• Freda Payne’s Band of Gold
• Dennis Coffey’s Scorpio
• Rod Stewart’s Maggie May
• Chairmen of the Board’s Gimme Just a Little More Time
• Joe Simon’s Power of Love
• James Brown’s Hot Pants
• Daniel Boone’s Beautiful Sunday
• Mouth and MacNeal’s How Do You Do?
• Raspberries’ Go All the Way
• Cher’s Gypsys, Tramps and Thieves
• Hamilton, Joe Frank and Reynolds’ Don’t Pull Your Love
• Edison Lighthouse’s Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
• The Box Tops’ The Letter
• The Fortunes’ Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again
• Steam’s Na, Na, Hey, Hey, Kiss Him Goodbye
(I know that last one’s contentious, but I’m a Windy City boy from way back, so I will always defend it).

Decent:

• Dawn’s Knock Three Times
• Tee Set: Ma Belle Amie
• Gallery’s I Believe in Music
• Austin Roberts’ Something’s Wrong With Me
• Lighthouse’s Sunny Days
• Sammy Davis Jr.’s Candy Man
• Stampeders’ Sweet City Woman
• Olivia Newton-John’s If Not for You
• Derek & the Dominos’ (highly edited) Layla
• Jud Strunk’s Daisy a Day
• Rick Springfield’s Speak to the Sky
• Lobo’s Don’t Expect Me to Be Your Friend
• Eric Clapton’s Let It Rain
• The Osmonds’ Down by the Lazy River
• Wayne Newton’s Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast (there’s an entire column in this one someday).

Yuck:

• The Bells’ Stay Awhile
• Hurricane Smith’s Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?
• Donny Osmond’s Go Away Little Girl
• New Seekers’ Pinball Wizard/See Me, Feel Me

Question Marks:

• Skylark’s Wildflower – I liked it as a kid but find the “woman/child” dichotomy sexist and kind of creepy today. I guess that makes it a “yuck,” but a little less so than the songs in that category that I hated at age 10 and still hate.

• And Teegarden and Van Winkle’s God Love Rock ‘n’ Roll was a head-scratcher then and now. I feel like it’s trying to Make A Statement, but I’ll be darned if I know what it is, other than the shallow derivative of the “Lilies of the Field” “Amen” that it owns up to near the end.

The “Top-shelf” and the “Decent” command 34 of the 40 spots for a percentage of 85%, which is not bad by any means – it makes this a boxed set worth getting if you like your ‘70s Top 40 treats all in one place.

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Chuck Small

Journalist-turned-high school counselor. Happily ensconced in Raleigh, N.C., with hubby of 31 years (9 legal).

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Virgindog
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Virgindog
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May 24, 2022 9:33 am

I grew up in Maine in the 70s and Jud Strunk was a local hero. He had songs on American Top 40! He was on Laugh In! It was a big deal.

“Daisy A Day” isn’t my jam but I still have a soft spot for it.

lovethisconcept
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May 24, 2022 2:41 pm
Reply to  Virgindog

I had not thought of “Daisy a Day” for many a long year. I remembered it immediately, though. Unlike the name of the student who just came in to speak to me, whom I have seen every day for a semester. Funny how that works.

mt58
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May 24, 2022 2:52 pm

The plot twist I’m hoping for:

The student’s name is Daisy.

lovethisconcept
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lovethisconcept
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May 24, 2022 3:48 pm
Reply to  mt58

Only if his parents are particularly cruel.

mt58
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mt58
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May 24, 2022 3:53 pm

Well, my daddy left home when I was three
Didn’t leave very much to my mom and me
Except this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze

Now, I don’t blame him ’cause he run and hid
But the meanest thing that my daddy ever did
Was before he left, he went and named me…

DAISY!

lovethisconcept
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lovethisconcept
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May 24, 2022 4:59 pm
Reply to  mt58

Priceless.

mt58
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mt58
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May 24, 2022 5:09 pm

So are you.

JJ Live At Leeds
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May 24, 2022 11:20 am

Picked out a few to listen to that I’m not familiar with. Had to give Mouth and McNeal a spin and the best I can manage is hmmm, maybe you had to be there. Not for me I’m afraid.

New Seekers doing The Who – was not aware this existed and surprisingly not as anaemic as I expected. Obviously no way I would choose that version over The Who but much better than anticipated. Still only gets it to about a 5 but thats the power of low expectations. Its the sound of the 70s right there to me.

Hurricane Smith definitely needs a name change. Hurricane suggests danger and dynamism. The only danger was that Spotify might think I want to hear more of him and insert him into my playlists. A hearty yuck for that one.

And as for Donny Osmond, I don’t recognise the song title but I know enough that I’m not going to look that one up.

lovethisconcept
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lovethisconcept
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May 24, 2022 2:43 pm

If you have not heard that particular Donny Osmond song, you have been blessed by the cosmos. Treasure that gift. On the other hand, the Osmonds tune listed is probably one of the few really nice things that they ever did.

