Hanky Panky/Mony Mony

Somewhat disappointing CD. The sound quality definitely sounded from the 60's, which was expected, so no surprise there. However, out of the nearly 2 dozen songs on this CD, only 2 hits were on it. No Crimson 'n' Clover, no Draggin' the Line, just Hanky Panky & Mony Mony. While the unfamiliar songs were sort of OK, I was really looking forward to at least a half of dozen hits that this CD just did not deliver. And it was not evident at time of purchase either. So, forgeddaboudit. Just go to a local music store that has oldies and purchase a CD that you can see what's on it instead, like I ended up doing.

With the exception of a " Live " short medley of a few of their hits, the rest of this cd consists of the original studio versions of their Roulette Records releases of 1966-1970. I was quite suprised, as I am always searching for "Off-The-Wall" concert stuff from my favorite rock stars.So, frankly, this inexpensive cd is quite the bargain. To repeat, the BULK OF THIS CD CONSISTS OF THE ORIGINAL RECORDINGS (not re-recordings) Great sound quality, too. GRAB IT !!!

great cd with some good tommy james songs

Great albums by underrated band that made GREAT music...and is still around in a different configuration. U cant go wrong here.

sound quality not very good

This is a review for the Mony Mony album.Oh geez! I was hoping to listen to Mony Mony before the cold front blasted through but too late! It arrived 5 hours sooner than predicted! 50 mph winds making it hard to write a review, but this has to be done before it gets too darn cold in this house and I don't feel like doing it. Here goes!Am I the only one who gets "Mony Mony" mixed up with "Hanky Panky?" When I was a kid I thought they were the same song- one was just a slightly altered version of the other, haha! I hear the difference now. "Mony Mony" is a great party song in the same style as the Beatles "Twist and Shout" but, and I might anger some people by saying this, I miiiiight prefer Billy Idol's version. I dunno, he just takes the fun level and turns it up a couple more notches. Plus you know, 80's music is generally regarded as fun so the song feels more fitting in that context. The B52's and Billy Idol back to back just feels so right!"Gingerbread Man" starts like it's going to be something psychedelic before picking up the pace and turning fairly normal. Oh wow the production is quite good! Tommy James vocals never sounded so clean. Awesome melody too- upbeat and powerful. The guitar line between the vocals reminds me of the guitar the Who used for some of their Tommy material. "Hey girl if you've lost your way, reach out and take my hand I'm a gingerbread man! Hey love is a game I play, I'll teach you yes, I can 'cuz I'm a gingerbread man, so deep in the night, come make you feel alright, going to open the door, going to take you somewhere you've never been before". This isn't what I thought the gingerbread man was like. I thought he was a little cookie that jumps out of the oven and runs away mocking your slow speed.Ha, and maybe it *is* a mockery because the next song is called "Run Away With Me" which sounds so pretty and carefree! ""If you think this world is gonna hurt you run away with me, I will promise never to desert you, run away with me, run away and you will see just how groovy life can really be, run away and we'll be free, free to do the things we always wanna do". I almost want to run away with Tommy James and the Shondells due to how pretty this line is sung, haha. A song like this with its strong happy vibe surely takes my mind away from the brutal cold wind blowing things around outside."Somebody Cares" is pure happiness- "Now the time is going and the sky is cloudy, the birds are leaving and the cold is nearing, a trust in me and you'll know the reason, that our love will last through many a season, so give me a smile and you'll know that our love's true, don't be in doubt 'cuz I'd never hurt you, a trust in me and you'll know the reason, that our love will last through many a sesaon". Even the jumpy chorus gets my feet dancing! "Somebody cares, and I'm gonna make you see, somebody cares, so put your trust in me baby!""Night Time (I'm a Lover)" has a strange melody, but it's upbeat and somewhat aggressive by late 60's standards. Top notch melody though! "Day, here is just my time for rest, night is made for me, that's when I'm at my best, my best, my best, my best now baby" is a sudden high pitched change! I love it too. "The nighttime, baby such a nighttime ago, talking about the nighttime, oh we can't get it now girl, oh the nighttime is my kind of time beneath the sunshine, push that town yeah baby, mmm, talking about the nighttime, baby it's the right time such a fine time, going to be together now girl, mmm baby in the nighttime I feel so scared of time yeah feel like sleep's time, mmm baby it's the right time, the right time, baby the nighttime!""(I'm Taken)" continues the high pitched vocals in the beginning before turning into a soothing ballad. I really love Tommy James voice. The shift into this part- "I'm taken and you'd just be fakin' your heart out, I'm taken and you'd be mistaken to start out, 'cuz I'm not out for love" is really good. This music is honestly written amazingly well! I admit I enjoy many 60's bands... alright you got me, I enjoy just about all of them! But with melodies like these, Tommy James really feels like one of the best of the entire decade. "I've got somebody who's so good to me, but if I didn't I'd be glad to be the one to love you like nobody could. I could". Now that's pure love!"Do Unto Me" sounds like hit potential! "You said that you'd be true and never leave, but now you're trying to forget me" is a great patr of the song, as is the chorus "But do unto me girl, as you have me do to you, just do unto me girl, you know how much I love you". The strings are a nice touch. Perhaps the only thing I dislike are the background vocals in the chorus. They hit certain high notes during this particular part that rubs me the wrong way."One Two Three and I Fell" has a catchy and fast-paced opening line in a way that reminds me of the Grassroots. "Love is a light burning inside only becuase of you, yeah baby you really got me goin', I don't believe how fast it's growin', everything's right, every night all of my dreams come true, you were the one thing I was missin', you came along we started kissin", Sure these lyrics might seem sort of cliched, but the way they're combined with the convincing vocals makes it an amazing song. It's pure 60's baby!"Get Out Now" is what my dad's girlfriend screamed when she threw me out of the house on Thanksgiving 5 years ago, but I probably deserved it! The "Heartbreak baby" background vocals are sort of odd because they come in right away before the regular line has a chance to be sung! But I like it. "Get out get out get out now, get out, he doesn't love you baby, get out get out get out now, get out my love is more than maybe!" The chorus probably isn't as strong as I was hoping for, but I still love it. Great keyboard part near the end."I Can't Go Back to Denver" is probably what Bob Seger said to himself after regretting the release of "Get Out of Denver". I'm kidding, I'm sure Bob loves Denver. This song somewhat rocks in the beginning with piano before the verse melody arrives. I actually dislike the chorus. Too gospel-ish. Female vocals weren't necessary and sort of ruin it. "Can't go back to Denver with you on my mind!" But the verse melody, that's where Tommy James excels!"Some Kind of Love" is a great little song! The fast moving part in the beginning and the way it suddenly and dreamily shifts into a really superb melody... so good. It then speeds up again during the "Somebody sat beside you all the time, you're so fine" part. "There are so many places baby, I've sene lots of lonely faces baby, well I've learned one thing girl, don't let love get away yeah". Great handclapping type of chorus too. Highly listenable song! Actually what am I talking about? This is Tommy James and the Shondells. The whole album is listenable.

