Del Shannon - Handy Man - The Best Of [2CD]

Edsel Best Of

£14.38

Format: 2 x CD
Catalogue No.: EDSL0124
Barcode: 740155732431
Release Date: 11 Nov 2022
Genre: Rock

Del Shannon was, without doubt, one of the most gifted and distinctive of musical talents to emerge in the immediate pre-‘British Invasion’ era of American Pop. His was a talent that travelled well – indeed, his UK and European fanbase proved far more loyal and his success in those territories of greater longevity than in his native USA. Moreover, he was also much admired by successive generations of musicians, including the likes of George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young. His songs, more often than not, essayed a bleak world of doomed romance, lovelorn disenchantment and existential gloom. Paradoxically, of course, those themes were frequently juxtaposed to surprisingly upbeat and bright-sounding melodies.

This 61 track 2CD set contains an overview of the entirety of Del Shannon’s career, from his hits in the early 60s, via his mid-60s recordings with Andrew Loog Oldham and Jimmy Page, to his 80s recordings with Tom Petty and Mike Campbell, and Jeff Lynne.

This set features all of Del’s UK hits, eight of which reached the Top Ten, including the #1 hit “Runaway”, “Hey! Little Girl” and “The Swiss Maid” (both #2 hits), and “Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)”, which reached #3. Also included are Del’s recordings of two Lennon/McCartney songs (“From Me To You” and “A World Without Love”). Del was the first US act to record a Beatles cover version, and later covered the Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb”. Also included is his song “Sister Isabelle”, later covered by Frank Black & Teenage Fanclub for a John Peel session.

The booklet features photos and extensive annotation by Alan Robinson.

CD ONE
1. Runaway
2. Hats Off To Larry
3. Hey! Little Girl
4. So Long Baby
5. The Answer To Everything
6. He Doesn't Care
7. Wide Wide World
8. His Latest Flame
9. Misery
10. Ginny In The Mirror
11. I Won't Be There
12. Cry Myself To Sleep
13. The Swiss Maid
14. You Never Talked About Me
15. Little Town Flirt
16. Kelly
17. From Me To You
18. World Without Love
19. Two Silhouettes
20. Sue's Gotta Be Mine
21. That's The Way Love Is
22. Two Kinds Of Teardrops
23. Memphis
24. Mary Jane
25. Handy Man
26. I'll Be Lonely Tomorrow
27. Do You Wanna Dance
28. Keep Searchin' (We'll Follow the Sun)
29. I Go To Pieces
30. Why Don't You Tell Him
31. Needles And Pins
32. Rag Doll
33. Over You
34. Broken Promises

CD TWO
1. Stranger In Town
2. Break Up
3. Move It On Over
4. I Can't Believe My Ears
5. I Wish I Wasn't Me Tonight
6. For A Little While
7. She
8. The Big Hurt
9. Under My Thumb
10. The Letter
11. Show Me
12. Led Along
13. Mind Over Matter
14. Cut And Come Again
15. Runaway '67
16. Thinkin' It Over
17. Gemini
18. Raindrops
19. Sister Isabelle
20. What's A Matter Baby
21. And The Music Plays On
22. Sea Of Love
23. To Love Someone
24. Cheap Love
25. Life Without You
26. Callin' Out My Name
27. Walk Away