Best Of Shakin' Stevens, The - Shakin' Stevens

...the album speaks for itself Best Of this really is a complete album with most of his well known songs on it, here follows a breakdown of style and title list of what is contain on the cd, hopefully this will help in your decision to buy it:-



1. This ole House.
2. You Drive Me Crazy.
3. It's Late.
4. Green Door.
5. Teardrops.
6. Oh Julie.
7. Love Worth Waiting For.
8. ...
...Marie Marie.
10. It's Rainning.
11. Give Me Your Heart Tonight.
12. Shirley.
13. Cry Just A Little Bit.
14. Rockin Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love).
15. Letter To You.
16. Why Do You Treat Me This Way.

1. This Ole House
This spent 17 weeks at number 1 in Feb 1981.
It is a fast catchy tune that is still played today at various places and can still be found on ... more

What an artist, real name ....Michael Barrat Born March 4th 1948.
Then during his growing up time had various jobs one of which was as a window cleaner, then he was noticed and Shaky "Shakin Stevens" was born.

The title of the album speaks for itself Best Of this really is a complete album with most of his well known songs on it, here follows a breakdown of style and title list of what is contain on the cd, hopefully this will help in your decision to buy it:-

1. This ole House.
2. You Drive Me Crazy.
3. It's Late.
4. Green Door.
5. Teardrops.
6. Oh Julie.
7. Love Worth Waiting For.
8. I'll Be Satisfied.
9. Marie Marie.
10. It's Rainning.
11. Give Me Your Heart Tonight.
12. Shirley.
13. Cry Just A Little Bit.
14. Rockin Good Way (To Mess Around And Fall In Love).
15. Letter To You.
16. Why Do You Treat Me This Way.

1. This Ole House
This spent 17 weeks at number 1 in Feb 1981.
It is a fast catchy tune that is still played today at various places and can still be found on a pub jukebox under 80's music classic.

2. You Drive Me Crazy
This spent 12 weeks at number 2 in May 1981.
It is a slow almost a be bop beat but when he starts to sing you can tell its a shaky love song with good use of a electric guitar forefronted at certain places in the song with a rockabilly style riff, using a bit of delay echo but only slightly.

3. Its Late
This spent 7 weeks at number 11 in July 1983.
This ones a personal favourite for me this is the first 45rpm record i had, its got almost an old fifties type feel to it from the starting piano to the lyrics you can imagine the perils of not getting your girlfriend home on her porch on time. Excellent again with rockabilly style riffs and nice backing do wop style singers with deep vocals.

4. Green Door.
This spent 12 weeks at number 1 in July 1981.
I find this one a bit overplayed but its still good, though i would not have included it here, it has a very swing type feel with it with a very pronounced end hi hat drum on each beat, and the clicking finger sound gives it a steady pattern. A classic song with plenty of good different instrumental practices to catch your ears.

5. Teardrops
This spent 0 weeks at number 5 in Nov 1984.
Its a slow romantic beat type song with a sad feel to it, it shows off Shakys natural vocals really well with simple backing.

6. Oh Julie.
This spent 10 weeks at number 1 in Jan 1982.
Excellent song of its time, good if you had a girlfriend called Julie was a real bonus, and at school discos all the girls called Julie filled the dance floor.
A good rockabilly style use of electric guitar and a prominant use of an occassional organ, really beaty and what 80's rockin roll was all about.

7. Love Worth Waiting For.
This spent 10 weeks at number 2 in Mar 1984.
A classic shaky love song with a slow dance feel but with quick step beat vocals are almost lost in the background sounds but the balance is perfect, A true love song of the times.Excellent.

8. I'll Be Satisfied
This spent 8 weeks at number 10 in Oct 1982.
A good strong start to the song with a raunchy swing type feel and real prominant piano work, and lyrics that are thought provoking to the nice side of love if you can my drift, how this only spent 8 weeks at number 10 is beyond me.

9. Marie Marie.
This spent 10 weeks at number 19 in Aug 1980.
Again a Shaky song with a girls name as the title as long as you girlfriend did not have a name like Gertrude then you stood a chance that one day he would make one with your first loves name.lol.
A good song with plenty of rythm and beat a style that shows off his excellent vocal talents, with lyrics everyone can relate too, a real teenager in front of the mirror with a hair brush copying Shaky this one (No not me). Oh how good and forgiving the 80's were. A real remembered classic.

10. Its Rainning
This spent 9 weeks at number 10 in Oct 1981.
A real sad romantic song with excellent vocals the voice sounds sad as if suffering the lost of you teenage sweetheart. Good lyrics,.

11. Give Me Your Heart Tonight.
This spent 10 weeks at number 11 in Aug 1982.
Another personal favourite with a smooth start into a voice of pleading style tones and sad and begging type feeling about it, lyrics stating "To young to start settling down" but the air about the sound is true love.

12. Shirley
This spent 6 weeks at number 6 in Apr 1982.
Another girls name, you could tell real Shaky obsesive fans for their girlfriends names were either Marie, Julie, Shirley, Josephine, Ruby etc, but hey the titles work for that era.
A real school 80's classic with bounce and life from the start again a lively love song with those desparate style vocals.Excellent.
A piano to finish and compliment the guitar riffs before bursting into the second verse.

13. Cry Just A Little Bit
This spent 12 weeks at number 3 in Nov 1983.
A classic shaky style love song with excellent vocals and tone with a rockabilly style elecrtic guitar used to excellent effect, i remember this in the charts 12 weeks speaks for itself really does'nt it.

14. Rockin Good Way (Bonnie Tyler & Shaky).
This spent 9 weeks at number 5 in Jan 1984.
Two singers with strong vocals, but Bonnie's are exceptional with a raunchy rocky style feel and sound by listening to them you would think there was history there and there timing together is perfect what a mix, with a bouncy style backing track this is a perfect mix of vocals and beat working excellent together.

15. Letter To You.
This spent 8 weeks at number 10 in Sept 1984.
This starts as a jumpy song with good trumpet use and a shaky style tone in his voice with slight echo and effects in the background, you cannot help to tap your feet to this one.
The use of lyrics seems pretty good but his voice perfectly matches his effort and what he has tried to achieve.
Good rockabilly tinny echo guitar style riff in the middle.
Unforgetable.

16. Why Do You Treat Me This Way.
No chart info known on this one by myself.
A good bouncy almost swing type feel with original shaky tones but i can't but feel that this itself would be a good one to pair Bonnie Tyler back up with him.
Good rockabilly style echo guitar riff, but this one in my opinion did not quite reach the mark.
Still sold records though.

Writting this review made me remember many things i did in the 80's while these songs were being played and now i've finished i'm gonna sit back and listen to this cd.
Okay not everybody liked Shakin Stevens but no-one can ignore or argue that he had talent and excellent vocal range, have pleasant memories whilst listening and reading this review.

P.s. And no i never had a girlfriend with a Shaky song name, but the thought was their at the time and i looked hard..lol..

 

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