VA - The Bert Berns Story Volume 1 [2008] Twist & Shout 1960-964 + Volume 2 [2008] Mr Success 1964-1967 + Volume 3 Hang on Sloopy [2014] (3 x CD's)

BERT BERNS

VA - The Bert Berns Story Volume 1 [2008] Twist & Shout 1960-964 + Volume 2 [2008] Mr Success 1964-1967 + Volume 3 Hang on Sloopy [2014] (3 x CD's)

Some may come across the name Bert Berns while searching for a specific song and ask themselves, "who is Bert Berns?" Well, to put it succinctly, Bertrand Russell Berns, born on November 8, 1929, in the Bronx was, quite simply, one of THE most prolific songwriters of his era, which was the 1960s, and who also became a renowned producer in addition to forming his own labels, Bang Records and Shout Records in 1965. This after having been a nightclub Mambo dancer, including a period in pre-Castro Cuba. He did it all in the span of a life cut short by his death from heart failure at age 38 on December 30, 1967, following life-long complications due to having rheumatic fever in his younger years.

Volume 1 Berns is regarded as a musical visionary and this 26-track set compiles the best of his studio productions from 1960-64. At one time operating out of the famous Brill Building, and known variously as Bert Russell and Russell Byrd, his compositions (some of them co-written with others) began to turn up on a wide variety of labels starting in late 1960 when Push Push became a very minor # 90 Billboard Hot 100 hit for Austin (aka Ted) Taylor on the Laurie label. And in May 1961 he recorded his only charted hit as a performer when You'd Better Come Home made it to # 50 H100 on the Wand label, billed to "Russell Byrd." Of course, not all his tunes were charted hits. In fact, 15 of the 26 tracks included here were not hits for the artists concerned, but some among these eight that are included (besides Push Push and You'd Better Come Home) are the most memorable from that time period:

Whilst the first volume is fantastic, somehow this Volume 2 manages to surpass it. Any CD that starts with Tami Lynn's 'I'm Gonna run Away From You' has got to be special and this one never lets up. High profile names like Solomon Burke, Ben E King, Wilson Pickett, Otis redding, the Drifters and the ever great Garnet Mimms all shine. It's the quality in depth on this CD which makes it special and it's with the more rare songs like 'I went out with my baby tonight' by Moses K & the Prophets that make it unbeatable. Other rare tracks that shine are 'You'll never leave her' by Pat Embers, 'You may be holding my baby' - the Pussycats and my personal favourite 'In front of her house' by Larry Hale with it's heartbreaking lyrics. Nearly all the songs are 9 or 10 out of 10, its full of majestic productions, well-crafted songs, heartbreaking lyrics that are all sung to perfection.  Volume 2 in Ace Records' Producer Series saluting the work of a man who sang, wrote and/or produced some of the greatest Rock and Soul music of the '60s. During what was a relatively short career, tragically ended by a heart attack on New Year's Eve 1967, Berns created the original versions of such perennials as 'Twist and Shout', 'Hang on Sloopy', 'Piece of My Heart', 'Brown Eyed Girl', 'Here Comes the Night' and numerous other Hall of Fame hits. This second installment includes familiar Soul, Rock and R&B classics by Solomon Burke, McCoys, Erma Franklin, the Drifters, Van Morrison and Garnet Mimms, plus plenty of rare items for the collectors. 

Following the publication of the biography, HERE COMES THE NIGHT, and the opening of PIECE OF MY HEART, a Broadway musical based on his story, there's been a big resurgence of interest in Bert Berns. With all that in mind, the time seems right to release HANG ON SLOOPY, Ace Records' third collection of work by the talented and charismatic New York-based songwriter and record producer. Berns, who suffered from rheumatic fever as a youngster, was driven by the knowledge his days were probably numbered and crammed a lot into his brief career. The collection spans '(I'm Gonna) Cry Some Tears' by Hoagy Lands from 1960, which numbers among his earliest recorded songs, through to 'Open Up Your Soul' by Erma Franklin from 1967, one of his final productions. Recordings by the Drifters, Ben E King, Wilson Pickett, LaVern Baker, Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles, Solomon Burke and Tami Lynn represent Berns' time as house producer at Atlantic Records, while tracks by the McCoys, Arsenio Rodriguez, Van Morrison, Freddie Scott, Roy C and Erma Franklin stem from his own Bang and Shout labels. Berns died on the last day of 1967, aged just 38, leaving behind a very impressive body of work. (Amazon)

This is a superb set. If you like sixties songs, you can't do wrong getting this set. It's outstanding!
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Track lists