In 1966 , tommy james put out his disc 'hanky panky. it was recorded years earlier. And it was a smash hit, He formed his band and they put out this great pop rock debut. It's clean pop rock and by two records later or so he had another great release with mony mony. And here you get these two classic pop rockin' releases on one disc. this was a great band that kept up powerfully good records right up till their breakup , which was a mistake of course. but here you have two on one of these wonderful discs. the sounds are fantastic and I have all of this bands output. This is well worth your money. It has several gigantic hit singles on it as well.

I bought this to replace my Mony Mony album...but to my surprise, it has the cleanest, scratchand pop-free version of Hanky Panky ever! Thealbum version of Mony Mony is far superior thanthe single version too. Overall, it's a greatvalue...two albums on one cd!

Ce CD contient 2 LP. Le premier "Hanky Panky" avec 12 titres est agréable à écouter avec quelques bons morçeaux "Hanky panky", "I'm so proud", "Love makes the world go round" et "Don't throw our love away". Le deuxiéme avec 11 titres ne présente que peu d'intérêt en dehors de "Mony Mony", "(I'm) Taken" et "One two three and I fell". Il faut dire qu'à cette époque (1966-1968) les 30 cm n'incluaient pas tous les tubes et un "best of" de Tommy James and the Shondells semble préférable.