The Drifters | ||
| Allmusic Biography : The history of rhythm and blues is filled with vocal groups whose names -- the Orioles, the Cadillacs, the Crows, the Flamingos, the Moonglows, the Coasters, the Penguins -- are held in reverence by fanatics and devotees. The Drifters are part of an even more exclusive fraternity, as a group that managed to carve out a place for themselves in the R&B; firmament and also define that music, not only at its inception as a national chart phenomenon in the early 50s but also in the decade that followed. Their place in history is as complex as their role in it, by virtue of the fact that there are two distinct phases to their music and the continuity of their membership, and their extraordinary longevity -- only the Platters could claim as great a span of years as an active recording unit, though the latter group, due to major differences in the way they were organized, were far more stable in their membership and output. The Drifters can also claim a unique place in popular music history, as a major R&B; group founded at the instigation of a record-label chief. Their story began in early 1953, when Clyde McPhatter, the soaring high-tenor lead singer in the Dominoes, a vocal quintet formed by Billy Ward three years earlier, quit that group. The Dominoes were playing a scheduled gig at the New York club Birdland, one of their first performances without McPhatter, when one of the audience members present asked after the singer backstage. That fan was Ahmet Ertegun, a one-time record collector who had started Atlantic Records in the late 40s; as soon as he learned of McPhatters having left the Dominoes, he contacted the singer and signed him to Atlantic. It was Ertegun who gave McPhatter the impetus, as part of his contract, to start a group of his own, which came to be called the Drifters. The origins of the name and credit for thinking of it are obscure, although no one at Atlantic liked "the Drifters" at first, thinking it sounded too country & western -- the explanation sometimes offered by those present was that the members simply drifted in from other groups. The main source for McPhatters backing singers was among the ranks of former members of the Mount Lebanon Singers, the gospel group with which McPhatter had sung in the 40s. He went through several attempts at assembling a group that would be acceptable to Ertegun and producer Jerry Wexler, going through as many as a dozen friends and acquaintances, a handful of whom actually made it to formal recording sessions. The initial, unsuccessful lineup, featuring William Anderson, David Baughn, Dave Baldwin (the brother of author James Baldwin), and James Johnson, recorded four songs on June 28, 1953, of which only "Lucille," a McPhatter-authored song, was ever released. In August, a second Drifters lineup was put together, with Gerhart Thrasher, Andrew Thrasher, two very experienced gospel singers on tenor and baritone, respectively, bass singer Willie Ferbee, and Walter Adams on the guitar. From the beginning, the group was unusual among R&B; vocal ensembles in that a guitarist was part of their core lineup and the electric guitar central to their arrangements; Jimmy Oliver, who would soon take that spot as his own, also proved to be an important songwriter for the Drifters, especially for tenor Gerhart Thrasher. The new edition of the group cut five numbers on August 9, 1953, one of which was "Money Honey," written by arranger/pianist Jesse Stone. Released within a few weeks, it hit the number one spot on the R&B; chart by mid-fall of that year, and it was occasionally cited in later years as the first rock & roll record, and later entered the repertory of Elvis Presley and dozens of lesser talents. The groups career was made after that, at least as long as Clyde McPhatter was singing lead with them. This success didnt stop the regular lineup changes that would characterize the Drifters history. By the time the Drifters were enjoying their breakthrough hit, a reconstituted lineup, with bass singer Bill Pinkney and guitarist Jimmy Oliver joining Gerhart Thrasher and Andrew Thrasher, cut their first session. This was the lineup that lasted for the year that followed, and cut "Such a Night," a number two R&B; hit, and a second R&B; chart-topper with "Honey Love" in early 1954. By that time, the charts and radio play, along with audience sensibilities, had opened up and "Honey Love" also made number 21 on the pop charts late that spring. Not for the last time, it seemed as though the Drifters were headed for big things together, but a key member had developed other ideas by the fall of 1954. Although hed been assured of a considerable amount of musical control, McPhatter found that Ertegun and Wexler were, as the producers, always trying to push the group into directions of their own choosing. McPhatter didnt begrudge them their efforts at finding new sounds that might sell records to white as well as black audiences, but he didnt feel like participating. His goal was to cross over to pop audiences as a balladeer, and saw himself as having the potential to become another Nat "King" Cole, or perhaps a black answer to Frank Sinatra or Perry Como. By October of 1954, he had parted company with the group in favor of a solo career that would make him a success for the rest of the 1950s. Rather than see the group in which theyd invested 18 months of their time go out of existence, Ertegun and Wexler were still interested in recording the Drifters, but that groups internal circumstances were vastly different once McPhatter was gone. McPhatter had organized the Drifters under the auspices of his own business entity, Drifters Incorporated, so that he would have a share of their earnings, something that hed been denied in the Dominoes; his own willingness to share those earnings with the other members has never been broached or questioned. He was half-owner of the group with his manager, George Treadwell, a former jazz musician who had masterminded the solo career of his first wife, Sarah Vaughan; when McPhatter left the group, rather than making a provision for the other members and his eventual successor to get his share, he sold out his interest in Drifters Incorporated to Treadwell. This basically doomed the group to a permanent revolving-door lineup. From that day forward, all of the members of the Drifters were salaried employees, earning as little as $100 a week even into the early 60s, and getting no share of royalties from record sales, no benefits from the concert fees they commanded, nor any claim to the use of the name "the Drifters" if they left, no matter how successful the group became through their efforts. It thus became impossible for the group to hold on to anyone with serious talent or aspirations for a long-term career in music. This made the Drifters, for those present after McPhatters exit, little more inviting than McPhatters own tenure with the Dominoes, and he later regretted making the decision, recognizing not only what he had cheated himself of out by not hanging on to his share of the ownership but also what he had done to his fellow musicians. The immediate problem facing all concerned in 1954, however, was finding a replacement for Clyde McPhatter, and some would argue that they never did. David Baughn, who had sung with a very early version of the Drifters, came in as a temporary replacement, singing at one recording session and serving as lead vocalist for six months worth of live engagements (which was how the group generated most of its income). Baughns singing was good enough, but the group sounded like an imitation of the McPhatter-era Drifters, and Atlantic declined to release any of these sides at the time, possibly due to their potential to interfere with McPhatters solo releases, which were selling well. The label didnt know whether to shoot for an entirely new sound or to try to find a replacement who sounded like the former lead singer who, by 1956, was a major R&B; star in his own right. Additionally, Baughn soon demonstrated an erratic personality, sufficiently unnerving to force Treadwell to recruit a second lead vocalist in Bobby Hendricks, who had previously sung with the Five Crowns and the Swallows. Attempts were made to record this lineup, and even bass singer Bill Pinkney was cut doing a lead vocal, but none of it was considered acceptable. The lineup itself