[.ca] 25 All-Time Greatest Bubblegum

You Know You Love This Stuff!:
Did you lead a double life in the late 60s and early 70s? Did you rock to the sound of Zeppelin and Hendrix while hanging out with your friends, but grooved to bubblegum sounds on the radio while alone in your car? It is 2004 now and time to come out of that closet and dig this CD collection of all-time bubblegum hits.This is just fun stuff and really catches the spirit of what pop/rock music should be. It was all perfect for the radio. So what that most of these cuts are by studio groups for records or cartoon shows only? The songs are all well crafted pop ditties. I highly recommend this set.

Smashing, baby!:
Eek.... I had no idea this music was burnt so deeply into my Gen-X subconscious until I listened to it afresh. This CD is not necessarily a hitfest, but a scrapbook, and I like it that way. It makes me want to sit on the living-room floor, eat Honeycomb and play board games. :)

Not corny.:
Make no mistake what was really meant by those "corny" lyrics in this era. Most people are oblivious to what is being talked about in "Yummy Yummy Yummy". But it doesn't take long to figure it out. They just didn't curse on these records like they do nowadays. And oh yeah, the music and singing is good too.

Keep the sugar rush coming!!!!:
Needless to say, this disc has yet to leave my discman since I bought yesterday. Bookended by the two signature blasts of bubblegum nirvana, "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" by Ohio Express, and "Sugar, Sugar" by the Archies, this is a fun starter set for listeners looking to wade into the bubblegum pool. Plenty of junky pop thrills abound, with plenty of lascivious lyrics to boot. My own particular highlights are "The Grooviest Girl In The World", by the Fun and Games, with its squealing Tex-Mex organ and chest-puffing bravado, ("...and I'm a guy with impeccable tas-tah!!!"), Barry Blue's mind-boggling fusion of glam and bubblegum, "Dancin' (On A Saturday Night)", and Josie and the Pussycats breath-taking "Every Beat Of My Heart", which starts out like Dionne Warwick, only to end up in Dusty in Memphis territory. Other tracks worth checking out are the bubble-gospel of Robin McNamara's "Lay A Lovin' On Me", and "Wait Till Tomorrow" by the Banana Splits, which sounds like it belongs on Nuggets. Also worth checking out is "Bubblegum Is The Naked Truth", by Kim Cooper and David Smay, which details the dark side of bubblegum music and all of its glory.

CATCHY VOCAL POP:
Compared to a lot of stuff that fills the charts today, these little ditties are excellent. It may be called bubblegum, but most of this music has stood the test of time very well with its catchy hooks and lovely vocals. My favorites include the female vocal pop of The Cuff Links and Tracy, The Monkees with the melodic I'm A Believer, Dawn and their vibrant pop song Knock Three Times, Tommy James with the psychedelic pop of I Think We're Alone now and Love Grows by Edison Lighthouse with its great harmonies. Other brilliant tracks include the classic bubblegum number Sugar Sugar by The Archies, My Baby Loves Lovin' by The White Plains, Funny Funny by Sweet (who later in their career became a proper rock band), Jam Up Jelly Tight by Tommy Roe and Dancing On A Saturday Night by Barry Blue. In retrospect, I think a lot of this music was unfairly dismissed. Most of these tracks are melodic pop songs and are very well performed. This is a wonderful compilation of great hits from the golden age of pop.

• Yummy, Yummy, Yummy
• Tracy
• I'm a Believer
• Gimme Gimme Good Lovin'
• Grooviest Girl in the World
• Jam up & Jelly Tight
• Indian Giver
• Wait Till Tomorrow
• Easy Come, Easy Go
• Knock Three Times
• Smile a Little Smile for Me
• Every Beat of My Heart
• I Think We're Alone Now
• Quick Joey Small
• Finders Keepers
• Alice Long (You're Still My Favorite Girlfriend)
• Jennifer Tomkins
• Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)
• Captain Groovy and His Bubblegum Army
• Lay a Little Lovin' on Me
• Bubble Gum Music
• My Baby Loves Lovin'
• Funny Funny
• Dancin' (On a Saturday Night)
• Sugar Sugar