Volume 1     Twist & Shout 1960-964
1    Austin Taylor    Push Push    2:10
2    Hoagy Lands    Lighted Windows    2:41
3    Jarmels    A Little Bit Of Soap    2:14
4    Russell Byrd    You'd Better Come Home    2:24
5    Sammy Turner    Pour It On    2:29
6    Little Jimmy Dee    I Should Have Listened    2:39
7    Solomon Burke    Cry To Me    2:30
8    Gil Hamilton    Tell Her    2:27
9    Isley Brothers    Twist And Shout    2:34
10    Gene Pitney    If I Didn't Have A Dime (To Play The Jukebox)    2:28
11    Ruth McFadden    Pencil & Paper    2:42
12    Ben E. King    Gypsy    2:41
13    Hockadays    Hold On Baby    2:31
14    Mel Torme    You Can't Love 'em All    2:31
15    Marv Johnson    Come On And Stop    2:12
16    Betty Harris    I'll Be A Liar    2:59
17    Wanderers    You Can't Run Away From Me    2:36
18    Jimmy Radcliffe    Moment Of Weakness    2:06
19    Garnet Mimms    Look Away    2:32
20    Drifters    One Way Love    2:30
21    Roy Hamilton    You Can Count On Me    2:23
22    Vibrations    My Girl Sloopy    2:53
23    Little Esther Phillips    Mo Jo Hannah    2:22
24    Rocky Fellers    Killer Joe    2:21
25    Mustangs    Baby Let Me Take You Home    2:08
26    Lulu    Here Comes The Night    2:53

Volume 2        Mr Success 1964-1967
01    Tami Lynn    I'm Gonna Run Away From You    2:48
02    Solomon Burke    Everybody Needs Somebody To Love    2:51
03    Wilson Pickett    Come Home Baby    2:35
04    Garnet Mimms    It Was Easier To Hurt Her    2:47
05    McCoys    Hong On Sloopy    3:53
06    Tammy Montgomery    If I Would Marry You    2:44
07    Knight Brothers    Come On Girl    3:27
08    Larry Hale    In Front Of Her House    2:36
09    Drifters    I Don't Want To Go On Without You    2:48
10    Kenny Hamber    Show Me Your Money    2:10
11    Ben E. King    Cry No More    2:52
12    Exciters    Run Mascara    2:20
13    Pat Embers    You'll Never Leave Her    2:10
14    Pussycats    You May Be Holding My Baby    2:36
15    Moses K & The Prophets    I Went Out With My Baby Tonight    2:37
16    Patti LaBelle & The Blue Belle    You Forgot How To Love    2:25
17    Garnet Mimms    I'll Take Good Care Of You    3:34
18    Barbara Lewis    Better Not Believe Him (aka Sorrow)    2:55
19    Bobby Harris    Mr Success    2:42
20    Roy C    Gone Gone    2:42
21    Freddie Scott    No One Could Ever Love You    3:33
22    Don Varner    Mojo Mama    2:38
23    Van Morrison    Brown Eyed Girl    2:59
24    Erma Franklin    Piece Of My Heart    2:37
25    Otis Redding    I Got To Go Back (And Watch That Little Girl Dance) (aka Look At The Girl)    2:39
26    Lorraine Ellison    Heart Be Still    3:44

Volume 3       Hang on Sloopy

01 Ben E King Let The Water Run Down 2:34

02 Freddie Scott Am I Grooving You 3:11

03 Knight Bros. Love (Can't You Hear Me) 2:37

04 Tammy Montgomery I've Got Nothing To Say But Goodbye 2:32

06 Baby Washington There He Is 2:55

07 Drifters Aretha 3:00

07 Isley Brothers You Better Come Home 2:17

08 Erma Franklin Open Up Your Soul 3:14

09 Roy Hamilton A Thousand Tears Ago 2:25

10 Garnet Mimms One Girl 3:02

11 Betty Harris Mo Jo Hannah 2:26

12 Roy C Stop What You're Doin' 2:27

13 Exciters There They Go 2:35

14 Hoagy Lands (I'm Gonna) Cry Some Tears 2:36

15 Tami Lynn At The Party 2:20

16 Lavern Baker You'd Better Find Yourself Another Fool 2:01

17 Wilson Pickett Teardrops Will Fall 2:32

18 Shirelles Twist And Shout 1:56

19 Patti Labelle & The Bluebelles All Or Nothing 2:27

20 Clyde Mcphatter My Block 2:21

21 Lulu You'll Never Leave Her 2:18

22 Solomon Burke Beautiful Brown Eyes 3:47

23 Van Morrison Chick-A-Boom 3:13

24 Mccoys I Wonder If She Remembers Me 2:52

25 Arsenio Hang On Sloopy 2:52

26 Russell Byrd Hitch Hike Pt. 1 2:25

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