began to shift as Baughn quit, but the group soldiered on, drawing good crowds at their shows based on the quality of their earlier recordings. In 1955, however, they auditioned a young man who approached the group after a show in Cleveland. Johnny Moore had been a member of a group called the Hornets, who had done a little bit of recording without making any more than a local reputation for themselves. He sounded enough like McPhatter, however, with his pleasing high tenor, and was offered a spot in the Drifters the next day. Moore would prove to be a mainstay of the group in two different decades. The Drifters resumed recording in September of 1955, with Nesuhi Ertegun and songwriter Jerry Leiber producing and with Moore singing lead. The result was a number one R&B; chart single, "Adorable," which went a long way toward establishing their post-Clyde McPhatter reputation. This proved to be one of the very few major chart records they would enjoy during this era, however -- the Drifters were still absent from the top of the pop charts, where the real money and huge sales figures lay. Their records during the late 50s were overlooked by most young white listeners, despite the presence of future rock & roll standards such as "Ruby Baby" in their output. Dion would enjoy a much bigger hit with the latter song in the early 60s, but it was an important recording for the Drifters, marking their introduction to the talents of songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, who would later take over the job of producing the group. The Drifters lineup was also stabilized for the first time in over a year. The original Drifters now entered their "silver age" behind Moores cool high tenor, ably supported by the bass singing (and occasional lead spot) from Bill Pinkney and Bobby Hendricks tenor. "I Gotta Get Myself a Woman," written by Jesse Stone and cut during the summer of 1956, brought the group a number 11 R&B; hit and the groups fortunes once again seemed to be on a consistent upswing. As it turned out, the black record-buying public wasnt prepared to fully accept a new Drifters, without McPhatter -- black audiences practically worshipped the singer, who commanded a passionate loyalty that anticipated the future success of Sam Cooke. Additionally, the music was changing -- white teenagers were now a much bigger part of the market than they had been in 1953-54, and Atlantic set its sights on that potentially much richer vein of listeners. The end of 1956 saw the release of the first album by group, entitled Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters. Such was the popularity of McPhatter at the time, and the tracks that hed done with the Drifters, versus their recent work, that those 14 songs rated inclusion on an LP well over a year after his exit from the lineup in an effort to sell the music once more to his fans -- in that regard, Atlantic was very forward-looking; very few labels in 1956 were releasing LPs aimed at black R&B; listeners (apart from Elvis Presleys albums, very little white rock & roll made an impression on the album charts). Late 1956 was also the point when the consequences of the Drifters business organization caught up with the group. Their recent hits had led to more bookings than at any time since 1954, which was good for Treadwell and his partners, but difficult for the members, who were still working on straight salary and, by Bill Pinkneys estimation, very low salaries. He approached Treadwell for a new arrangement, or at least more money for the group members, and he was fired. His dismissal drove fellow founding member Andrew Thrasher out of the lineup as well, and out of music altogether. Pinkney and ex-Drifter Bobby Hendricks became the core of a new Atlantic group called the Flyers, who released one single that failed to attract much attention. The new Drifters lineup was filled by bass singer Jimmy Ricks and then, more permanently, by Tom Evans, late of the Dominoes, and baritone Charlie Hughes. The groups fortunes now took a new turn as Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller began producing their sessions in late 1956 -- unfortunately, their arrival on the scene coincided with Johnny Moores receiving his draft notice in early 1957. The group was (no joke intended) adrift once again, in terms of its sound and lineup. Bobby Hendricks was brought back in, and Jimmy Millender took over the baritone chores, but there wasnt a lot of good material that came from those sessions. For a time, in the absence of an ability to create a successful Drifters sound, it seemed as though Atlantic was trying to turn them into another version of the Coasters, doing light-hearted versions of pop standards. In a way, this was understandable -- black listeners held this eras Drifters at arms length, while white teenagers were dominating the pop charts and they seemed, at least potentially, open to new records by anyone, so Atlantic decided to cater to them, hoping for a breakthrough. By late 1958, Hendricks had announced his exit, and even guitarist Jimmy Oliver, who had managed to get several of his songs recorded during his four-year tenure with the group and was an unheralded mainstay of their sound, finally quit. The remaining members, such as they were, were working as hard as ever and wanted more money and, when Treadwell refused their request, they all walked out (or were fired en masse). Treadwell was about to find himself without a group and faced with upcoming engagements to fulfill at the Apollo Theater in New York. He spotted his way out of this impasse at the Apollo, way down on a bill on May 30, 1958 on which the about-to-be-fired Drifters were headlining. The Five Crowns, or the Crowns, as they were then known, had been a fixture in Harlem for most of the 1950s, predating the Drifters without ever making a mark as a recording act, and enjoying precious little reputation as performers. Treadwell approached their manager, Lover Patterson, explaining that he was dumping the existing Drifters and needed a new group to fulfill their performing obligations. Patterson agreed and the group followed suit, and all of the individual members contracts, except for that of one of the groups two baritones, were sold to Treadwell. In later years, this kind of arrangement would become a little more familiar in the business -- the Grass Roots essentially evolved this way, as did the performing version of the group Steam -- but it was unusual in those days, and difficult to pull off, and mostly served to keep Treadwell from ending up in court. The new Drifters lineup consisted of Charlie Thomas on lead, baritone Benjamin Earl Nelson, later known as Ben E. King, Dock Green (who had held the Crowns together) (baritone), and Elsbeary Hobbs singing bass. They did as they were required under the agreement and, for ten months, worked in the shadow of the old group, playing live gigs characterized by the awkwardness of performing the old songs as though they were their own, to mostly black audiences who knew that these werent the Drifters. Atlantic still hoped to profit from the group, however, and a second Drifters LP, Rockin & Driftin, was released in late 1958, comprised entirely of single tracks recorded by the 1955-58 lineup. Ironically, in all of their 19-year history with Atlantic Records, the Drifters, in any incarnation, never recorded an actual "album" session; every one of their LPs was compiled from existing single tracks and B-sides and, except for the first album, all have a mix-and-match element to the memberships and, especially, the singers represented. The group still had a recording contract with Atlantic Records and, despite the fact that the old Drifters recent releases had done little business, the label decided to try once more with the new lineup and get a record out. On March 6, 1959, they went into the studio with Leiber & Stoller producing, to cut four songs. Charlie Thomas was supposed to sing lead but he developed mic-fright in the studio, and so Nelson was deputized for "There Goes My Baby," which he had co-written, along with "Hey Senorita," and "Oh My Love." "There Goes My Baby," co-written by Nelson and orchestrated by Stan Applebaum, was as much a landmark in the history of R&B; and soul as "Money Honey" had been six years earlier. At the time, nobody present was sure of what they had because it sounded so