Merry Go Round

Listen Listen - The Definite Collection - Rev-Ola DR Rev 10 2005 ( 1966-70 )

Tracks: 1. Live / 2. Time Will Show the Wiser / 3. On Your Way Out / 4. Gonna Fight the War / 5. Had to Run Around / 6. We're in Love / 7. You're a Very Lovely Woman / 8. Where Have You Been All My Life / 9. Early in the Morning / 10. Low Down / 11. Clown's No Good / 12. Gonna Leave You Alone / 13. Mother Earth / 14. Pardon Me / 15. Textile Factory / 16. Someone Died / 17. Come Ride, Come Ride / 18. Let's All Sing / 19. Holly Park / 20. Mary Will You Take My Hand / 21. Man He Was / 22. In Days of Old / 23. 'Til the Day After / 24. Saturday Night / 25. She Laughed Loud / 26. Listen, Listen / 27. Missing You / 28. Highway / 29. Time Will Show the Wiser [Mono 45] / 30. California Girls

Comments:

Merry-Go-Round, led by singer and songwriter Emitt Rhodes, only achieved to release one album. This album "Live-You're a Very Lovely Woman", named from their first AM single released in 1967, has until recently been fairly easy to find at second-hand record stores. The band released a couple of more singles during their short lifespan. They officially disbanded in 1969, but the band had been in ruins months before, due to internal problems . Some of these AM Records recordings were in fact Emitt solo projects, and when Rhodes left for Dunhill Records in 1969-70, AM Records decided to release these later Merry-Go-Round recordings in Rhodes' name as "The American Dream". This obviously did not help Rhodes' solo career that two albums appeared almost simultaniously on the market bearing his name. He did have a minor hit with his first Dunhill single "Long Time No See", though. A paradox it is that both records are in fact pretty outstanding; especially his first Dunhill album is a classic. Rhodes only released 3 albums before he stopped his recording career.

The Merry-Go-Round album is a typical 1960's release, obviously greatly inspired by the Beatles, but still very American in sound - a bit like Buffalo Springfield or early Jefferson Airplane. It contains some great songs like "Time Will Show the Wiser" ( covered by Fairport Convention on their 1967 album ), "On Your Way Out", "Had to Run Around", "Gonna Leave You Alone" and the single-tracks "Live" and "You're a Very Lovely Woman".

During 1967-68 Rhodes' songwriting and singing style became even more Beatles-influenced and these songs sound very much like The Beatles "Magical Mystery Tour" recordings. He even sings with a British accent. For fans of the Beatles ( especially McCartney ), Badfinger or Left Banke this CD release is highly recommended. It contains the complete AM Records releases + a few previously unreleased tracks. Enjoy tracks like "Saturday Night", "Man He Was", "Pardon Me" and "Till the Day After" - and if you feel like more of the same, look out for Rhodes solo-releases.

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