Tommy James & The Shondells

Celebration – The Complete Roulette Recordings 1966-1973


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Between 1966 and 1973, Tommy James issued thirteen albums on Roulette either as a solo performer or with The Roulettes. All of these recordings now appear on this definitive 6-CD set. This includes “Greatest Hits” or “Best Of” albums which of course duplicated tracks from regular albums. These tracks have been left in their respective original albums.

Although these albums have all appeared on CD reissues at various times over the years, this is the first box set to gather together all of the recordings in one set. In addition, there is the bonus of all of the recordings that never featured on the original LPs. Some of these tracks are making their CD debut within this collection.

The 141-track box set features 16 tracks that were only ever released on 45s or were previously unissued until earlier compilations were released on CD. Produced by Bob Fisher whose detailed essay covers the entire history of the group with quotes by Tommy James from his biography and the notes to previous reissues. The booklet includes details of all of their chart achievements in the USA and the UK along with numerous reproductions of advertisements, reviews and news stories from music industry magazines.

Designed by Michael Robson and mastered by Simon Murphy this is the definitive collection of Tommy James & the Shondells tracing their career from garage and bubblegum pop band through career defining psychedelic albums into Tommy James solo years as an introspective singer/songwriter.

Disc One contains the first two albums “Hanky Panky” and “It’s Only Love” plus the non- album B-side of the ‘Hanky Panky’ 45 and six titles previously unissued which made their first and only appearance on a long deleted 1997 CD set.

Disc Two contains the albums “I Think We’re Alone Now”, “Something Special” and “Getting Together”.

Disc Three features ‘Mony, Mony’. Their first and only UK No 1 single and the album titled after that hit alongside their classic psychedelic album, “Crimson & Clover” and the 45 version of the title track.

Disc Four presents their second career defining psychedelic album “Cellophane Symphony” including the long version of the title track and a track from the album sessions, ‘Contact’, only previously released on the aforementioned 1997 compilation. Disc four also features the one track on the album “The Best of Tommy James & The Shondells” that hadn’t been on an album before, ‘Ball of Fire’ and the first seven titles on “Travellin’” the last Tommy James & The Shondells album.

Disc Five opens with the continuation of the “Travellin’” album with its last three tracks before moving on to the first Tommy James solo albums “Tommy James” and “Christian Of the World” which features his last major hit single, ‘Draggin’ the Line’.

Disc Six concludes the box with his last album for Roulette, 1971’s “My Head, My Bed and My Red Guitar” his country -rock album co-produced in Nashville with Pete Drake and featuring such legendary country sidemen as Scotty Moore, D.J. Fontana, Charlie McCoy, Buddy Spicer and others.

Tracklist

DISC ONE:
HANKY PANKY
(ROULETTE LP SR 25336)

1. HANKY PANKY (Roulette 4686)
2. I’LL GO CRAZY
3. I’M SO PROUD
4. THE LOVER
5. LOVE MAKES THE WORLD GO ‘ROUND
6. GOOD LOVIN’
7. SAY I AM (WHAT I AM) (Roulette 4695)
8. CLEO’S MOOD
9. DON’T THROW OUR LOVE AWAY
10. SHAKE A TAIL FEATHER
11. SOUL SEARCHIN’ BABY
12. LOTS OF PRETTY GIRLS (Roulette 4695)
BONUS TRACK
13. THUNDERBOLT (Roulette 4686)

IT’S ONLY LOVE (ROULETTE SR 25344)
14. IT’S ONLY LOVE (Roulette 4710)
15. HOLD ON A LITTLE BIT LONGER
16. IT’S ALRIGHT
17. JUANITA (NOTHIN’S GONNA STOP OUR LOVE)
18. BIG TIME OPERATOR
19. YA, YA (Roulette 4710)
20. WE’LL HAVE A WORLD
21. DON’T LET MY LOVE PASS YOU BY (Roulette 4710)
22. PICK-UP
23. I’M SO LONESOME I COULD CRY
24. FANNY MAE
25. SOME
BONUS TRACKS
26. HOLD ON TO HIM
27. SHE CRIED
28. WIGGLE WOBBLE
29. THE CHEATER
30. SOUL SERENADE
31. AS WE GO THROUGH LIFE

DISC TWO:
I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW
(ROULETTE SR 25353)

1. I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW (Roulette 4720)
2. TRUST EACH OTHER IN LOVE
3. WHAT I’D GIVE TO SEE YOUR FACE AGAIN
4. BABY LET ME DOWN
5. LET’S BE LOVERS
6. RUN, RUN BABY RUN (Roulette 4736)
7. MIRAGE (Roulette 4736)
8. I LIKE THE WAY (Roulette 4756)
9. CALIFORNIA SUN
10. (BABY, BABY) I CAN’T TAKE IT NO MORE (Roulette 4756)
11. GONE, GONE, GONE (Roulette 4720)
12. SHOUT

SOMETHING SPECIAL! -BEST OF TOMMY JAMES AND THE SHONDELLS (ROULETTE SR 25355)

13. OUT OF THE BLUE (Roulette 4775)
14. GETTING’ TOGETHER (Roulette 4762) / (Roulette LP SR 25357)
15. LOVE’S CLOSIN’ IN ON ME (Roulette 4775)
16. REAL GIRL (Roulette 4762)