chaotic, strange, and complicated -- no one had ever used a string section, much less one recorded as prominently as this one was, on an R&B; record, and no R&B; record up until that time had ever dared sound so complex, overlaying Latin percussion, violins, and a fiercely passionate performance by the singer. It not only didnt sound anything like the old Drifters, but it didnt sound like anything else that had ever been heard on a commercial recording before. And it was a complete mess in the eyes of some observers, including Jerry Wexler, who said the song sounded like a radio picking up two different stations at once. "There Goes My Baby" peaked at number two, their biggest hit to that date on the pop charts and their biggest seller up to that time, winning over both R&B; and pop audiences and transforming the group and its image. Moreover, it marked the groups first impact on audiences overseas -- the earlier Drifters, for all of their impact on rock & roll, never got a record released in Europe, but this new group and their sound would soon find a very important mass audience in England. The group seemed headed for a huge future when the problem of their business set-up came into play again. Theyd cut other songs at that same session, including "Baltimore," which sounded like an update of the Cadillacs "Speedo," but the strings-percussion-echo timbres of "There Goes My Baby," hung around long melodic lines, became the Drifters trademark sound for the ten years that followed. This seemed to be a new lease on life to the group, and then more troubles arose from within, owing to the way the Drifters were organized as a business. Ben Nelson wasnt happy working for $100 a week; not with the hundreds of miles of travel between some shows, and as many as six days of shows each week. He was so poor working for the group that he felt compelled to sell off his share of the songwriting on "There Goes My Baby," Accounts differ as to precisely what happened on this issue -- some say that he sold the share off to Treadwell and his accountant, while Jerry Wexler claims that he accepted a document from the singer assigning him the copyright, in exchange for $200; Wexler held on to the document, and gave it back to the singer once the song was a hit so he could tear it up. After approaching Treadwell for more money and being turned down, Nelson saw that there was no future as a member of the Drifters and announced his exit almost as soon as it came time to cut a follow-up. At the same moment, Lover Patterson played his trump card, a separate contract that hed signed with the singer, as a solo artist, dated before Treadwells offer. It all could have ended up in court but luckily for the singer and fans of the Drifters, cooler heads prevailed. He remained with Atlantic Records on their Atco subsidiary as a solo artist, and agreed to record with the group until a suitable replacement could be found, singing on "Dance With Me," "This Magic Moment," "I Count the Tears," and "Save the Last Dance for Me," the latter their only number one hit, among other songs, through the spring of 1960. By the time his exit had been arranged, Nelson had changed his name to the more memorable Ben E. King, which was how he emerged in his own right. The post-1959 Drifters (which also included guitarist Billy Davis) are usually thought of as the "Ben E. King Drifters," but the reality was that King had left the group by the end of that same year. Kings first successor was Johnny Williams, who exited suddenly in late 1960, but the Drifters quickly found a replacement in Rudy Lewis. An ex-member of the Clara Ward Singers, Lewis was the singer on "Some Kind of Wonderful," "Up on the Roof" (a Top Five hit), "Please Stay," "What to Do," and "On Broadway" (a Top Ten hit), among numerous other classic tracks by the group. Lewis, tragically, wasnt the longest lasting of the groups lead vocalists but his tenure with the group, following Kings, arguably constituted the second half of a second golden age in their history. Whoever was involved on a particular record, this lineup of the group was once again at a peak of influence in those years. "There Goes My Baby" anticipated the shift to a more pop-oriented brand of soul music, embraced by Sam Cooke and, even more so, by Berry Gordy at his fledgling Motown label. Indeed, the sound of "There Goes My Baby" was practically the prototype for Smokey Robinson & the Miracles landmark single "Way Over There." Others also learned from them, most notably a young producer named Phil Spector, who was working at Atlantic as a session guitarist in the early 60s and ran with the sound he heard in Stan Applebaums arrangements, expanding it into something new and turning it into his own trademark, imprinted on the work of a dozen top recording acts. And it was during the recording of his own "Please Stay" by the group that Burt Bacharach first encountered a vocalist named Dionne Warwick, who was part of the backing trio for the Drifters. Between 1960 and 1964, the Drifters achieved a level of stability that was unprecedented in their history, and it was matched by their success. Not that they didnt make mistakes -- they turned down "This Diamond Ring," and Atlantic never released their version of "Only in America," both of which became huge hits, in the hands of Gary Lewis & the Playboys and Jay & the Americans, respectively. Still, luck was with them even as essential personnel around them moved on -- in late 1963, as Leiber & Stoller shifted their attention to their own record label, Red Bird, the Drifters got a new producer in Bert Berns, a songwriter with a feel for commercial soul music. "Vaya Con Dios," from their first session with the new producer (and which reflected his love of Latin themes), was a moderate pop chart hit. And in the spring of 1964, with Leiber & Stoller no longer writing the way they had been, the group was offered a new song by composers Art Resnick and Kenny Young, called "Under the Boardwalk." It was scheduled for recording on May 21 of 1964. Then, on the night of May 20, just hours before the recording session, Rudy Lewis was found dead in his apartment under circumstances that are still in dispute -- the police suspected a drug overdose, but people who knew Lewis insisted that his only vice was binge-eating, and that he had choked to death. Without any time to reschedule the session, Johnny Moore, who had rejoined the group as second tenor in early 1963, stepped into the breach. Moore, who had previously held the thankless task of leading the late-50s Drifters, achieved a special magnificence at that session singing "Under the Boardwalk," which became the groups last Top Ten hit in 1964, peaking at number four. He became the longest lasting of the Drifters various lead singers, lasting into the 1970s and beyond their time as a serious recording act. By late 1964, Berns was moving on to other projects including the early releases of his new independent label, Bang Records, and the group found itself working with producer Tom Dowd in what were very unproductive sessions. They still had lots of bookings, and enough hits behind them to remain a thoroughly established act, but by that time the whole notion of soul music was changing around them, due in some measure to a vast array of other acts associated with Atlantic Records, including Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Don Covay. The Drifters were never able to make the jump comfortably to this harder brand of soul music, and the loss of Berns as a producer after 1965 seemed to seal their fate. Their own sessions began to show a lack of urgency and organization, exemplified by the fact that one of the very best tracks of Moores era, "In the Park," was left unfinished (without the group recorded behind him) and in the can for years. The death of George Treadwell in 1967 removed another layer of impetus behind the Drifters continuation as a going concern. They continued recording for Atlantic with a succession of producers until 1972. By that time, the company itself was part of a huge corporate conglomerate, far removed from its origins -- Led Zeppelin, Yes, and Emerson, Lake & Palmer were the stars of the Atlantic roster then, and scarcely anyone at the company except Ertegun and Wexler likely even remembered who the Drifters were or how theyd started. Johnny Moore still sang lead, but there were no more hits