Tommy Sands was initially a country singer and guitarist who made his first records in the early ‘50s when he was a young teenager and was “discovered” by Col. Tom Parker, but shot to fame when he appeared in an episode of “Kraft Television Theater” in 1957 as ‘The Singin’ Idol’ performing “Teen-Age Crush” which was his debut No. 2 US hit. His teen idol looks also brought him a screen career, and he married Nancy Sinatra, although his divorce from her in 1965 seemed to stop his career in its tracks.
This comp comprises the A and B of his early releases on the Freedom and RCA labels, and his singles for Capitol through to 1961, as well as his duets with Annette Funicello from the Disney movie “The Parent Trap” released on Buena Vista. It features all his ten career chart entries, including the No. 2 “Teen-Age Crush”, and the Top 30 hits “Going Steady”, “Sing, Boy, Sing” and “The Old Oaken Bucket”, his biggest UK hit. It’s a comprehensive trawl across the decade which comprised the core of his career as a recording artist.
REVIEWS
“This present collection is as stated devoted to his singles, but the difference here is that rather than starting with his Capitol recordings it begins with his earlier incarnation as singer and guitarist Little Tommie Sands, 'The West's Wonder Boy' in 1951 when he was a mere 14. Even then, he was a show biz veteran having made his initial broadcasts before the age of 10. This collection is obviously not 100% relevant to 'in Tune' readers with its high rock and country/western content but there are more than a few items of interest and it does give a rounded portrait of an entertainer who perhaps never was able to find his ideal métier and thus realise his full potential, for whatever reason.” – Gerry Stonestreet (In Tune Issue 343)
Tommy Sands fans have been quite well served over the years and this 2CD set should be the ultimate as it presents all of his releases for Freedom, RCA Victor and Capitol between the years 1951 to 1961. I found Tommy's vocalising a little difficult to get used to and it took me a while, but a lot of what's included on Disc Two shows that it was worth persevering... worth investigating. Eric Dunsdon (Now Dig This Issue 452)
Disc 1 |
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Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Love Pains |
Little Tommie Sands |
2 |
Syrup Soppin' Blues |
Little Tommie Sands |
3 |
Love Pains |
Tommy Sands |
4 |
Transfer |
Tommy Sands |
5 |
Roses Speak Louder Than Words |
Tommy Sands |
6 |
Spanish Coquita |
Tommy Sands |
7 |
Life Is So Lonesome |
Tommy Sands |
8 |
A Dime and a Dollar |
Tommy Sands |
9 |
Never Let Me Go |
Tommy Sands |
10 |
I Know About The Bees |
Tommy Sands |
11 |
Don't Drop It |
Tommy Sands |
12 |
A Place For Girls Like You |
Tommy Sands |
13 |
Hankerin' |
Tommy Sands and Sunshine Ruby |
14 |
Don't You Know I Love You? |
Tommy Sands and Sunshine Ruby |
15 |
Something's Bound To Go Wrong |
Tommy Sands |
16 |
Kissin' Ain't No Fun |
Tommy Sands |
17 |
Teen-Age Crush |
Tommy Sands |
18 |
Hep Dee Hootie (Cutie Wootie) |
Tommy Sands |
19 |
My Love Song |
Tommy Sands |
20 |
Ring-A-Ding-Ding |
Tommy Sands |
21 |
Goin' Steady |
Tommy Sands |
22 |
Ring My Phone |
Tommy Sands |
23 |
Let Me Be Loved |
Tommy Sands |
24 |
Fantastically Foolish |
Tommy Sands |
25 |
Man, Like Wow! |
Tommy Sands |
26 |
A Swingin' Romance |
Tommy Sands |
27 |
Sing Boy Sing |
Tommy Sands |
28 |
Crazy 'Cause I Love You |
Tommy Sands |
29 |
Teen-Age Doll |
Tommy Sands |
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Disc 2 |
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|
Track |
Title |
Artist |
1 |
Hawaiian Rock |
Tommy Sands |
2 |
After The Senior Prom |
Tommy Sands |
3 |
Big Date |
Tommy Sands |
4 |
Blue Ribbon Baby |
Tommy Sands And The Raiders |
5 |
I Love You Because |
Tommy Sands And The Raiders |
6 |
The Worryin' Kind |
Tommy Sands |
7 |
Bigger Than Texas |
Tommy Sands |
8 |
Is It Ever Gonna Happen |
Tommy Sands With The Sharks |
9 |
I Ain't Gittin' Rid of You |
Tommy Sands With The Sharks |
10 |
Sinner Man |
Tommy Sands |
11 |
Bring Me Your Love |
Tommy Sands |
12 |
I'll Be Seeing You |
Tommy Sands |
13 |
That's The Way I Am |
Tommy Sands |
14 |
You Hold The Future |
Tommy Sands |
15 |
I Gotta Have You |
Tommy Sands |
16 |
That's Love |
Tommy Sands |
17 |
Crossroads |
Tommy Sands |
18 |
The Old Oaken Bucket |
Tommy Sands |
19 |
These Are The Things You Are |
Tommy Sands |
20 |
On And On |
Tommy Sands |
21 |
Doctor Heartache |
Tommy Sands |
22 |
The Parent Trap |
Annette Funicello And Tommy Sands |
23 |
Let's Get Together |
Annette Funicello And Tommy Sands |
24 |
I Love My Baby |
Tommy Sands |
25 |
Love in a Goldfish Bowl |
Tommy Sands |
26 |
Remember Me (To Jennie) |
Tommy Sands |
27 |
Rainbow |
Tommy Sands |
28 |
Jimmy's Song |
Tommy Sands |
29 |
Wrong Side of Love |
Tommy Sands |