JJ Live At Leeds
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May 24, 2022 4:02 pm

I think Crazy Horses is great but everything I know about The Osmonds in all their varied forms and permutations suggests it was a one off outlier. I may give Down By the Lazy River a listen though on your recommendation.

lovethisconcept
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May 24, 2022 4:58 pm

“Crazy Horses” is definitely their best. That and DBTLR are a two-off? The only ones that I can listen to anyway.

Phylum of Alexandria
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May 24, 2022 2:54 pm

Cool! I hardly knew any of these, but I found a Spotify playlist that seems to have a good amount of these songs on there, with some differences. These definitely skew toward the softer side of 70’s rock, which is typically not my thing. Still, I’ve always been a sucker for quirky novelty pop, and a lot of stuff I listened could fit that bill to some extent. Even the stuff in your “Yuck” category makes for fine enough novelty tune material–though if it were dominating the radio I would indeed tear my hair out.

My favorite song on the playlist doesn’t seem to be in your collection, though: “Brand New Key” by Melanie. It’s a quirky, catchy number that sounds like a precursor to Joanna Newsome.

Is that a mixcloud file you made? If so, I have some questions about how to create stream files from playlists. Though I may as well wait for an upcoming post, probably next week…

Phylum of Alexandria
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May 24, 2022 3:12 pm

Lol, it seems that “Brand New Key” hit #1 on the charts, and Tom wrote about it, commenting on her indie girl voice:

https://www.stereogum.com/2032063/the-number-ones-melanies-brand-new-key/columns/the-number-ones/

Last edited 1 year ago by mt58
Phylum of Alexandria
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May 24, 2022 10:06 pm
Reply to  cstolliver

Stereobum sounds catchy enough (but aren’t most bums in stereo anyway?)

Eric-J
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Eric-J
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May 26, 2022 10:15 am

If you watch the new Kids In The Hall season, you may never be able to listen to “Brand New Key” again.

dutchg8r
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May 24, 2022 3:38 pm

You know, K-Tel is the grandfather to that whole “Now This Is Music” compilation line, isn’t it? With the child compilation generation being the Time-Life collections. Never really considered that until reading this today.

Hey Chuck, did K-Tel have full access to all record companies, or were they contractually limited to certain labels?

Aaron3000
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May 24, 2022 4:53 pm

Woot, not only did I get name checked, I got linked! I’m bona fide!

Also: I’ll second your “Top-Shelf” ranking for the Steam track, Chuck. Then again, I’ve always had a high tolerance for cheese (musically speaking, that is… intestinally, not so much).

ArchieLeech
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May 24, 2022 4:58 pm

That picture looks like Brian Hyland. His self-titled album is strong, and fairly ambitious. He’s surrounded by LA’s Wrecking Crew. Hyland even covers “The Thrill is Gone.” (Hyland plays electric guitar sometimes, although I’m not sure if he did on that song.) “Gypsy Woman” sounds like a template for ELO: Jeff Lynne borrowed the title of “Loser Gone Wild” for “Joker Gone Wild,” and he borrowed its melody for “The Diary of Horace Wimp.”

comment image

I had never heard “Sweet Mary” before tleo sent it to me – it’s swell. “Sweet City Woman” is a favorite of mine, so I’d bump it up a tier. I never did like “The Candy Man.” But I’ll vouch for Norman “Hurricane” Smith’s “Oh Babe, What Would You Say?” because it was Mama Leech’s favorite song when she got her driver’s licence, and he engineered the early Beatles records. They called him “Normal” Smith. It’s silly vaudeville, suffocated with strings. Then again, I like Richard Harris’s “McArthur Park.” If you can’t remember the times, you probably don’t have a chance of liking it.

Last edited 1 year ago by ArchieLeech
ArchieLeech
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May 24, 2022 5:34 pm
Reply to  ArchieLeech

The back cover of Hyland’s album is online. I forgot the record was produced by Del Shannon. Hyland and Shannon played all the guitars.

cappiethedog
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May 25, 2022 4:47 am

“Band of Gold” was on the “Have a Nice Decade: The ’70s Pop Culture Box. Love that song. Love the shag carpet, too. Belinda Carlisle did a decent job of covering it. Shocking Blue’s “Venus” and Edison Lighthouse’s “Love Grows Where My Rosemary Grows” is on it, too. The K-Tel curators went in a more obscure direction. I don’t recognize Dennis Coffey, Joe Simon, Daniel Boone, and Mouth and McNeal. Oh, wait. Tee Set and Jud Strunk.

I think I’ll start with Jud Strunk. I hope that’s his real name. Who would choose that as a stage name?

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