after the mid-60s. They tried altering their sound to mainstream adult pop, cutting old-style standards in an effort to capture older listeners. As the hits faded away and the bookings dried up, the group broke up yet again -- in the end, Johnny Moore was the only recognizable Drifter and he did most of the singing on the records as well. The 1970s saw a proliferation of acts trading on the Drifters name as the rock & roll revival suddenly made the groups classic repertory profitable again. Founding member Bill Pinkney led a group sometimes called "the Original Drifters" while Charlie Thomas led another version and Johnny Moore kept the fully authorized group under the auspices of Treadwells widow Faye. The result was a series of lawsuits that ultimately saw the various claimants divide different territories within the United States between them, while the Faye Treadwell-authorized group, led by Johnny Moore, moved to England, where they enjoyed a Top Ten hit in 1972 ("Come on Over to My Place"), falling under the influence of the Roger Cook/Roger Greenaway songwriting team. This incarnation of the group, no longer signed to Atlantic after 1972, was signed to Bell Records. The British-based version of the Drifters became a dance-disco outfit for a time in the late 70s, virtually irrelevant to the groups history, while Pinkney and Thomas maintained contact with the Drifters roots, and even Jimmy Ricks, who was only in the group for a few months, turned up at some point leading a combo using the name. Ben E. King even returned to the lineup for a tour in the late 80s. In the 1990s, after decades of conflicting and contradictory claims, a new court ruling determined that Faye Treadwell owned the trademark of the Drifters name. The death of Johnny Moore in the 1990s brought the end of the era in the groups history, though Bill Pinkney -- the last active original member from the early 50s -- continued to front a group of Drifters up until his death on July 4th, 2007. The late 80s and early 90s also saw a full revival of the groups entire catalog; for decades, from the 1960s through the 1980s, fans and collectors in America had to content themselves with a single LP, the 1968 Golden Hits album, consisting of a selection of the groups early-60s hits -- none of the McPhatter-era cuts were around, nor were any other tracks from the 60s era. A pair of Rhino Records-inspired double-CD/LP sets helped break this log-jam in the late 80s, and Rhinos 1996 triple-CD set Rockin & Driftin: The Drifters Box opened the floodgates of their history. That same year, Sequel Records in England issued seven CDs devoted to the groups history, and more recently Collectables Records has been busy re-releasing the groups classic albums on CD. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 29 Title: Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters Released: 1956 Tracks: 14 Duration: 36:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Without Love (There Is Nothing) (02:57) 2 Someday Youll Want Me to Want You (02:54) 3 Treasure of Love (02:10) 4 Im Not Worthy of You (02:40) 5 Bells of St. Marys (02:39) 6 White Christmas (02:39) 7 I Make Believe (02:51) 8 Seven Days (02:29) 9 Warm Your Heart (02:45) 10 Money Honey (02:58) 11 What’cha Gonna Do (02:47) 12 Such a Night (02:30) 13 Honey Love (02:25) 14 Thirty Days (02:09) |
| Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters : Allmusic album Review : The Drifters debut album didnt appear until 1956, more than a year after Clyde McPhatter had left the group that he founded. Thus, this LP was actually an oldies release from the date of its first appearance, and even more so when it was repackaged in 1958 (a time when McPhatters solo career was running as hot as a pistol). With McPhatters high tenor voice featured as the lead on every song (basso Bill Pinkney occasionally stepped forward as well), this release and its title made perfect commercial sense on either date. For fans of the singer or the group, or anyone who wasnt around to buy the singles assembled here when they first came out, this is an awesome collection. Numbers like "Money Honey" became the basic language of rock & roll as surely as anything ever written by Chuck Berry, and soaring soul ballads like "Warm Your Heart" are good to hear in any era. On hot "jump" numbers like "Whatcha Gonna Do?," McPhatter uncannily anticipates the sound upon which Jackie Wilson would build his career in the second half of the 50s. In short, this is an album that just didnt stop rocking. Helping out in the endeavor were saxman Sam "The Man" Taylor and guitarist Jimmy Oliver, who shines with some particularly hard-edged playing on "Warm Your Heart." | ||
 | Album: 2 of 29 Title: Rockin & Driftin Released: 1958 Tracks: 14 Duration: 33:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Moonlight Bay (02:07) 2 Ruby Baby (02:23) 3 Drip Drop (02:27) 4 I Gotta Get Myself a Woman (02:14) 5 Fools Fall in Love (02:31) 6 Hypnotized (02:00) 7 Yodee Yakee (02:24) 8 I Know (02:11) 9 Soldier of Fortune (02:35) 10 Drifting Away From You (02:07) 11 Your Promise to Be Mine (02:35) 12 It Was a Tear (02:34) 13 Adorable (02:41) 14 Steamboat (02:23) |
| Rockin' & Driftin' : Allmusic album Review : The second LP by the Drifters was, almost as much as its predecessor Clyde McPhatter & the Drifters, a catch-up effort comprised of three years of recordings by a group whose membership was in a constant state of flux. The lead singers were Johnny Moore, Bobby Hendricks, Gerhart Thrasher, or David Baughn, McPhatters successors from 1955 through 1958. This collection lacks the mystique of the first album, partly because none of these singers approached McPhatters name recognition, and also because the records themselves simply werent as good. (This isnt meant to put them down -- its difficult to imagine a body of 20-plus songs that could match the Drifters output from 1953-1954.) Additionally, these were all very different vocalists. Johnny Moore was as close as any of them to his predecessors style and he lacked McPhatters sheer power, although he had excellent intonation and on occasion sounded remarkably like Jackie Wilson (nowhere more than on "It Was a Tear"). However, his ballads lacked the almost otherworldly quality that imbued McPhatters work, and his tenure with the group, as represented here, was a far more conventional period without much commercial success. "On Moonlight Bay" is the albums nadir, an abortive attempt to turn the pop standard into a doo wop style number. By contrast, "Adorable," dating from 1955, anticipated Sam Cookes attempt to meld soul balladry with mainstream pop by a good three years -- indeed, it even calls to mind Cookes "I Love You for Sentimental Reasons" in its opening and chorus. There are also signs of an attempt to transform the Drifters into an outfit similar to their Atco labelmates the Coasters, doing highly animated novelty songs like "Yodee Yakee." There is one classic rock & roll number here, "Ruby Baby," which didnt sell much at the time but, along with another track off this record, "Drip Drop," became a huge hit for Dion early in the following decade. Theres also a gorgeous ballad in "I Know" and a trio of killer R&B; dance numbers in "Fools Fall in Love," "Hypnotized," and "I Got to Get Myself a Woman" (the latter featuring Bill Pinkney), but a lot of the rest is good but relatively unexceptional R&B.; The LP is worth hearing just for Sam "The Man" Taylors sax solo on "Drip Drop." As reflected by this album, the Drifters were in a constant state of commercial and artistic turmoil during the years represented by these recordings, which ultimately led to their breakup in 1959. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 29 Title: Under the Boardwalk Released: 1964 Tracks: 14 Duration: 33:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples AlbumCover | 1 Under The Boardwalk (02:38) 2 I Count The Tears (02:07) 3 Up On The Roof (02:20) 4 Please Stay (02:15) 5 On Broadway (03:03) 6 When My Little Girl Is Smiling (02:23) 7 True Love, True Love (02:06) 8 There Goes My Baby (02:18) 9 This Magic Moment (02:36) 10 Some Kind Of Wonderful (02:31) 11 Dance With Me (02:28) 12 Save The Last Dance For Me (02:18) 13 Sweets for My Sweet (02:39) 14 Saturday Night at the Movies (02:04) |
