No one has ever created better covers of other artist's songs more consistently than sixties superstar Johnny Rivers, and here in this double re-release of two of his best 1960s work, "Rewind/Realization" are found some of the finest cover efforts he has ever made. From "Baby, I Need Your Loving" to "The Tracks Of My Tears", from "Positively Fourth Street" to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale", Johnny turns in a truly stellar performance here. Several of my favorites, though, are works written by other artists but originally recorded and released by Rivers, such as the smash hit "Summer Rain", "Something Strange", and "Look To Your Soul", all written by James Hendricks (not Jimi Hendrix). All of these wonderful songs carry the signature Johnny Rivers vocal style and are also beautifully arranged and accompanied.
Also excellent are "What's the Difference?", a sixties counter-cultural anthem by Scott MacKenzie (of "San Francisco" fame) and a pair of relatively rare Johnny Rivers compositions, "The Way We Live", and "Going Back To Big Sur". I also like the treatment Rivers uses to cover "For Emily , Wherever I May Find Her", and for "It'll Never Happen Again". Few other sixties artists were as bold or as forthright about delivering stirring and accomplished covers of other artists work, and Rivers has long been under-appreciated as a master for delivering blue-eyed soul with conviction and believability. He is also a consummate professional, and I am glad to see this new compilation which makes the material on these two great albums available again.
Enjoy!
1. The tracks of my tears
2. Carpet man
3. Tunesmith
4. Sidewalk song (27th Street)
5. It´ll never happen again
6. Do what you gotta do
7. Baby I need your lovin´
8. For Emily, whenevr I may find her
9. Rosecrans Boulevard
10. The eleventh song
11. Sweet smiling children
12. Hey Joe
13. Look to your soul
14. The way we live
15. Summer rain
16. Whiter shade of pale
17. Brother, where are you
18. Something´s strange
19. What´s the difference
20. Going back to Big Sur
21. Positively 4th Street
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