25 ALL-TIME GREATEST BUBBLEGUM HITS
On February 29, I reviewed Best of the Bubblegum Years (you can read my review here ). In a comment, Fred Blosser suggested I check out 25 ALL-TIME GREATEST BUBBLEGUM HITS: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION from 2000. It took a bit of searching on-line but I finally found a copy and bought it. Now that I’ve listened to 25 ALL-TIME GREATEST BUBBLEGUM HITS: THE ULTIMATE COLLECTION I have to agree with Fred. It is vastly better than Best of the Bubblegum Years . And, it includes my favorite Bubblegum Hit, “Sugar, Sugar” by The Archies!
“Bubblegum Hit” can be loosely defined. I don’t really consider “I’m a Believer” by The Monkees a Bubblegum Hit but it was certainly a hit song : the single, produced by Jeff Barry , hit the number-one spot on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending December 31, 1966, and remained there for seven weeks, becoming the last number-one hit of 1966 and the biggest-selling single for all of 1967.
Many of these Bubblegum Hits are One-Hit Wonders. What ever happened to The Cuff Links and The Banana Splits? Do you remember these songs? Any favorites here? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
1 Ohio Express – Yummy, Yummy, Yummy Producer – Jeff Katz , Jerry Kasenetz Written-By, Lead Vocals, Producer – Joey Levine Written-By, Producer – Artie Resnick * 2 The Cuff Links – Tracy Lead Vocals – Ron Dante Written-By, Producer – Paul J. Vance *Written-By, Producer, Arranged By, Conductor – Lee Pockriss 2:11 3 The Monkees – I’m A Believer Lead Vocals – Micky Dolenz Producer, Arranged By – Jeff Barry Supervised By – Don Kirshner Written-By – Neil Diamond 2:46 4 Crazy Elephant – Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ Executive-Producer – Jeff Katz , Jerry Kasenetz Lead Vocals – Robert Spencer Producer – Artie Resnick *Written-By – Ritchie Cordel l Written-By, Producer, Arranged By – Joey Levine 2:02 5 The Fun And Games – The Grooviest Girl In The World Lead Vocals – Rock Romano , Sam Irwin Written-By – Michael Bottler *Written-By, Producer – Gary Zekley 2:51 6 Tommy Roe – Jam Up And Jelly Tight Producer – Steve Barri Written-By – Freddy Weller , Tommy Roe 2:20 7 1910 Fruitgum Company – Indian Giver Lead Vocals – Mark Gutkowski Written-By, Producer – Bo Gentry , Bobby Bloom , Ritchie Cordell 2:42 8 The Banana Splits – Wait Till Tomorrow Producer – David Mook Written-By – Mark Barkan Written-By, Lead Vocals – Ritchie Adams 2:34 9 Bobby Sherman – Easy Come, Easy Go Arranged By – Al Capps Producer – Jackie Mills Written-By – Diane Hildebrand , Jack Keller 2:40 10 Dawn (5) – Knock Three Times Arranged By – Norman Bergen Lead Vocals – Tony Orlando Producer – Dave Appell , The Tokens Written-By – Irwin Levine , L. Russell Brown 2:58 11 The Flying Machine – Smile A Little Smile For Me Lead Vocals – Tony Newman (3) Written-By – Geoff Stephens Written-By, Producer, Arranged By – Tony Macaulay 2:52 12 Josie And The Pussycats (2) – Every Beat Of My Heart Lead Vocals – Patrice Holloway Producer – Bobby Young Written-By – Bobby Hart Written-By, Producer – Danny Janssen 2:12 13 Tommy James & The Shondells – I Think We’re Alone Now Arranged By – Jimmy “Wiz” Wisner *Producer – Bo Gentry Written-By, Producer – Ritchie Cordell 2:09 14 The Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus – Quick Joey Small (Run, Joey, Run)E xecutive-Producer – Jeff Katz , Jerry Kasenetz Producer – Artie Resnick *Written-By – Kris Resnick Written-By, Lead Vocals, Producer, Arranged By – Joey Levine 2:24 15 Salt Water Taffy – Finders Keepers Lead Vocals – Tommy West Written-By, Producer – John Giametta , Rod McBrien 2:45 16 Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart *– Alice Long (You’re Still My Favorite Girlfriend) Arranged By – Artie Butler Written-By, Producer – Bobby Hart , Tommy Boyce 2:50 17 Street People (3) – Jennifer Tomkins Written-By – Gerard Florio Written-By, Lead Vocals – Rupert Holmes Written-By, Producer – Paul Vance 1:55 18 Edison Lighthouse – Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) Lead Vocals – Tony Burrows Written-By – John Barry Mason *Written-By, Producer – Tony Macaulay 2:53 19 Capt. Groovy & His Bubblegum Army *– Captain Groovy And His Bubblegum Army Lead Vocals – Bobby Bloom Written-By – Sal Trimachi Written-By, Executive-Producer – Jeff Katz , Jerry Kasenetz Written-By, Producer – Ritchie Cordell 3:07 20 Robin McNamara – Lay A Little Lovin’ On Me Written-By – Jim Cretecos , Robin McNamara Written-By, Producer – Jeff Barry 3:04 21 The Rock & Roll Dubble Bubble Trading Card Co. Of Philadelphia – Bubble Gum Music Arranged By, Conductor – Bassett Hand Lead Vocals, Producer – Jerry Goldstein Written-By – Bob Feldman , Gerald Goldstein 2:44 22 White Plains – My Baby Loves Lovin’ Lead Vocals – Rick Wolff , Tony Burrows Written-By, Producer – Roger Cook , Roger Greenaway 2:59 23 The Sweet – Funny, Funny Lead Vocals – Brian Connolly Producer – Phil Wainman Written-By – Mike Chapman , Nicky Chinn 2:46 24 Barry Blue – Dancin’ (On A Saturday Night) Producer, Arranged By – Gerry Shury Written-By – Lindsey DePaul *Written-By, Producer, Arranged By – Barry Blue 3:07 25 The Archies – Sugar, Sugar Lead Vocals – Ron Dante , Toni Wine Written-By – Andy Kim Written-By, Producer – Jeff Barry 2:44