 | Album: 4 of 29 Title: Ill Take You Where the Musics Playing Released: 1965 Tracks: 12 Duration: 32:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Ill Take You Where the Musics Playing (02:39) 2 Ive Got Sand in My Shoes (02:48) 3 At the Club (02:57) 4 I Dont Want to Go on Without You (02:44) 5 Answer the Phone (02:51) 6 Hes Just a Playboy (02:56) 7 Follow Me (02:30) 8 Spanish Lace (02:30) 9 Chains of Love (02:45) 10 Far From the Maddening Crowd (02:50) 11 The Outside World (02:31) 12 Come on Over to My Place (02:27) |
| I'll Take You Where the Music's Playing : Allmusic album Review : Although initially touted as the triumphant return of the Drifters, 1965s Ill Take You Where the Musics Playing ended up as a bittersweet farewell to the combos final incarnation during the 1960s. The personnel included Johnny Moore (lead vocals), Charles Thomas (tenor and lead vocals), Eugene Pearson (baritone vocals), John Terry (bass vocals), and Billy Davis aka Abdul Samad (guitar). Following the tragic death of Rudy Lewis in June of 1964 -- the day before they were to record the classic "Under the Boardwalk" -- Moore and Thomas divided up the lead vocal responsibilities. The material was certainly top-shelf, with contributions from legendary Brill Building denizens Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich ("Ill Take You Where the Musics Playing"); Carole King and Gerry Goffin ("At the Club"); Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman ("Spanish Lace"); Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann ("Come on Over to My Place"); a young Kenny Gamble, who teams up with Jimmy Bishop ("Chains of Love"); and Arthur Resnick and Kenny Young ("Ive Got Sand in My Shoes"). Incidentally, it was the latter pairing who penned the international hit "Under the Boardwalk." Legendary producer/songwriter Bert Berns also gets in on the act, contributing one of the projects highlights, the heartfelt ballad "I Dont Want to Go on Without You." Perhaps owing to the phenomenal acclaim of "Under the Boardwalk," Berns sticks to the somewhat prescribed light pop arrangements that are -- more often than not -- augmented with a equally ersatz string section. The results, while at once musically undemanding, were perfect fare for Moores Sam Cooke-inspired leads and are most evident on "Answer the Phone" and the slightly watered-down reply to Cookes "Twistin the Night Away," titled "Come on Over to My Place." Otherwise, there are a few standouts that depart from the formula, including the solid backbeat of "Follow Me" and the Memphis-style horn section that supports "Far from the Maddening Crowd." In 2007 Collectors Choice Music licensed Ill Take You Where the Musics Playing and finally brought the platter back into print. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 29 Title: The Drifters’ Golden Hits Released: 1968 Tracks: 12 Duration: 30:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 There Goes My Baby (02:12) 2 (If You Cry) True Love, True Love (02:23) 3 Dance With Me (02:25) 4 This Magic Moment (02:30) 5 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:30) 6 I Count the Tears (02:15) 7 Some Kind of Wonderful (02:35) 8 Up on the Roof (02:37) 9 On Broadway (03:00) 10 Under the Boardwalk (02:41) 11 I’ve Got Sand in My Shoes (02:49) 12 Saturday Night at the Movies (02:29) |
 | Album: 6 of 29 Title: Now Released: 1973 Tracks: 12 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Youve Got Your Troubles (?) 2 Four and Twenty Hours (?) 3 Sweet Caroline (?) 4 Love Me Love the Life I Lead (?) 5 Save the Last Dance for Me (?) 6 (Theres) Always Something There to Remind Me (?) 7 Every Night (?) 8 Something Tells Me (?) 9 Deep Down (?) 10 Im Feeling Sad (?) 11 Say Goodbye to Angelina (?) 12 The Songs We Used to Sing (?) |
 | Album: 7 of 29 Title: There Goes My First Love Released: 1975 Tracks: 12 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 There Goes My First Love (?) 2 If Youre Gonna Love Me (?) 3 The Cut Is Deep (?) 4 I Cant Get Away From You (?) 5 Hello Happiness (?) 6 Harlem Child (?) 7 Love Games (?) 8 Im Ready (To Make a Fool of Myself Again) (?) 9 A Blessing in Disguise (?) 10 If It Feels Good, Do It (?) 11 I Cant Live Without You (?) 12 Im Free for the Rest of Your Life (?) |
| There Goes My First Love : Allmusic album Review : While the Drifters first Bell label release The Drifters Now proved a commercially successful update of their signature sound, There Goes My First Love simply reeks of desperation. With songwriting and production partner Roger Cook AWOL, Roger Greenaway assumes full control of the session, but arrives with few of the tools necessary to patch up the groups creaky sound for a new generation of listeners. Greenaways wan production and paint-by-numbers originals do little to showcase the Drifters signature harmonies in a positive light, and for that matter, the harmonies themselves are ragged and uninspired. A disappointing album by any metric, even moreso because the Drifters name is attached. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 29 Title: Love Games Released: 1975 Tracks: 12 Duration: 38:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Love Games (03:04) 2 Like Sister And Brother (03:20) 3 Im Ready (To Make A Fool Of Myself Again) (03:00) 4 If Youre Gonna Love Me (03:41) 5 The Cut Is Deep (03:58) 6 I Cant Get Away From You (02:20) 7 Kissin In The Back Row Of The Movies (03:27) 8 Im Free (For The Rest Of Your Life) (03:11) 9 I Cant Live Without You (03:06) 10 If It Feels Good (Do It) (03:24) 11 A Blessing In Disguise (02:52) 12 Down On The Beach Tonight (03:00) |
| Love Games : Allmusic album Review : Following the unexpected chart success of the 1972 single "Come on Over to My Place," the Johnny Moore-led Drifters remained in London and reunited with producers Roger Cook and Roger Greenaway for Love Games, a further update and refinement of the storied groups signature sound for an era dominated by funk, Philly soul, and disco. At best, the Drifters buttery harmonies fuse seamlessly with the plush production -- at worst, the group sounds as if it just awoke from suspended animation, confronted by a musical world thats frightening and confusing. It doesnt help that Cook and Greenaways songs are rather uninspired, rehashing the eras clichés at the expense of new ideas or heartfelt sentiments. Just because this Drifters lineup is authorized doesnt mean its the real thing. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 29 Title: Every Nites a Saturday Night Released: 1976 Tracks: 12 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Youre More Than a Number in My Little Red Book (?) 2 Ill Get to Know Your Name Along the Way (?) 3 Do You Have to Go Now (?) 4 Like a Movie Ive Seen Before (?) 5 Twice a Week (?) 6 Another Kind of Sorrow (?) 7 Sweet Little Rock n Roller (?) 8 Midnight Cowboy (?) 9 Another Lonely Weekend (?) 10 Ill Know When True Love Passes By (?) 11 Summer in the City (?) 12 Every Nites a Saturday Night With You (?) |
 | Album: 10 of 29 Title: 12 Greatest Hits Released: 1982 Tracks: 12 Duration: 29:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 There Goes My Baby (02:17) 2 This Magic Moment (02:32) 3 Sweets for My Sweet (02:37) 4 I Count the Tears (02:06) 5 Dance With Me (02:25) 6 Up on the Roof (02:14) 7 On Broadway (03:04) 8 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:13) 9 Please Stay (Don’t Go) (02:16) 10 Some Kind of Wonderful (02:32) 11 Money Honey (02:32) 12 Under the Boardwalk (02:34) |
 | Album: 11 of 29 Title: 16 Greatest Hits Released: 1985 Tracks: 16 Duration: 40:28 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Under the Boardwalk (02:41) 2 I Count the Tears (02:16) 3 Up on the Roof (02:19) 4 Please Stay (02:19) 5 On Broadway (03:06) 6 When My Little Girl Is Smiling (02:23) 7 If You Cry, True Love (02:23) 8 There Goes My Baby (02:17) 9 This Magic Moment (02:39) 10 Some Kind of Wonderful (02:32) 11 Dance With Me (02:33) 12 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:24) 13 Sweets for My Sweet (02:43) 14 Saturday Night at the Movies (02:08) 15 Ill Take You Home (02:43) 16 Spanish Harlem (02:56) |
 | Album: 12 of 29 Title: Save the Last Dance for Me Released: 1987 Tracks: 16 Duration: 46:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 On Broadway (02:54) 2 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:30) 3 Dance With Me (02:20) 4 There Goes My Baby (02:18) 5 Up on the Roof (02:34) 6 Under the Boardwalk (02:41) 7 Sittin on the Dock of the Bay (02:48) 8 Another Saturday Night (02:31) 9 Stand by Me (03:47) 10 Cupid (03:34) 11 Wonderful World (02:57) 12 You Send Me (02:49) 13 Unchained Melody (03:41) 14 Summertime (03:02) 15 Bring It on Home to Me (02:41) 16 Tie a Yellow Ribbon (03:06) |