GETTIN’ TOGETHER
(ROULETTE SR 25357)
17. I WANT TO BE AROUND YOU
18. THERE’S SO MUCH LOVE ALL AROUND ME
19. SOME HAPPY DAY
20. SO DEEP WITH YOU
21. SOMETIMES I’M UP (SOMETIMES I’M DOWN)
22. YOU BETTER WATCH OUT
23. WISH IT WERE YOU (Roulette 7000)
24. WORLD DOWN ON YOUR KNEES
25. LOST IN YOUR EYES

DISC THREE:
MONY, MONY
(ROULETTE SR 42012)

1. MONY, MONY (Roulette 7008)
2. DO UNTO ME (Roulette 70016)
3. (I’M) TAKEN
4. NIGHTMARE (I’M A LOVER)
5. RUN AWAY WITH ME
6. SOMEBODY CARES (Roulette 70016)
7. GET OUT NOW (Roulette 7000)
8. CAN’T GO BACK TO DENVER
9. SOME KIND OF LOVE (Roulette 7028)
10. GINGERBREAD MAN (Roulette 7024)
11. ONE TWO THREE AND I FELL (Roulette 7008)

CRIMSON AND CLOVER
(ROULETTE SR42023)
12. CRIMSON AND CLOVER
13. KATHLEEN McARTHUR
14. I AM A TANGERINE
15. DO SOMETHING TO ME (Roulette 7024)
16. CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION (Roulette 7050)
17. SUGAR ON SUNDAY
18. BREAKAWAY (Roulette 7039)
19. SMOKEY ROADS
20. I’M ALIVE (Roulette 7050)
21. CRIMSON AND CLOVER (REPRISE)
BONUS TRACK
22. CRIMSON AND CLOVER (45 RADIO VERSION) (Roulette 7028)

DISC FOUR:
CELLOPHANE SYMPHONY
(ROULETTE SR 42030)

1. CELLOPHANE SYMPHONY
2. MAKIN’ GOOD TIME (ROULETTE 7060)
3. EVERGREEN
4. SWEET CHERRY WINE (ROULETTE 7039)
5. PAPA ROLLED HIS OWN
6. CHANGES
7. LOVED ONE (ROULETTE 7066)
8. I KNOW WHO I AM
9. LOVE OF A WOMAN
10. ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE STAFF AND MANAGEMENT
BONUS TRACKS
11. SWEET CHERRY WINE (45 VERSION) (ROULETTE 7039)
12. CONTACT

BEST OF TOMMY JAMES & THE SHONDELLS (ROULETTE SR 42040)
13. BALL OF FIRE (ROULETTE 7060)

TRAVELIN’ (ROULETTE SR 42044)
14. BLOODY WATER
15. RED ROVER (ROULETTE 7071)
16. CANDY MAKER (ROULETTE 7084)
17. SHE (ROULETTE 7066)
18. TALKIN’ AND SIGNIFYIN’ (ROULETTE 7076)
19. TRAVELIN’
20. GOTTA GET BACK TO YOU (ROULETTE 7071)

DISC FIVE:
TRAVELIN’
(ROULETTE SR 42044) (CONTINUED)

1. EARLY IN THE MORNIN’
2. MOSES AND ME
3. KELLY TOLD ANNE

TOMMY JAMES (ROULETTE SR 42051)
4. BALL AND CHAIN (ROULETTE 7084)
5. MEET THE COMER
6. MIDNIGHT TRAIN
7. LIGHT OF DAY
8. COME TO ME (ROULETTE 7076) *
9. I LOST MY BABY
10. LADY JANE
11. QUICK SILVER

CHRISTIAN OF THE WORLD –
TOMMY JAMES
(ROULETTE SR 42062/SR 3001)
12. CHRISTIAN OF THE WORLD
13. RINGS AND THINGS (ROULETTE 7140)
14. I’M COMIN’ HOME (ROULETTE 7110)
15. SING, SING, SING (ROULETTE 7110)
16. DRAGGIN’ THE LINE (ROULETTE 7093)/ (ROULETTE 7103)
17. SAIL A HAPPY SHIP
18. LIGHT OF DAY (ROULETTE 7100)
19. BITS AND PIECES (ROULETTE 7103)
20. BELIEVE IN PEOPLE
21. CHURCH ST. SOUL REVIVAL (ROULETTE 7093)
22. ANOTHER HILL TO CLIMB
23. ADRIENNE (ROULETTE 7100)
24. SILK SATIN CARRIAGE WAITING

DISC SIX:
MY HEAD, MY BED,
AND MY RED GUITAR
(ROULETTE SR 3007)

1. NOTHING TO HIDE (ROULETTE 7114)
2. TELL ‘EM WILLIE BOY’S A’ COMIN’ (ROULETTE 7119)
3. WHITE HORSES
4. THE LAST ONE TO KNOW
5. ROSALEE
6. PAPER FLOWER
7. WALK A COUNTRY MILE
8. WHO’S GONNA CRY
9. FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS
10. KINGSTON HIGHWAY
11. I LIVE TO LOVE A WOMAN
12. FORTUNADA
13. DARK IS THE NIGHT (ROULETTE 7126)

NON-LP SINGLES
14. CAT’S EYE IN THE WINDOW (ROULETTE 7126)
15. LOVE SONG (ROULETTE 7130)
16. CELEBRATION (ROULETTE 7135)
17. BOO, BOO DON’TCHA BE BLUE (ROULETTE 7140)
18. CALICO (ROULETTE 7147) 1973
19. HEY, MY LADY (ROULETTE 7147) 1973