Chartbusters USA, Vol. 3 N/A Artist

Like the previous two volumes in {|Ace|}'s {|Chartbusters USA|} series, this assembles as much music as is possible to fit onto a single-disc compilation of quality, though thematically unrelated, American chart hits from 1963-1969. The latest tracks... Read more

Like the previous two volumes in {|Ace|}'s {|Chartbusters USA|} series, this assembles as much music as is possible to fit onto a single-disc compilation of quality, though thematically unrelated, American chart hits from 1963-1969. The latest tracks here are actually from 1968, but it's still a good survey of smashes from the golden age of '60s {|rock|}, mixing superstars with one-shots. Classic hits from several genres are on hand here: {|surf|} and {|hot rod|} music ({|the Beach Boys|}' {|Fun, Fun, Fun,|} {|the Hondells|}' {|Little Honda|}), {|British Invasion|} ({|the Zombies|}' {|She's Not There|}), {|blue-eyed soul|} ({|the Box Tops|}' {|The Letter|}), {|Motown|} ({|Junior Walker|}'s {|(I'm A) Road Runner|} and {|Marvin Gaye|}'s {|I Heard It Through the Grapevine|}), {|garage rock|} ({|the Music Machine|}'s {|Talk Talk|}), instrumentals ({|Booker T. & the MG's|}' {|Soul Limbo,|} {|Hugh Masekela|}'s {|Grazing in the Grass|}), {|Chicago soul|} ({|the Impressions|}' {|People Get Ready|}), {|Stax|} ({|Wilson Pickett|}'s {|In the Midnight Hour|}), {|novelties|} ({|Henry Mancini|}'s {|The Pink Panther Theme|}), {|psychedelia|} ({|Steppenwolf|}'s {|Born to Be Wild|}), {|blues-rock|} ({|Canned Heat|}'s {|Goin' Up the Country|}), and even {|blues|} ({|Slim Harpo|}'s {|Baby Scratch My Back|}). As for tracks that don't often show up on these kind of anthologies, there aren't many, but there are a few, those including {|the Rose Garden|}'s one-shot {|pop|}-{|folk|}-{|rock|} hit {|Next Plane to London,|} {|the Marvelows|}' superb clapalong harmony {|soul|} single {|I Do,|} and {|Timmy Shaw|}'s {|Gonna Send You Back to Georgia,|} which is certainly the most off the beaten track song here, and is better known to many in its cover version by {|the Animals|} (who changed the title to {|Gonna Send You Back to Walker|}). Many '60s collectors will already have most of this, but for more general fans it's a rollicking good time, buttressed by {|Ace|}'s usual excellent, thorough liner notes. ~ Richie Unterberger Less