| Save the Last Dance for Me : Allmusic album Review : The first LP appearance by the Ben E. King-era Drifters, as was usually the case with this group, took place more than a year after King himself had left the group, replaced by Rudy Lewis whose voice is featured on most of the tracks here. This album is more unified than its predecessor, which is understandable as it appeared in the wake of a succession of hits utilizing the same core group and the same style of production, mixing strings into an R&B; sound and creating something new and attractive that crossed over very easily to pop listeners. "When My Little Girl Is Smiling," "Room Full of Tears," and the title track exemplify the sound, but the finest cut here might be "Nobody but Me." A Doc Pomus/Mort Shuman-authored B-side to the title cut, "Nobody but Me" should have been a hit in its own right. Actually, as with prior releases by the group, the album is comprised of single A- and B-sides, including "Please Stay," "Jackpot," and "Mexican Divorce." The album also provides a likely explanation for the non-release of the excellent "She Never Talked to Me That Way": its similarity (especially in the chorus) to another Pomus/Shuman number on this album, "Somebody New Dancing With You," which was cut earlier and probably precluded the release of "She Never Talked to Me That Way" on a single at the time. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 29 Title: The Drifters Released: 1987 Tracks: 16 Duration: 47:34 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Spanish Harlem (03:02) 2 This Magic Moment (02:37) 3 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:44) 4 Under the Boardwalk (02:41) 5 Caribbean Queen (03:59) 6 Penny Lover (03:53) 7 Wonderful World (02:10) 8 Reet Petite (02:46) 9 Stand by Me (03:00) 10 Aint Too Proud to Beg (02:54) 11 Its the Same Old Song (02:49) 12 Since I Losy My Baby (03:01) 13 I Cant Help Myself (02:41) 14 On Broadway (03:03) 15 Nothings Gonna Change My Love for You (03:30) 16 Sitting on the Dock of the Bay (02:44) |
 | Album: 14 of 29 Title: Let The Boogie-Woogie Roll - Greatest Hits 1953-1958 Released: 1988 Tracks: 32 Duration: 1:23:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Lucille (02:59) 2 Money Honey (02:55) 3 The Way I Feel (02:44) 4 Let the Boogie Woogie Roll (02:48) 5 Gone (02:38) 6 Such a Night (02:28) 7 Warm Your Heart (02:42) 8 Dont Dog Me (02:30) 9 Bip Bam (02:45) 10 Whatcha Gonna Do (02:44) 11 Honey Love (02:20) 12 White Christmas (02:37) 13 Bells of St. Marys (02:39) 14 If I Didnt Love You Like I Do (02:24) 15 There You Go (02:40) 16 Some Day Youll Want Me to Want You (02:52) 1 Try Try Baby (02:35) 2 Everyones Laughing (02:51) 3 Hot Ziggety (02:32) 4 Three Thirty Three (02:35) 5 Honey Bee (02:58) 6 Adorable (02:41) 7 Your Promise to Be Mine (02:35) 8 Steamboat (02:27) 9 Ruby Baby (02:20) 10 I Should Have Done Right (02:52) 11 Honky Tonk (02:28) 12 Sadie My Lady (02:25) 13 I Gotta Get Myself a Woman (02:13) 14 Fools Fall in Love (02:30) 15 It Was a Tear (02:29) 16 Drip Drop (02:27) |
| Let The Boogie-Woogie Roll - Greatest Hits 1953-1958 : Allmusic album Review : This is a repackaged and re-sequenced version of the similarly titled 1988 Atlantic double CD, containing the 40 songs recorded by the early Drifters in their Clyde McPhatter, David Baughan, and Johnny Moore eras -- and its as fine a body of rhythm & blues-cum-rock & roll as youll ever find. The work runs from the ethereal, soulful balladry ("Gone") to bluesy laments ("Dont Dog Me") and distinctive reinterpretations of classic songs ("White Christmas," "The Bells of St. Marys") to out and out rock & roll ("Money Honey," "Let the Boogie Woogie Roll," "Bip Bam"), with lots of classic moments and songs. Certainly Clyde McPhatter never cut better music than the 20 tracks he did with the Drifters, all laid out on disc one. Their string of hits was unbroken by the arrival of Johnny Moore, so the second disc in this set is as enjoyable as the first. The improvement to this set over the original includes a bigger typeface for the notes, and the altered sequencing, which puts everything in order of recording, not release, thus, presenting the way the group evolved, step by step and song by song. The sound, in addition to showing off the groups extraordinary vocal prowess, also highlights the playing of guitarist Mickey Baker and saxman Sam "The Man" Taylor. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 29 Title: The Drifters / The Coasters Released: 1988 Tracks: 12 Duration: 31:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Under the Boardwalk (02:43) 2 Saturday Night at the Movies (02:35) 3 Up on the Roof (02:37) 4 There Goes My Baby (02:12) 5 On Broadway (03:04) 6 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:39) 7 Sweets for My Sweet (02:39) 8 Charlie Brown (02:18) 9 Yakety Yak (01:48) 10 Along Came Jones (02:46) 11 Searchin (02:54) 12 Poison Ivy (02:43) |
| The Drifters / The Coasters : Allmusic album Review : An absolutely dreadful disc featuring "new stereo recording(s) performed by one or more members of the original group" of their greatest hits. Although the Drifters sound all right, The Coasters are abysmal. Avoid at all costs. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 29 Title: The Collection Released: 1988 Tracks: 23 Duration: 1:16:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Like Sister and Brother (03:27) 2 Everynight (03:17) 3 Youre More Than a Number in My Little Red Book (03:18) 4 Down on the Beach Tonight (03:03) 5 Sweet Caroline (03:13) 6 Hello Happiness (02:46) 7 There Goes My First Love (03:00) 8 Youve Got Your Troubles (04:03) 9 Another Lonely Weekend (02:36) 10 Say Goodbye to Angelina (03:36) 11 Please Help Me Down (03:55) 12 Can I Take You Home Little Girl? (03:28) 13 Kissin in the Back Row of the Movies (03:33) 14 If It Feels Good Do It (03:29) 15 Summer in the City (03:32) 16 Im Feelin Sad (03:34) 17 Do You Have to Go Now (03:11) 18 Love Games (03:09) 19 Midnight Cowboy (03:33) 20 The Songs We Used to Sing (03:05) 21 Ill Get to Know Your Name Along the Way (03:13) 22 Every Nites a Saturday Night With You (03:24) 23 Harlem Child (03:12) |
 | Album: 17 of 29 Title: All Time Greatest Hits & More: 1959-1965 Released: 1988-11-30 Tracks: 40 Duration: 1:42:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 There Goes My Baby (02:12) 2 Oh My Love (02:23) 3 Baltimore (02:15) 4 Hey Senorita (02:44) 5 Dance With Me (02:25) 6 (If You Cry) True Love, True Love (02:18) 7 This Magic Moment (02:28) 8 Lonely Winds (02:50) 9 Nobody but Me (02:35) 10 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:29) 11 I Count the Tears (02:15) 12 Sometimes I Wonder (02:22) 13 Please Stay (02:18) 14 Room Full of Tears (02:46) 15 Sweets for My Sweet (02:28) 16 Some Kind of Wonderful (02:39) 17 Loneliness or Happiness (02:39) 18 Mexican Divorce (02:35) 19 Somebody New Dancing With You (02:23) 20 Jackpot (02:44) 1 She Never Talked to Me That Way (02:36) 2 When My Little Girl Is Smiling (02:32) 3 Stranger on the Shore (02:40) 4 What to Do (02:56) 5 Up on the Roof (02:37) 6 Another Night With the Boys (02:50) 7 I Feel Good All Over (02:11) 8 Let the Music Play (02:40) 9 On Broadway (03:00) 10 Ill Take You Home (02:38) 11 If You Dont Come Back (02:38) 12 Didnt It (01:54) 13 One Way Love (02:32) 14 Hes Just a Playboy (02:58) 15 Under the Boardwalk (02:41) 16 I Dont Want to Go on Without You (02:49) 17 Ive Got Sand in My Shoes (02:49) 18 Saturday Night at the Movies (02:31) 19 At the Club (02:57) 20 Come on Over to My Place (02:28) |
| All Time Greatest Hits & More: 1959-1965 : Allmusic album Review : If Rhinos Very Best of the Drifters is a fine R&B; snack, then All-Time Greatest Hits & More: 1959-1965 is a three-course gourmet meal with dessert built on the same ingredients. Forget about the higher price and the fact that 40 songs might seem to be more Drifters than most casual listeners would want -- All-Time Greatest Hits & More: 1959-1965 is a towering and magnificent collection of some of the best popular R&B; ever done this side of Sam Cooke. And, as with Sam Cooke, the beautiful part of the Drifters work during this period is that any look beyond and behind their hits reveals a lot more songs that were every bit as good as those hits. Theres not even a slightly weak track anywhere on All-Time Greatest Hits & More, which contains the biggest hits Ben E. King, Rudy Lewis, and Johnny Moore sang for the group. "There Goes My Baby," "This Magic Moment," "Save the Last Dance for Me," "Sweets for My Sweet," "I Count the Tears," "Some Kind of Wonderful," "Up on the Roof," "On Broadway," and "Under the Boardwalk" are all here, mastered in surprisingly good sound for the late 80s. Theres a lot more than that, however -- the producers have also included killer B-sides (such as "Let the Music Play") that hadnt been in print since the mid-60s, and theyve dug even deeper to throw in finished tracks that were left in the vaults until the 70s. The notes by Colin Escott are an added bonus, displaying his usual command for historical detail. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 29 Title: The Very Best of Ben E King & The Drifters Released: 1990 Tracks: 20 Duration: 59:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Stand by Me (02:58) 2 At the Club (02:56) 3 Saturday Night at the Movies (02:30) 4 Youre More Than a Number in My Little Red Book (03:13) 5 Come on Over to My Place (02:28) 6 When My Little Girl Is Smiling (02:29) 7 Hello Happiness (03:00) 8 Love Games (03:05) 9 Kissin in the Back Row of the Movies (03:32) 10 There Goes My First Love (03:02) 11 Under the Boardwalk (02:41) 12 On Broadway (03:00) 13 Up on the Roof (02:35) 14 Spanish Harlem (02:51) 15 Can I Take You Home Little Girl (03:28) 16 Like Sister and Brother (03:24) 17 Every Nites a Saturday Night With You (03:23) 18 Down on the Beach Tonight (03:02) 19 Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Been So Good) (03:08) 20 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:27) |
 | Album: 19 of 29 Title: Stand by Me Released: 1992 Tracks: 8 Duration: 21:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Stand by Me (02:58) 2 Spanish Harlem (02:57) 3 I (Who Have Nothing) (02:22) 4 Dont Play That Song (You Lied) (02:49) 5 Up on the Roof (02:37) 6 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:30) 7 This Magic Moment (02:33) 8 On Broadway (02:50) |
 | Album: 20 of 29 Title: Collection Released: 1993 Tracks: 25 Duration: 1:17:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Stand by Me (03:46) 2 Save the Last Dance for Me (03:33) 3 Another Saturday Night (02:30) 4 Under the Boardwalk (03:54) 5 On Broadway (02:34) 6 Sittin on the Dock of the Bay (02:42) 7 Saturday Night at the Movies (02:32) 8 Dance With Me (02:19) 9 Sweets for My Sweet (02:37) 10 Some Kind of Wonderful (03:24) 11 Bring It on Home to Me (02:35) 12 Cupid (03:32) 13 I Can Help (02:46) 14 Ruby Baby (02:24) 15 Third Rate Romance (03:18) 16 Please Stay (02:45) 17 True Love (02:33) 18 Up on the Roof (03:51) 19 When My Little Girl Is Smiling (02:10) 20 There Goes My Baby (04:40) 21 The Little Drummer Boy (03:18) 22 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (03:00) 23 On Holy Night (03:22) 24 The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) (04:47) 25 Auld Lang Syne (02:15) |
 | Album: 21 of 29 Title: The Best of The Drifters Released: 1995-08-19 Tracks: 16 Duration: 51:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Kissin’ in the Back Row of the Movies (03:32) 2 Like Sister and Brother (03:24) 3 Every Nites a Saturday Night With You (03:23) 4 There Goes My First Love (03:04) 5 Like a Movie Ive Seen Before (03:17) 6 Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) (03:15) 7 Hello Happiness (02:47) 8 Down on the Beach Tonight (03:04) 9 Youre More Than a Number in My Little Red Book (03:16) 10 Love Games (03:08) 11 Save the Last Dance for Me (03:04) 12 Youve Got Your Troubles (04:04) 13 Harlem Child (03:14) 14 The Songs We Used to Sing (03:07) 15 (Theres) Always Something There to Remind Me (02:25) 16 Can I Take You Home Little Girl (03:29) |
| The Best of The Drifters : Allmusic album Review : The sad thing about this collection is that it is impossible to know what version of the Drifters this is, since everything here has been re-recorded for K-Tel Records. These are great songs, but there is no reason not to get them in the original versions. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 29 Title: Up on the Roof Released: 1996 Tracks: 12 Duration: 27:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 On Broadway (03:00) 2 I Count the Tears (02:03) 3 Saturday Night at the Movies (01:58) 4 This Magic Moment (02:25) 5 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:15) 6 Please Stay (02:15) 7 Sweets for My Sweet (02:34) 8 Dance With Me (02:15) 9 Some Kind of Wonderful (02:19) 10 (If You Cry) True Love, True Love (02:02) 11 Under the Boardwalk (02:37) 12 Up on the Roof (02:05) |
| Up on the Roof : Allmusic album Review : The first best-of Drifters collection in the groups complicated ten-year existence, this 14-song LP was also a strange compilation, drawing together Clyde McPhatter-era chart singles like "Ruby Baby," Ben E. King-sung classics like "There Goes My Baby" and "This Magic Moment," and Rudy Lewis-era masterpieces such as "Up on the Roof." It also freely mixes in odd but worthy sides like the hard R&B; piece "What to Do" (never an actual hit) among the chart-busters. At the time of its release, this compilation provided a decent cross-section of some recent and classic singles by the two versions of the group. | ||
 | Album: 23 of 29 Title: The Very Best of The Drifters Released: 1996 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:04:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Save the Last Dance for Me (03:04) 2 There Goes My First Love (03:04) 3 Kissin’ in the Back Row of the Movies (03:32) 4 Down on the Beach Tonight (03:06) 5 Like Sister and Brother (03:24) 6 Can I Take You Home Little Girl? (03:31) 7 You’re More Than a Number in My Little Red Book (03:16) 8 Every Nites a Saturday Night With You (03:23) 9 Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) (03:15) 10 Love Games (03:08) 11 Harlem Child (03:14) 12 Summer in the City (03:34) 13 The Songs We Used to Sing (03:08) 14 Something Tells Me (Somethings Gonna Happen Tonight) (03:19) 15 If Only I Could Start Again (03:48) 16 Another Lonely Weekend (02:34) 17 Midnight Cowboy (03:33) 18 (Theres) Always Something There to Remind Me (02:25) 19 Dont Cry on the Weekend (02:55) 20 Hello Happiness (02:44) |
 | Album: 24 of 29 Title: Anthology Four: Up on the Roof Released: 1996 Tracks: 20 Duration: 52:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Please Stay (02:18) 2 Some Kind of Wonderful (02:37) 3 Loneliness or Happiness (02:36) 4 Mexican Divorce (02:36) 5 Somebody New Dancing With You (02:21) 6 Jackpot (02:47) 7 She Never Talked to Me That Way (02:35) 8 Stranger on the Shore (02:40) 9 What to Do (02:56) 10 Another Night With the Boys (02:49) 11 Up on the Roof (02:37) 12 Let the Music Play (02:38) 13 On Broadway (03:00) 14 I Dont Want Nobody (02:33) 15 Baby I Dig Love (02:21) 16 Only in America (02:10) 17 Rat Race (02:14) 18 In the Land of Make Believe (02:36) 19 Beautiful Music (03:00) 20 Vaya con Dios (03:19) |
 | Album: 25 of 29 Title: The Drifters Collection Released: 1996 Tracks: 16 Duration: 39:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Under the Boardwalk (02:37) 2 I Count the Tears (02:05) 3 Up on the Roof (02:17) 4 Please Stay (02:14) 5 On Broadway (03:00) 6 When My Little Girl Is Smiling (02:21) 7 (If You Cry) True Love, True Love (02:05) 8 There Goes My Baby (02:16) 9 This Magic Moment (02:35) 10 Some Kind of Wonderful (02:30) 11 Dance With Me (02:26) 12 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:17) 13 Sweets For My Sweet (02:38) 14 Saturday-Night at the Movies (02:05) 15 Stand by Me (02:58) 16 Spanish Harlem (02:55) |
 | Album: 26 of 29 Title: On Broadway Released: 1996-01-01 Tracks: 16 Duration: 46:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 On Broadway (02:49) 2 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:30) 3 Dance With Me (02:25) 4 There Goes My Baby (02:12) 5 Up on the Roof (02:32) 6 Under the Boardwalk (02:36) 7 (Sittin’ on the) Dock of the Bay (02:49) 8 Another Saturday Night (02:31) 9 Stand by Me (03:48) 10 Cupid (03:34) 11 Wonderful World (02:57) 12 You Send Me (02:49) 13 Unchained Melody (03:38) 14 Summertime (03:04) 15 Bring It on Home to Me (02:40) 16 Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree (03:07) |
 | Album: 27 of 29 Title: Rockin’ & Driftin’: The Drifters Box Released: 1996-04-23 Tracks: 79 Duration: 3:33:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Let the Boogie Woogie Roll (02:49) 2 Money Honey (02:58) 3 Lucille (03:03) 4 The Way I Feel (02:44) 5 Such a Night (02:28) 6 Gone (02:41) 7 Don’t Dog Me (02:33) 8 Bip Bam (02:45) 9 Bells of St. Mary’s (02:41) 10 White Christmas (02:39) 11 Honey Love (02:25) 12 What’cha Gonna Do (02:47) 13 Someday You’ll Want Me to Want You (02:54) 14 Three Thirty Three (02:40) 15 Adorable (02:43) 16 Your Promise to Be Mine (02:37) 17 Ruby Baby (02:25) 18 Steamboat (02:28) 19 Drifting Away From You (02:08) 20 Treasure of Love (02:10) 21 Without Love (There Is Nothing) (02:57) 22 Fools Fall in Love (02:31) 23 Long Lonely Nights (02:27) 24 Drip Drop (02:30) 25 A Lover’s Question (02:35) 26 Baltimore (02:10) 1 There Goes My Baby (02:12) 2 Oh My Love (02:23) 3 (If You Cry) True Love, True Love (02:19) 4 Dance With Me (02:25) 5 This Magic Moment (02:32) 6 Lonely Winds (02:49) 7 Save the Last Dance for Me (02:37) 8 Nobody but Me (02:37) 9 I Count the Tears (02:10) 10 Sometimes I Wonder (02:22) 11 Spanish Harlem (02:56) 12 Young Boy Blues (02:20) 13 Stand by Me (02:58) 14 Room Full of Tears (02:52) 15 Please Stay (02:18) 16 Sweets for My Sweet (02:37) 17 Some Kind of Wonderful (02:21) 18 Loneliness or Happiness (02:33) 19 Mexican Divorce (02:35) 20 When My Little Girl Is Smiling (02:35) 21 Lover Please (01:56) 22 Don’t Play That Song (You Lied) (02:56) 23 Stranger on the Shore (02:42) 24 Another Night With the Boys (02:50) 25 Up on the Roof (02:38) 26 I (Who Have Nothing) (02:33) 27 Let the Music Play (02:34) 1 On Broadway (03:05) 2 Only in America (02:11) 3 Rat Race (02:14) 4 If You Don’t Come Back (02:42) 5 I’ll Take You Home (02:45) 6 In the Land of Make Believe (02:35) 7 One Way Love (02:27) 8 Vaya con dios (03:19) 9 Under the Boardwalk (02:41) 10 He’s Just a Playboy (02:58) 11 I Don’t Want to Go On Without You (02:59) 12 I’ve Got Sand in My Shoes (02:51) 13 Saturday Night at the Movies (02:31) 14 On Broadway (live) (04:51) 15 Christmas Song (02:30) 16 At the Club (03:00) 17 Come On Over to My Place (02:32) 18 I’ll Take You Where the Music’s Playing (02:42) 19 Up in the Streets of Harlem (03:03) 20 Memories Are Made of This (02:32) 21 Like Sister and Brother (03:26) 22 Kissin’ in the Back Row of the Movies (03:33) 23 Down on the Beach Tonight (03:06) 24 There Goes My First Love (03:07) 25 Can’t Take You Home Little Girl (03:32) 26 You’re More Than a Number in My Little Red Book (03:17) |
| Rockin’ & Driftin’: The Drifters Box : Allmusic album Review : This triple-disc 79-song compilation looks pretty impressive, and in some ways it is, representing most of the best work of each incarnation of the Drifters from 1953 through 1976. Theres a lot of classic music here, including all of the big hits and many interesting (even musically glorious) flops and B-sides, but the limitations of three CDs make this less than ideal. Atlantic had already released a pair of two-CD sets, Let the Boogie Woogie Roll: Greatest Hits 1953-58 and All-Time Greatest Hits & More: 1959-1965, eight years earlier, each of which covers those major periods in question far more generously than does this box -- although it must be conceded that the sound on the cuts included on Rockin & Driftin is improved over those late-80s digital transfers, good as they seemed at the time. Additionally, almost concurrent with this release from Rhino Records in America, Sequel Records in England issued its Drifters Anthology series, assembling the groups complete Atlantic Records output on seven separate CDs, organized somewhat awkwardly at times but also including a number of outtakes, so serious fans may want to opt for that group of discs. This set, had it gone to four CDs, could have been truly comprehensive, covering all of those bases by grabbing some of the best of those genuinely beautiful outtakes, such as "In the Park" -- as it is, the only unreleased cut here is the groups version of "Only in America" -- and oddities like the achingly soulful "She Never Talked to Me That Way," plus all of the official live recordings that they left behind from the mid-60s. At three CDs, its a little squeezed, especially as the producers devote some space and attention on concurrent solo hits by Clyde McPhatter and Ben E. King. As it is, this set covers the groups history into their 1970s era work on Bell Records and Arista Records, which did yield some serious hits in the U.K. (where the Johnny Moore-version of the group relocated in the early 70s) and which dont sound bad; theyre but a shadow of the groups classic early-60s singles, but songs like "Kissin in the Back Row of the Movies" and "Down on the Beach Tonight" are perfectly listenable. Those tracks are not necessarily worth the 40-50 dollars that this set costs, but coupled with the gorgeous sound of the classic material and the almost book-length essays that accompany the set, this is a purchase to consider, especially for anyone who doesnt already own the earlier Atlantic double sets or the Sequel collection. Anyone who has the Sequel discs may well want to pass this up, but for anybody building a Drifters collection beyond the 60s hits, this will supply most of whats needed, and serve as a guide of where to go for a closer listen to specific parts of their history. The essays are highly detailed, covering several different angles on the history of the group, and are refreshingly, highly opinionated (although some fans may pause over the slights given to Johnny Moore as the groups last lead singer -- no, he wasnt Clyde McPhatter or Ben E. King, or even Rudy Lewis, but he did sing beautifully). As a significant bonus, along with the previously unreleased 1963 version of "Only in America," a song which was subsequently placed with Jay & the Americans (who had a hit with it) because it was deemed too upbeat (despite the obvious irony that was intended) for a black group to release, one gets a very full account of the contortions that the composers, producers, and Atlantic went through over the song. | ||
 | Album: 28 of 29 Title: Please Come Home for Christmas Released: 2000 Tracks: 10 Duration: 34:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (03:47) 2 Silent Night (04:14) 3 I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (03:01) 4 The Christmas Song (04:50) 5 Please Come Home for Christmas (02:52) 6 White Christmas (02:39) 7 The Little Drummer Boy (03:18) 8 O Holy Night (03:21) 9 Winter Wonderland (03:05) 10 We Wish You a Merry Christmas (03:20) |
| Please Come Home for Christmas : Allmusic album Review : Please Come Home for Christmas features the Drifters performing a variety of holiday favorites. Some of the featured songs include "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," "Silent Night," "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," and "The Christmas Song," along with six other long-time favorites. This collection should please anyone who appreciates the Drifters or anyone with a taste for holiday favorites performed in a classic soul style. However, some may be disappointed by the fairly straightforward performances. For the most part, this is a straightforward collection of holiday music. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 29 Title: Now / Love Games Released: 2007-08-20 Tracks: 24 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Youve Got Your Troubles (?) 2 Four and Twenty Hours (Seven Days of Every Week I Love You) (?) 3 Sweet Caroline (Good Times Never Seemed So Good) (?) 4 Love Me, Love the Life I Lead (?) 5 Save the Last Dance for Me (?) 6 (Theres) Always Something There to Remind Me Every Night (?) 7 Every Night (?) 8 Something Tells Me (Somethings Gonna Happen Tonight) (?) 9 Deep Down Inside (Beats a Heart of Gold) (?) 10 Im Feeling Sad (And Oh So Lonely) (?) 11 Say Goodbye to Angelina (?) 12 The Songs We Used to Sing (?) 13 Love Games (?) 14 Like Sister and Brother (?) 15 Im Ready (To Make a Fool of Myself Again) (?) 16 If Youre Gonna Love Me (?) 17 The Cut Is Deep (?) 18 I Cant Get Away From You (?) 19 Kissin in the Back Row of the Movies (?) 20 Im Free for the Rest of Your Life (?) 21 I Cant Live Without You (?) 22 If It Feels Good, Do It (?) 23 A Blessing in Disguise (?) 24 Down on the Beach Tonight (?) |